Search to Sell : advert issued by W S Crawford Ltd., London & Berlin : in 'Advertising Display", August 1927 : artwork by Edward McKnight Kauffer

            An advert for advertising; and one that links together three importnat names in the history of UK advertising. It was issued in August 1927 and is one of a series for the noted London based advertiisg agency of W S Crawford. The company was founded by William Crawford in 1914 and for much of it's existance was based in High Holborn; it's later HQ building with a striking stainless steel facade survives close to Holborn Tube Station. During the 1920s and '30s they maintained an office in Berlin and this speaks of the ready acceptance of continental practises and movements, such as the Bauhaus, on Crawford's approach to business for their clients.

One name most associated with the company at this time, and for the next two decades, was that of Ashley Havinden who had joined as a trainee in 1922 and who by 1929 was artistic director. Interestingly the lettering in this advert slightly echoes lettering designed by Havinden for the important client of Chrysler Cars and that was later issued by Monotype as a commercial typeface. That said the advert is by Edward McKnight Kauffer who by this date was one of the most successful designers and artists at work in advertiisng. American born but since WW1 based in London, McKnight Kauffer's early break had come with commissions for Frank Pick at the London Underground Group and he became one of the more influential 'advertisng artists' in the 1920s and '30s.

This advert suggests looking through a magnifying glass - a visual pun on the 'search' - to discover the text that helps sell. It is likely that the main text is set in, or the lettering based on, Koch's Neuland typeface which would be apt given that Crawford's at the time had a branch office in Berlin.

Taken on: June 20, 2023

Tags:

Mike Ashworth Collection

advert

Advertising Disply

August 1927

1927

typeface

typography

lettering

W S Crawford Ltd

London

Berlin

Ashley Havinden

Edward McKnight Kauffer

graphic design

Search to Sell

Crawford's Reklame-Agentur GMBH

Germany

Neuland

Neuland typeface « less

Sets appears in: • Germany : Deutschland • Advertising Display magazine more » • Ashley-Crawford typeface • Ashley Havinden • Edward McKnight Kauffer - graphic designer and artist • Some old advertising « less

Groups appears in: • Typography and Lettering • Vintage Advertising more » • That Old Timey Feeling • Typophile // typography, lettering and design • Vintage Typography • Font of All Wisdom - Unique lettering in design [VINTAGE] • Text and Typography • E. McKnight Kauffer • PLANET EARTH BACK IN THE DAY • Ashley Havinden - advertising and artist « less

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