Art Nouveau & Early Art Deco Type & Design

The letter types and designs of the early 20th century, when Art Nouveau was moving toward the Art Deco styles, are now being recognized by graphic artists and designers for the truly unique and powerful designs they are. The floral patterns, highly personal lyricism, and gently flowing lines of Art Nouveau were taking on the Egyptian-styled, abstractly geometrical, almost overpowering characteristics which would later be identified as Art Deco. In the interim, the styles had the benents of both--the strongly captivating Art Deco look with the lyrical, personal qualities of Art Nouveau. Among the most striking types and decorations during this period were the "caractères en bois" (wood type) of the Swiss firm of Roman Scherer at Lucerne.

For this volume designer Theodore Menten has selected a wide range of borders. decorations and letter strles from the Roman Scherer catalogue. He includes borders—nearly 100 with up to four different sizes and styles, the traditional pointing hands, star shapes, a lyre. florals. abstracts and much more. The letter styles (a total of 24 with over 1.100 capital and lower-case letters) range from scripts, block forms and three-dimensional cuts to textured letters designed for two or more colors and gently rounded letters that seem almost sculpted out of wood.

Each design, decoration, letter, and border included is one that worked in advertising, layout, and other design situations of the early 1900s. Each one is still as powerful and has as much to say now. Since this is a member of the Dover Pictorial Archive Series, you may reproduce these letter styles to solve your own graphic problems or you may simply use them for inspirations in creating your own powerful, personal styles.

Published in 1972 by Dover Publications, Inc.

87 pages / Paperback