$29.95 U.S.
AMERICAN TRADEMARKS
Eric Baker is design director for The O Group in
Manhattan.
He is the author of Great Inventions, Good Intentions:
An Illustrated History of American Design Patents;
Hitting The Road: The Art of The American Road Map;
and Invitation to The Voyage—A Poem Illustrated by
Charles Baudelaire. His work has appeared in Print,
Communication Arts, HOW, Domus, Metropolis,
Blueprint, I.D. Magazine, the New York Art Directors
Annual, British Design and Art Direction, the New
York Times, Vanity Fair, and Graphis.
Baker is on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts,
where he teaches the history of graphic design and
corporate identity. He has twice received National
Endowment for the Arts grants for independent
design history projects. In addition to his work and
teaching he is a contributing editor of the award-
winning design blog, DesignObserver.com.
Tyler Blik is the founder and creative director behind
Blik, a 25-year-old San Diego-based design firm,
guiding design work for a diverse roster of clients
including Adidas golf, Airwalk footwear, Guess,
Nissan, Infiniti, and the San Diego Museum of Art. His
firm’s work has been recognized by AIGA, American
Institute of Architects, Communication Arts, Print, the
American Marketing Association, ADDY, Graphis,
Domus, I.D. Magazine, and the American Association
of Museums.
Blik has been a part-time faculty member at San
Diego State University. Previously published through
Chronicle Books, he has made a commitment to
sharing his expertise, and has held board positions
with major regional and national organizations such
as the American Institute of Graphic Arts, American
Institute of Architects, Orchid & Onions public
awareness program, and Partners for Livable Places.
www.chroniclebooks.com
3mm bleed on all sides
Client: Chronicle Books
Title: Fifty Years of American Trademarks: 1920-1970
Our ref: 20086393
Extent: cover with flaps
Size: H11-1/2’’ x W24-31/32’’
Software: Illustrator CS2
Date: July 16, 09
AMERICAN
Long before America was branded, we were marked— This comprehensive selection of marks, organized
with characters and symbols, shapes and hand-lettered thematically in categories that address both subject
and form, offers designers and fans of Americana
type. Throughout the twentieth century businesses
the opportunity to visit graphic treatments of days
large and small sought to establish their identities with
gone by. From Hallmark to KISS and everything in
TRADEMARKS
graphics that were appetizing, accessible, and above between, the logos included here will surprise and
all else, unforgettable. Design veterans Eric Baker and inspire. Texts by leading identity designers today,
Tyler Blik have assembled here over 1,500 known and along with examples of contemporary marks they
lesser-known trademarks from the 1920s onward, have designed, provide insight into the thought
process of creating a memorable trademark and
including contemporary marks and comments by
today’s design luminaries. This definitive collection A C O M P E N D I U M reveal the importance of knowing the past in order
to visualize the future.
A COMPENDIUM
is perfect for research, inspiration, and pure
visual enjoyment. INTRODUCTION BY STEVEN HELLER
EDITED BY ERIC BAKER AND TYLER BLIK CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE
Charles Anderson
Dana Arnett, James Koval, and Curt Schreiber–
VSA Partners
Michael Cronan
Michael Doret
Stephen Doyle
Aaron Draplin
Emily Oberman and Bonnie Siegler
Clive Piercy
Ben Pieratt
Woody Pirtle
BAKER/BLIK
Sam Potts
Paula Scher
Scott Stowell
Eric Strohl
Sharon Werner
JP Williams
spine: 27/32’’
6-1/2’’
1/16’’(image extends to here)
5-1/2’’
 ANIMA LS A MERI CA N T RA DEMA RK S: A COMPEN DI UM

1924, Allwood Lime Co., Manitowoc, WI. Hydrated Lime.

1925, Empire Milling Co., Minneapolis, MN. Hog Feed. 1935, National Coast Products Corp., Swedesboro, NJ. Canned Dog and Cat Food.

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 A MERI CA N T RA DEMA RK S: A COMPEN DI UM

2007, DDC Open Road Div. 2007, Suburban Blend. 2008, Cobra Dogs.
Aaron Draplin
D R A P L I N D E S I G N C O M PA N Y

My favorite logos are found on old things that usually get thrown away.

When it comes to trademark design, I’ll forever be inspired by heavies like Saul Bass,
Lance Wyman, Lester Beall, and Paul Rand. Their geometry, restraint, and wit is that of
legend, and I fight hard to exhibit their time-tested sensibilities in my own work.

But those guys get enough press, so I’m gonna rant about the “unsung heroes of logo
design”—or “the folks who make the stuff that is often overlooked, and far from celebrated
in glossy design books: the designers of no-bullshit logos found on old stuff in garages and
basements.” That might sound a little vague, but that’s the best way I can put it.

I’ll be at some estate sale or garage sale, battling middle-aged eBay parasites, scared
arachnids, and bored ghosts, and I’m elbow-deep in some old workshop cabinet and I’ll be
stopped in my tracks by an old package of forgotten hardware.
2004, Union Binding Co. 2007, Exit Real World. 2005, Re:volve.

And on that package will be a logo representing whatever company made the nail, fuse,
or ball bearing that it holds. Completely straightforward and devoid of any pretension,
their sole objective was to set themselves apart from the other packages on the shelf at
the hardware store. And what a job they did. Garages from 1950 must have been beautiful,
considering the garbage you are forced to buy at Home Depot nowadays.

