Original vintage 1935 GPO telephone service booklet, cover by E McKnight Kauffer

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Original vintage 1935 GPO telephone service booklet, with the cover illustration signed by E. McKnight Kauffer ('34), one of the most notable poster artists and graphic designers of this period. This wonderful nostalgic brochure for the modern household and business outlines the importance of the new 1935 telephone and services: "The year 1935 is bound to see a remarkable growth in the telephone service throughout the country, and a great extension in the use of the telephone. This is a new situation, and every household and every business man...should consider carefully whether he can any longer afford to be without one...The telephone of 1935 is not a luxury. It may well be a necessity. it will almost certainly be an economy." This new telephone service booklet goes on to explain how to invite a sales representative to your home or office, the tariffs for rental charges and calls, extensions for more than one telephone at the premises, group service options and hand-microphones ("the latest type of telephone, shapely in form and convenient in use. It combines grace of line with efficiency in working, and looks equally well in the home and in the office"). The very stylish avant-garde colour cover design by McKnight Kauffer depicts a man's hand holding up one of the new telephones with the text "Come on the Telephone" leading diagonally down to the bottom line where the telephone cord fades off. This seven-page information brochure finishes with the GPO logo and code T478x. Overall good used condition with general fading, staple marks, scuffs and creases with age, especially to the corners and on the outside back cover page. Size (when folded as a leaflet): 12x18.8cm. Edward McKnight Kauffer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Edward McKnight Kauffer (14 December 1890 – 22 October 1954) [1] was an American-born artist noted for his avant garde graphic design and poster art , especially in England .Kauffer was born in Great Falls , Montana . By 1910, he had moved to San Francisco working as a bookseller, studying art at the Mark Hopkins Art Institute from 1910 to 1912. [2] At around this time, Professor Joseph McKnight of the University of Utah became aware of Kauffer and his work. McKnight chose to sponsor Kauffer and paid to send him to Paris for further study. In gratitude, Kauffer took his sponsor's name as a middle name.Kauffer stopped in Chicago for six months in 1912-1913 and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago . While there he witnessed the Armory Show , one of the first major exhibitions to introduce the styles of post-modernism to American audiences. This likely had a major impact on Kauffer, who would work in many of the same styles throughout his career.He arrived in Paris in 1913 and studied at the Académie Moderne until 1914. He moved to London upon the start of the World War , and remained there for most of his career. He was briefly associated with Robert Bevan 's Cumberland Market Group .Kauffer may be best known for the 140 posters that he produced for London Underground , and later London Transport . The posters span many styles: many show abstract influences, including futurism , cubism , and vorticism ; others evoke impressionist influences such as Japanese woodcuts .[3] [4] He created posters for other British clients, and also illustrated books and book covers. Later he also became interested in textiles , interior design and theatrical design .He returned to New York City in 1940 at the beginning of the next World War and tried to find work in advertising. He struggled in the more competitive atmosphere until he was approached to do a series of posters for American Airlines in 1947. It remained his primary client until his death in 1954. [5] General Post Office From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The General Post Office (GPO) [1] was officially established in England in 1660 [2] by Charles II and it eventually grew to combine the functions of both the state postal system and telecommunications carrier. Similar General Pos... read more

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