Ronald Searle

British cartoonist and caricaturist Ronald Searle passed away in 2011 at the age of  91. Here are just a few of his witty and beautiful book covers.

"Lampooning the foibles of the English class system as well as clerics, politicians and even other artists, Mr. Searle was often described as a latter-day version of the 18th-century British graphic satirist William Hogarth. His cartoons combined an ear for linguistic nuance with a caustic pen and brush. With just a few well-placed lines, he pierced the facades of his targets without resorting to ridicule or rancor." —The New York Times. Read more here.

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This book cover took my breath away. This is definitely one I'd like to own. THE DOG'S EAR BOOK (1958) Geoffrey Willans & Ronald Searle via flickr

This book cover took my breath away. This is definitely one I'd like to own. THE DOG'S EAR BOOK (1958) Geoffrey Willans & Ronald Searle via flickr

Modern Types by Geoffrey Gorer and Ronald Searle 1955 via magalerieaparis.wordpress.com

"Filles de Hambourg", 1969 via magalerieaparis.wordpress.com

"Filles de Hambourg", 1969 via magalerieaparis.wordpress.com

"The terror of St Trinian’s" (1952) also via magalerieaparis.wordpress.com

"The terror of St Trinian’s" (1952) also via magalerieaparis.wordpress.com

The fabulous Alex Steinweiss

Alex Steinweiss was the man who basically invented the album cover. Before him, record sets were sold in book-like albums with brown paper interior sleeves containing multiple records, and the covers were simply plain, like the old photo albums or scrapbooks.  

Steinweiss convinced his bosses at Columbia records to invest in the equipment to print on these covers. They started with generic covers that would leave a space for the album titles, and then gradually each album would have it's own conceptual design, as we know it today.

For more covers and info, visit Poul Webb's blog here.

This is an example of one of Steinweiss's early generic covers, used for symphonic works, the title would be inserted in the white box.

Wilhelm Furtwangler conducts Schumann & Haydn. mid 1950s

Paul Hindemith "Die Harmonie Der Welt" mid 1950s

Paul Hindemith "Die Harmonie Der Welt" mid 1950s

I love this Boswell Sisters cover from 1942, as I love the Boswell Sisters themselves, but we'll talk about that later!

Boogie Woogie set 1942

Boogie Woogie set 1942

Morton Gould and His Orchestra 1951

My Tomos "Mini" folding bicycle

At the onset of my bicycle fever a couple of years ago, I quickly found this 1979 Yogoslavian folder on an antiques website and snapped it up. It has one speed only but is great fun to ride, enabling me to feel like a kid again while zipping around the neighborhood. Here it is, kitted out with the vintage box bag from Cycle Chic, and the original basket from my Pashley. I think it's just about the cutest thing ever.

The Vintage Box bag, by "The Bicycle Muse" comes in 3 colors and is available from the U.K. for £44.99.