Vintage Finds at the Newberry Library Book Fair

A major highlight of summer for me is the Newberry Library Book Fair. I went a leeeeeetle crazy this year (well, every year) and ended up with a couple of armloads of books. I can’t help it—I’m an addict.

With a background in graphic design and English, I love visual communication from pretty much every angle. And I’m completely fascinated by first editions and primary sources; the content AND the design (deliberate choices of size, format, font, photography or illustration style, printing method, color palette, paper stock, etc)—combine to tell a larger story about a very specific moment in time. And if there are notes in the margins or train tickets stuck between the pages… well, be still my heart.

I thought I’d share a few of my finds that are the most interesting—at least visually and sociologically.

Vintage Paperbacks, including a couple of Penguin books—icons in the book design world.Vintage_Novels

A collection of Today’s Secretary magazines from the 1960s, a blank shorthand notepad, and a file box.Secretary_Montage

The magazines are weirdly fascinating—some sections are printed entirely in shorthand—and the cover art would leave one to believe that all secretaries of the time were young, pretty brunettes with flippy hairstyles. Basically Megan Draper.

Note the encouragement to vote in the Nixon/Kennedy election on the cover of the November 1960 issue.Secretary_Montage_2

A selection of 1940s–60s ballet programs for the Bolshoi Ballet, Ballet Theatre, Sadler’s Wells Ballet and Ballet Russe feature vastly different styles of cover art.Ballet_Program_Covers

Inside, caricatures for Margot Fonteyn and Frederick Ashton:Cinderella

Arresting black-and-white photography:Ballet_Photos

And beautiful and/or amusing ads that act as individual time capsules themselves:Perfume_Ads

I might end up framing the Dior ad below.
Dior

My one complaint about this sale is that there always seems to be an inexplicable lack of sewing books. I did find the below magazine: Lady’s Circle: Instant Skirts. Which is pretty awesome.Instant_Skirts

Inside: Inspiration photos and instructions for drafting and making all types of skirts…MakeanA

…including this gem. Oktoberfest at the convent was never so much fun.Skirts

I could maybe get in to a maxi skirt though.SkirtsB

Anyway, if this is kind of thing is your jam too, check out the Book Fair’s hashtag on Instagram, #nlbf15, to see other book lovers’ finds. Now I have to wait a whole nother year… sigh.

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