PHOTOGRAPHIE Magazine

PHOTOGRAPHIE was an annual, special issue of the magazine Arts et Metiers Graphiques entirely dedicated to photography. There’s lots to read about AMG, the influential journal of all things print-related, at Modernism 101, where most of these images are from. There’s also a whole website about it at RIT.

What I particularly like about these photo annuals, aside from how beautiful they are, is that they feature no photography on the covers. The typography acts as master of ceremonies. It introduces the special guest and then gets out of the way.

Unfortunately, AMG founder Charles Peignot would definitely not approve of this post. He and his pals (like Le Corbusier, Jean Cocteau and A.M. Cassandre) formed Union des Artistes Modernes, a group "strongly against anything backward looking."


PHOTOGRAPHIE, 1947

PHOTOGRAPHIE, 1938

PHOTOGRAPHIE, 1932

PHOTOGRAPHIE, 1930

PHOTOGRAPHIE, 1931

PHOTOGRAPHIE, 1933-34

PHOTOGRAPHIE, 1935

PHOTOGRAPHIE, 1938

PHOTOGRAPHIE, 1939

PHOTOGRAPHIE, 1937

Calling All Calipers

Serifs or feet?

I have no explanation for how or why this has happened, but I’m crazy for calipers these days. Evocative of typography, anatomy, and instruments of torture, these specialized devices have an expressive nature. Some calipers are bowlegged, double-jointed or have well-developed quads. Others have exotic diacritical marks or could quite believably be monogrammed onto fingertip towels. And then there are the ones you know had to have been invented by a medieval dentist or Victorian gynecologist.

Feel free to free associate …

Photos are from eBay or other auction sites unless otherwise noted.












The largest of the above set from Designer Pages, is 55 inches.

The collections of "brackets" are from Lost Found Art,
via Accidental Mysteries.



The woodturner's double calipers, above, allows for two measurements to be taken without changing tools. From Woodworking Tools 1600-1900, by Peter C. Walsh.The triple calipers, below, are available on eBay.









These golden mean calipers are
hand crafted in New Zealand
by Nick Taylor.

Then there are those who refuse to leave
anything to the imagination.

avaf, Gaga's Elves at Barneys

Announcements for Gaga's Workshop at Barneys New York.
I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of crowd control is being planned for the environs of Barneys New York over the holiday season. The store will outdo itself this year by devoting windows and THE ENTIRE FIFTH FLOOR to—move over, Santa--Gaga’s Workshop.

Gaga goodies: 25% of sales from workshop items like the
limited edition snow globe, claw-shaped stocking, and
the chocolate skull, will benefit Lady Gaga’sBorn This Way Foundation.
To fan the flames of hype, Barneys will release
a new limited-edition product each day
until the opening of Gaga's Workshop
on November 21 at 11:59 p.m.


assume vivid astro focus (avaf), the over-the-top installation collective of Eli Sudbrack and Christophe Hamaide Pierson, will be transforming the 5,500 square-foot men’s store under the direction of Gaga collaborator, Nicola Formichetti. Avaf’s work has appeared at the Whitney Biennial, Deitchprojects, MoMA, etc.
Fashionista reports:

The workshop, which will be on the fifth floor, will house eight different stations including: a giant wig that will house fake nails and other beauty items; a Gaga-faced spider holding jewelry; a giant pop-up book for the books; and a sculptural candy shop (apparently her favorite childhood treats were malted milk balls, gumballls, and candy lipsticks.) Some of the Gaga candy offerings will include chocolate “poker face” chips and “disco stick” lollipops. (Um.)
The Gaga theme continues with the windows, which were inspired by various Gaga songs. One will feature that most festive of holiday decorations–hair–on every surface, obviously in honor of her song “Hair.”

And what kind of magic might we expect from these elves? Here are some past installations by avaf. You can see lots more on their site.



Mock-up of the Madison Ave. entrance.

Running the Numbers

Huge congrats to all who ran yesterday, in the NYC Marathon. The city was mobbed over the weekend. And for once, it was by out-of-towners with extremely low body mass.

While more than 47,000 race bibs were issued for this year’s marathon, it’s unlikely that very many of the Tyvek placards will end up in land-fill. Most will be kept as a souvenir of the 26.2-mile run through the city. In fact, many runners keep the bibs from all their races, and much can be found online about how to store and display accumulated bibs.

The typographic variety in these bib collections, is great-looking, but as a non-runner, I am clueless as to any inherent meaning or nuance. For example, I only learned on Sunday, that for NYC Marathoners, numbers are assigned by expected speed--faster runners get lower numbers. I like to imagine that an experienced racer could glance at any collection of bibs and determine, based on the range of fonts, colors, sizes, etc. the historic period, geographic location, and level of runner it belongs to. As ephemera goes, the bibs are particularly fascinating in that the items are of no inherent value or significance in any way. Except, of course, that they are enormously significant as representations of a particular event to a particular individual. Some runners, when commenting on their collections, say that each bib triggers the vivid memory of each race.

After watching the mylar-caped finishers stream out of Central Park, I am in total awe of every entrant in the 42nd running of the NYC Marathon. I am especially proud of runner number 15-512, my nephew Sam, who finished in 3 hours, 42 minutes.


This collection is interactive. Click on any bib at Joe's Diner
to see race info.


Hanging bibs from Running the Family.



DIY race bib tote bag at notorias.com.


Jacket made from your own race numbers!
Via Wellsphere "What to do with all your race stuff."


A colorful collection of bibs from rundomshots.

Another colorful collection accompanies this race-bib display tutorial.


See the photo gallery of race-bibs-as-wallpaper.

Slinky, With Bristles

I just spotted this highly unusual object on 1st Dibs. California-based dealer, Coup d’Etat, describes the “Factory-made Slinky” as a "cylindrical bristle for industrial polishing. America, 20th Century."

The object is quite surprising and has me wondering if, perhaps, it represents a foray by Meret Oppenheim (of fur-teacup fame) into the world of industrial design.

The polisher is 24” high and has an 11” diameter. And, of course, I’m just dying to know if the bristles interfere with this slinky’s ability to “walk –the-stairs.”