Brushes With History

Our 66th Quarterly Limited Edition for the Spring of 2025 is “The Chicago Look,” Edition which explores a chapter of American design and typographic history through the lens of a single, highly influential — and sadly now-defunct — enterprise.

The Beverly Sign Co. put Chicago at the center of the mid-century sign-painting map with its “panelized” compositions, novel typographic treatments, and bold colors. This style came to be known as “The Chicago Look.” Watch the film below for lots more about the history and techniques behind the look. 

These note books are a new size for us; a handy 6" × 8." The 64 pages are graph-ruled in “Non-Repro Blue,” a particular shade that is still used in the graphic arts industry to be easily removed from photostats or scans of black-and-white artwork. As usual, the inside covers are full of historical information, illustrations, and wise-cracking.