So yeah, there’s a lot to be learned from the celebrated masters of logo design. But equally,
there’s a wealth of greatness to be discovered on things that are hidden in old cupboards
and tackle boxes. If you know how to look, you’ll find ’em. Be warned: You gotta get dirty.

While my scavenging competitors are tussling over cast iron skillets and glassware, I’m
perfectly content rescuing this stuff from a certain death in a landfill or incinerator. And to
whoever designed the “International Rectifier Semiconductors” logo on that old radio com-
ponent package I rescued from that shed in Spokane last week, well, I applaud you.

2005, Longbreed Gary. 2008, Redwing Farms. 2004, Nike Air Max.

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 TRANS PORTATION A MERI CA N T RA DEMA RK S: A COMPEN DI UM

1958, Northrop Aircraft, Inc., 1947, Cornell Research 1940, The Stouse Adler Co.,
Bevery Hills, CA. Foundation, New York, NY.
Manned Aircraft, Buffalo, NY. Men’s Undergarments.
Missiles, and Drones. Models for Comparison
and Study for Technical Use.
1946, Republic Aviation Corp., Farmingdale, NY. Airplanes and Parts Thereof.

1954, North Central Airlines, Inc., 1948, American Airlines, Inc., 1948, Eastern Air Lines, Inc.,
Minneapolis, MN. New York, NY. New York, NY.
Air Transportation of Persons, Air Transport of Passengers Air Transportation of Persons,
Property, and Mail. and Freight. Property, and Mail.

1947, The American Oil Co., Baltimore, MD. Gasoline.

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 CI RCLE S AN D SHA PES A MERI CA N T RA DEMA RK S: A COMPEN DI UM

1961, The Paramount Line, Inc., 1970, The Walter Reade 1963, Permanent Peace Association, 1965, King Foods, Inc., 1963, Philippine Cigar Co., 1962, Bilt-Rite Baby Carriage Co.,
Pawtucket, RI. Organization, Inc., New York, NY. Newport, MN. San Francisco, CA. Brooklyn, NY.
Greeting Cards. Oakhurst, NJ. Identifies Members of Association. Frozen Meats. Tobacco Products. Doll Carriages.
Prints and Publications

1969, Sid Galper, 1974, Ralston Purina Co., 1966, W. A. Benjamin, Inc., 1962, Stover Plywood Corp., 1963, The Quaker Oats Co., 1967, The Earl of Hardwicke, Ltd.,
Los Angeles, CA. St. Louis, MO. New York, NY. New York, NY. Chicago, IL. New York, NY.
Landscape Architecture. Recreational Services. Textbooks. Refinished Plywood Panels Biscuits and Cookies. Drinking and Eating Ware
and Plywood Doors. Made of China.

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1960, Hearmann & Reimer GmbH,
Holzminden, Germany.
Aromatic and Flavoring Substances.
1967, Cominco, Ltd.,
Quebec, Canada.
Chemical Fertilizers.
AMERICANTMs_INT02.indd 176-177
WO RLD IMPORTS
1973, Audi Nau Auto Union Ag.,
Ingolstadt, Germany.
Automobiles.
1973, Simpson of Australia, Ltd., 1976, Unicorn Products, Ltd.,
Victoria, Australia.
Men’s and Women’s
Sports Clothing.
17 6
A MERI CA N T RA DEMA RK S: A COMPEN DI UM
1977, Rumianca S.P.A.,
Torino, Italy.
Pesticides and Plant
Pharmaceuticals.
1960, Société Eminence, Nimes, France. Briefs, Waistcoats, and T-Shirts for Men, Women, and Children.
London, England.
Sporting Goods.
1972, Primrose Sportswear, Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Women’s Clothes.
177
11/18/09 3:35:58 PM
 A MERI CA N T RA DEMA RK S: A COMPEN DI UM

2006, Tribeca Film Festival. 1997, Coolsville Records. 2000, uMogul.com.

Michael Doret
MICHAEL DORET GRAPHIC DESIGN

Most of the wonderful trademarks compiled in this collection share one unfortunate trait:
the names of the men and women who brought them to life are mostly forgotten. But
through these marks, as represented by this collection, they have left a rich graphic legacy
that was a strong force in shaping my aesthetics and my graphic vision, as well as those of
many of my contemporaries.

Some of these trademarks are real prize-winners; many are quirky, some even downright
awkward, but almost all of them joyously display a flagrant lack of regard for what some
would consider to be “the formal rules of design.” It is precisely this freewheeling, almost
“anything goes” attitude that gives these marks their energy. I imagine that these artists were
just doing what came naturally; they may not have known the rules, so how could they have
known they were breaking them? It is these “mistakes,” these flourishes typographic and
pictorial, that I find so engaging, and that I’ve tried to pay homage to in my own design
work. This collection represents a rich graphic vocabulary that still resonates in today’s 1980, Graphic Artists Guild. 2000, Hollywood and VIne. 1997, Local Flavors QVC.

digital culture. Some call it “vintage.” I call it vital and alive, bearing the imprint of the maker’s
hand. I would be satisfied if I could get but a small portion of the fun, the irreverence, the
blissful lack of self-consciousness of this work into my own.

So I salute all of them, those designers, those nameless unsung heroes of mine, for without
their accomplishments and without being able to go through the doors they unknowingly
pried open, what I do might never have been possible.

1996, Storyville Post 1999, Knicks National 2006, Alphabet Soup,

MVP Creative LLC. Basketball Association. Type Founders.

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