I’m reading a fantastic new book about the history of fonts.
It’s called Just My Type and is by Simon Garfield.

Many of us take for granted or don’t realize the variety of fonts we confront in our everyday lives.
But, typeface can make an impact or generate feelings we may not realize.

I first came to appreciate typography when I was living in London.
I became friends with a German woman who was going to the Royal College of Art and was studying typography.
We had many discussions about fonts.
Once I asked her what typeface exemplifies the US, she said the fonts used in westerns (like Bonanza or saloon signs) and on the NYC subway.

Helvetica font used for the NYC subway system

Differences in sign lettering in the UK

I’m not by any means a font geek or nerd, but if you are, please let us know!
Oh, and let us know how you really feel about comic sans!?

Differences in lower-case g

It may be hard to rest this weekend knowing that communist chimps want your job.
But enjoy your Labor Day weekend anyway all MVG fans!

Two Vol. Set of Native Writings in Massachusett

I found this interesting set of books recently.
It’s called Native Writings in Massachusett (without the ‘s’).
This is a two-volume set of all known manuscript writings in the Massachusett language.

Massachusett is an extinct Eastern Algonquian language.
The Native Americans who spoke it were the Massachusetts, Wampanoags and the Nausets.

John Eliot was a Puritan Missionary and released his translation of the Bible in the Massachusett language in 1663.
It was the first Bible (in any language) printed in the New World.
The inside cover of the two-volume set has a copy of the first page of the Gospel of Matthew.

First page of the Gospel of Matthew from the Eliot Bible

The two pictures below are of a letter in the Massachusett language.
Here’s a portion of the English translation:

“May 28, 1704. Let all men know this.
I Sarah Penshomp convey to Abell Wawompaquen a share
of land on Martha’s Vineyard…”

Document no. 38 - Dukes County Registry of Deeds

Transcription from Document No. 38

The fire erupted during a Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey performance on July 6, 1944.
It claimed the lives of 168 men, women and children.
It’s one of the worst fire disasters in the United States.

Front of a History Card on the Circus Fire

As I was reading the book I found out my partner (Dianne) had a relative who was at the circus that day.
Shirley N. Snelgrove was there to celebrate her 13th birthday.
She survived with severe burns, but both her parents, Olive and Edwin perished in the fire.

Another survivor of the fire was Charles Nelson Reilly (who grew up to be a famous actor & director).
He was also thirteen years-old.

This week’s My Vintage Video is a clip from his one-man show “Save it for the Stage: The Life of Reilly.”
He recalls what happened when he and a childhood friend went to the circus that day.

A official sheet of stamps from USPS

I love industrial design and was so happy the United States Post Office issued this set of stamps honoring some of the pioneers of American industrial design.
Twelve designers are featured. They include:

Henry Dreyfus (1904-1972): Known for his telephone design, specifically the Model 302 Bell telephone.

Norman Bel Geddes (1893-1958): Designed radios for the Emerson Radio and Phonograph Corporation.

Greta von Nessen (1900-1974): The only woman designer to be honored. Von Nessen specialized in lighting and lamp design.

Eliot Noyes (1910-1977): Noyes spent twenty-one years working as consultant design director for IBM and designed the IBM Selectric typewriter in 1961.

Frederick Hurten Rhead (1880-1942): Best known for his sleek design of Fiesta dinnerware.

Raymond Loewy (1893-1986): Not only was Loewy a graphic designer of iconic corporate logos, but also created sleek chrome-plated pencil sharpers.

Have you ever left something inside a book and forgot about it?
Then when you donated, returned or sold the book, the item tucked inside went along with it?

Wedding photos from Forgotten Bookmarks

Well, here’s a wonderful blog of found items tucked in between the pages of books.

The blog is called Forgotten Bookmarks.
The images are compiled and posted by someone who works at a used and rare bookstore.

Many thanks to The Savvy Seller for mentioning this blog on her Facebook fan page recently.

Recipe from Forgotten Bookmarks

The crew has several commemorative items along for the trip including a flag from the first shuttle flight back in 1981.

This week’s My Vintage Video takes us back to that first shuttle launch.

A cartoon bear in a park ranger suit!
What’s not to love about this vintage camping fuel can?!

When I found this fuel can at a flea market recently, it brought back memories of camping as a kid.
I seem to recall my dad purchased a can like this (back in the early 1970s) when we went on our annual camping trip.

I just love the graphics!
It’s a fun can to display!

Here’s a dandy doodle vintage license plate.
This is red, white & blue plate with embossed lettering.
It was made sometime during the prohibition era, which lasted from 1920 to 1933.

This essentially was a traveling billboard.
Was this one of the first license plates to promote a message?
These days we see so many on cars with message plates that we take them for granted, but I’m sure back in the day a plate like this would have stood out on a Ford Model-T!

In today’s post I want to show some items I’ll sell when the time is right.

Peyo Smurf figurines from the late 1970s

George Harrison & Ravi Shankar 1974 Tour Book

Prohibition era postcard