Logo Beginnings

By the late 19th century, trademarks began to replace traditional emblems, like coats of arms, as identifying symbols for companies. At first, logos tended to be figurative, but over time they morphed into the abstract marks that we see everywhere today. Yet many iconic brands—like Rolex, BMW, Louis Vuitton, and the New York Yankees—still use logos designed 100 years ago. Bringing together two previous volumes—Logo Beginnings and Logo Modernism—into one compendium, design expert Jens Müller (dubbed “the logo detective” by Wired magazine) has trawled historical trademark archives and design publications to unearth 1000s of logos from as far back as 1870, including many forgotten designs and early versions of today’s brand identifiers. For clarity and ease of reference, both the Beginnings and Modernism sections are divided into categories (like Pictorial, Form, Effect, and Typographic) with each category further subdivided by basic design elements, like circle, line, alphabet, overlay, dots and squares. For context, in addition to the author’s essay on the history of the trademark, R. Roger Remington writes on modernism in graphic design, plus there are profiles of eight seminal designers—including Paul Rand, Yusaku Kamekura, and Anton Stankowski. Covering everything from media outfits to retail giants, airlines to art galleries, this is an invaluable resource for graphic designers, advertisers, and branding experts. It will also delight fans of cultural and corporate history, and anyone fascinated by the persuasive power of image and form.

By the late 19th century, trademarks began to replace traditional emblems, like coats of arms, as identifying symbols for companies. At first, logos tended to be figurative, but over time they morphed into the abstract marks that we see everywhere today. Yet many iconic brands—like Rolex, BMW, Louis Vuitton, and the New York Yankees—still use logos designed 100 years ago. Bringing together two previous volumes—Logo Beginnings and Logo Modernism—into one compendium, design expert Jens Müller (dubbed “the logo detective” by Wired magazine) has trawled historical trademark archives and design publications to unearth 1000s of logos from as far back as 1870, including many forgotten designs and early versions of today’s brand identifiers. For clarity and ease of reference, both the Beginnings and Modernism sections are divided into categories (like Pictorial, Form, Effect, and Typographic) with each category further subdivided by basic design elements, like circle, line, alphabet, overlay, dots and squares. For context, in addition to the author’s essay on the history of the trademark, R. Roger Remington writes on modernism in graphic design, plus there are profiles of eight seminal designers—including Paul Rand, Yusaku Kamekura, and Anton Stankowski. Covering everything from media outfits to retail giants, airlines to art galleries, this is an invaluable resource for graphic designers, advertisers, and branding experts. It will also delight fans of cultural and corporate history, and anyone fascinated by the persuasive power of image and form.

Countless global brands , including Rolex, BMW, Louis Vuitton , and the New York Yankees , still use logos that were designed over 100 years ago . Yet there has never been a monograph devoted to the origins of logo design . In the second half of the 19th century, the trademark replaced traditional symbols such as the family coat of arms as a promotional and identifying symbol for companies. At first, the designs were often still figurative; only gradually did they develop into the abstract marks that have become fixtures in everyday life today. Author Jens Müller , described as the “logo detective” by Wired magazine, examined historical trademark registers, international corporate archives, and early design publications to unearth more than 6,000 logos from 1870 to 1940 . This unparalleled collection traces the development of modern trademarks and sheds light on forgotten designs and early versions of famous logos . The catalog is divided into four design categories: Pictorial, Form, Effect, and Typographic. Each chapter is then systematically subdivided according to basic elements of design such as circle, line, overlap, and outline, thus offering a new perspective on design principles that are still relevant today. Along with an extensive picture section, the book comprises an introduction by Jens Müller on the history of the trademark as well as a reproduction of the first comprehensive examination of modern corporate logos: the influential design pioneer F.H. Ehmcke’s (1878–1965) illustrated essay “Wahrzeichen—Warenzeichen” (Symbols—trademarks) from 1921. Also included are ten case studies of famous trademarks, including those of 3M, NBC, Shell, and Olivetti , and numerous rare images illustrating the—at times varied, at times consistent—developments in international logo design and the birth of the corporate identity . Logo Beginnings is not only a fundamental and inspiring graphic design manual but also an excellent read for anyone interested in social, cultural, and corporate history and the fascinating impact of trademarks. It is also the perfect complement to the TASCHEN classic Logo Modernism .

Countless global brands , including Rolex, BMW, Louis Vuitton , and the New York Yankees , still use logos that were designed over 100 years ago . Yet there has never been a monograph devoted to the origins of logo design . In the second half of the 19th century, the trademark replaced traditional symbols such as the family coat of arms as a promotional and identifying symbol for companies. At first, the designs were often still figurative; only gradually did they develop into the abstract marks that have become fixtures in everyday life today. Author Jens Müller , described as the “logo detective” by Wired magazine, examined historical trademark registers, international corporate archives, and early design publications to unearth more than 6,000 logos from 1870 to 1940 . This unparalleled collection traces the development of modern trademarks and sheds light on forgotten designs and early versions of famous logos . The catalog is divided into four design categories: Pictorial, Form, Effect, and Typographic.Each chapter is then systematically subdivided according to basic elements of design such as circle, line, overlap, and outline, thus offering a new perspective on design principles that are still relevant today. Along with an extensive picture section, the book comprises an introduction by Jens Müller on the history of the trademark as well as a reproduction of the first comprehensive examination of modern corporate logos: the influential design pioneer F.H. Ehmcke’s (1878–1965) illustrated essay “Wahrzeichen—Warenzeichen” (Symbols—trademarks) from 1921. Also included are ten case studies of famous trademarks, including those of 3M, NBC, Shell, and Olivetti , and numerous rare images illustrating the—at times varied, at times consistent—developments in international logo design and the birth of the corporate identity . Logo Beginnings is not only a fundamental and inspiring graphic design manual but also an excellent read for anyone interested in social, cultural, and corporate history and the fascinating impact of trademarks. It is also the perfect complement to the TASCHEN classic Logo Modernism .