Letters From Berlin

Had I seen this innocent "54" some place other than Berlin, would it still have struck me as Swastika-esque?

Signifying Otherness

They might not tell me where, exactly in the world I am, but each of these sights tell me that I am definitely not in the U.S.







More from Berlin as I sort through things ...

Start the Presses! Globe Posters

For a story that started out with 18 ft. Miehle letterpresses being hauled to the scrapyard, there is, miraculously, a way better ending than one might have expected.

The plant being dismantled was that of The Globe Poster Company, of Baltimore. The 80-year old business, run by the Cicero family for some 40 years, printed posters for everything fireman’s carnivals and vaudeville shows to R&B acts—lots of R&B—and hip hop shows. The company was now about to vanish into obsolescence.

Its fate was altered when owner Bob Cicero met Christian Sturgis, a local musician and antique dealer who was to help the Cicero brothers sell over 6,000 publicity photos and some of the remaining poster inventory. As an antique dealer, Sturgis had been appraising treasures from the past for well over a decade. This time, however, the enormous value he recognized was not monetary, but historical. What started as a business proposition, became a mission to find a savior for “this treasure trove of African American Music history and the Letterpress history” that was the Globe. His goal was to not just sell photos, but to find a buyer for the operation--its wooden type, etched zinc plates and remaining Heidelberg letterpress.

Fortunately, the Globe was not only a great story, but had great visuals as well. So thanks to articles, such as those in the Baltimore City Paper, and the efforts of a local group, “Friends of the Globe,” The Globe will live on. It’s amazing what can happen with publicity and passion, as letterpress printing has gained a huge popularity amongst a younger generation of artists and graphic designers.

What happened next, I’d say, falls into the “dreams-come-true” category. Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), also located in Baltimore, after a proposal by a letterpress faculty member, purchased a large percentage of the Globe this past March. It will be used as a research and study facility, and this fall, Bob Cicero will be teaching in the graphic design graduate program.

The neon torch will, in fact, be passed.

Some links where you can learn more and see more images of the historic posters and of the plant:
NPR, Globe Poster: An Illustrated History Of American Music
Baltimore City Paper, Pressed for Time. There you will find links to a fantastic photo tour by Frank Hamilton.
MICA announcement
Visit Sturgis Antiques to buy posters. He's got other wonderful items, there too.

James Brown Poster from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Haring-esque Ephemera for a Summer Friday

Found these Keith Haring knock-off ice cream wrappers on a 1991 trip to Israel. Though in Israel, they most likely pronounce his name “Herring.” Great weekend to all!

19th Century Finds

I recently paid a visit (virtually) to Ken Spelman rare books in York, England. In addition to the shelves and shelves of books, were drawings, prints, ephemera, and some unusual objects.

These Victorian word wheels date from, c.1870. The star-shaped cutouts, are handwritten on both sides, with slogans relating to love and fortune. I’m not quite sure how they worked, but apparently the string (that’s tangled around the one on the left) was for spinning the wheel.

Brass stencils, probably used by a surveyor, chart-maker, or architect. These pictured, are from a collection of 91 pieces. Many include the folded paper ‘envelope.’


Mahogany box with original watercolor cakes and china mixing dishes. I wonder if this set was American--there is no “u” in the word “colors.”


Until self-adhesive envelopes were introduced in the mid-19th Century, medallion wafers were used for sealing documents. They were discs made from a paste that included flour. As explained here, in detail, “the wheat gluten, when hydrated, dries to becomes an excellent adhesive.”


I love the scale on this marbled paper—the large shapes on a fairly small book.


Wooden star most probably for inlay work, c. 1830.

Sketches with 'Brushes'

White Mug
Now that everyone has moved on to iPads, I figured it was just about the right time to finally get an iPhone.

As an enthusiastic sketcher and painter (note: enthusiasm and results do not necessarily correlate), I couldn’t wait to try the 'Brushes,' the app popularized by David Hockney and Jorge Colombo of New Yorker-cover fame.

Though iPhone “painting” really makes me miss paint, I already feel the pull of convenience. It’s also way less obtrusive in public. After all, isn’t everyone intently stroking a screen for some reason or another?

Morning Pond


Front Room


Schmaltzy Sunset Trio


Up Sixth Avenue


Urban Plein Air


Subway Platform


Pepper Ann on the Dock