An inventive miniature catalog issued for Rand’s solo exhibition at the A-D Gallery, March 31–May 29, 1947—the same year he published Thoughts on Design. 12mo (3” x 4”), comprising a string-tied folding portfolio printed black on the exterior and brilliant orange within, accompanied by an eight-page stapled letterpress booklet and 24 loose black-and-white offset plates, complete. First edition, published in 1947 by The Composing Room/A-D Gallery. The 24 individually captioned plates form a compact, self-curated survey of Rand’s work through the spring of 1947, encompassing advertisements, magazine covers, bindings, packaging, and related commercial designs. In his introductory statement, Composing Room founder Robert L. Leslie recalls first publishing Rand’s work in PM a decade earlier and recognizes the designer’s daring use of simple elements to create images “not easily forgotten.” Established within the Composing Room, the A-D Gallery was among New York’s earliest forums devoted specifically to graphic and typographic art and an important meeting ground for European émigré and younger American designers.
An exceptional copy, complete with the booklet and all 24 plates. The fragile portfolio is remarkably fresh, retaining the original metal grommet often lacking in commerce; black exterior clean and well preserved with only very minor rubbing and bumping to extremities, orange interior unusually vivid. Plates clean with only light, even age toning. Original string absent and replaced with a similar new cord. Among the finest examples we have handled or located.
An inventive miniature catalog issued for Rand’s solo exhibition at the A-D Gallery, March 31–May 29, 1947—the same year he published Thoughts on Design. 12mo (3” x 4”), comprising a string-tied folding portfolio printed black on the exterior and brilliant orange within, accompanied by an eight-page stapled letterpress booklet and 24 loose black-and-white offset plates, complete. First edition, published in 1947 by The Composing Room/A-D Gallery. The 24 individually captioned plates form a compact, self-curated survey of Rand’s work through the spring of 1947, encompassing advertisements, magazine covers, bindings, packaging, and related commercial designs. In his introductory statement, Composing Room founder Robert L. Leslie recalls first publishing Rand’s work in PM a decade earlier and recognizes the designer’s daring use of simple elements to create images “not easily forgotten.” Established within the Composing Room, the A-D Gallery was among New York’s earliest forums devoted specifically to graphic and typographic art and an important meeting ground for European émigré and younger American designers.
An exceptional copy, complete with the booklet and all 24 plates. The fragile portfolio is remarkably fresh, retaining the original metal grommet often lacking in commerce; black exterior clean and well preserved with only very minor rubbing and bumping to extremities, orange interior unusually vivid. Plates clean with only light, even age toning. Original string absent and replaced with a similar new cord. Among the finest examples we have handled or located.
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