JF Ptak Science Books // Blog Bookstore

Classic work in Art Deco Style (1931)

"EA. Seguy."  Prismes.  40 Planches de Dessins et Color Nouveaux.  Editions d'Art Charles Moreau, Rue de Prague, Paris.  [1931]   $1450.00

First Edition, the (former) portfolio bound in green cloth.  There are forty fantastic, art deco full-page pochoir plates, all in very vivid and full color.  "Seguy" (sometimes called "Émile-Allain Seguy") may or may not be the name of this prolific artist, but it will do well enough for now.

The following images are from the NYPL design collection, as my bound versions are too large for the scanner.  The images offered here are at least as fien and crisp as those below, or better.   (See the NYPL link to view all forty images.)

Fantastic Cover Art: Electric RCA, 1947

This image is that of the television antenna of station WNBT and for many years it sat on top of the Empire State Building.  WNBT was the flagship station of NBC, which was owned by RCA (Radio Corporation of America, 1919-1986) which (according to its name) was really the first national broadcasting radio network in the United States, and which (as experimental station W2XBS) became the first to broadcast a television picture (of a papier mache Felix the Cat) in 1928.  This fantastic cover art for a 1947 promotional for the company pictured the famous antenna,  the great visual of the company's external hardware, right there on top of the world's tallest building. 

This was really a picture of the future, and in 1947 the future of mass communications and entertainment (and in making money in the two) was seen in television, much more so than the formerly gargantuan radio.

 

We're selling a full-color 20x12" reproduction of this cover for $20.

The original pamphlet,  (12x9", 44pp, illustrated) is also available and is in excellent condition.  $95

Swiss Design, 1926

Travaux d'Art Applique Executes dans les Ateliers de l'Ecole des Arts et Metiers de Zurich.  (Ouvrage publie par l'Ecole des Arts et Metiers de Zurich...)

Zurich, published by Eugene Rentsch, 1926.  4to, few pages of text follwoed by 66 plates of illustrations (including 15 plates in color).  Lovely book on applied design.  Scarce.  $95