Incomplet Design History

Amanda Horton
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Design
  • Updated Weekly

The nature of history is that it is never “complete”, new information is gained every day that changes our understanding an interpretations of history. The mission of Incomplete Design History is to explore areas of graphic design history that are overlooked or ignored; to expand our knowledge in the field and to include all sides of the story. Incomplete design history seeks to be inclusive, inclusive not only of people but of ideas and technologies that advance the field of graphic design. History is messy. History is incomplete.

  1. 6d ago

    Medical Design

    Medical design and illustration is a relatively new field, but medical practices and documentation have roots in ancient civilizations, such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, Greece, and Rome. Texts like the Edwin Smith Papyrus (1600 BCE) and the Sushruta Samhita (600 BCE) show early practices in medical documentation, observation, and treatment. Though religious restrictions on human dissections would greatly limit medical advancements, eventual implementation would lead polymaths like Leonardo Da Vinci and Andreas Vesalius to contribute to the implementation of illustrations in medical texts. Rapid medical advancements in the 19th century would create a drastic shift in the approach, and demand of medical illustrations. This need led to the establishment of the field by German Illustrator Max Brödel, whose Carbon Dust technique and training program at Johns Hopkins established lasting principles of accuracy, clarity, and collaboration between physicians and illustrators. His influence extended through WWI and WWII, and to illustrators like Eleanora Fry, who helped define the visual identity of institutions such as the Mayo Clinic. Medical design would also find its place in public health communication, from medieval plague tractates to emotionally driven wartime posters, and large-scale public health campaigns from the Works Progress Administration. These visual strategies laid the groundwork for modern health communication, now seen in digital media, infographics, and global awareness campaigns. TIMELINE 10,000 – 4500 BCE – Early evidence of medical practices like trepanation 1600 BCE – Edwin Smith Papyrus was created,  documenting 48 injuries 600 BCE – Sushruta Samhita in India details surgical techniques and human dissection practices 4th Century  – Miasma theory arises, suggesting diseases come from “bad air” 13th Century – Frederick II of the Holy Roman Empire permits physicians to perform one human dissection every five years 1348 – James of Agramont creates plague tractates intended for the general public 1440 – Gutenberg invents the printing press, enabling mass production of books and illustrations 1481 – Marsilio Ficino publishes Advice Against the Plague 15th – 16th century – Leonardo da Vinci produces detailed anatomical illustrations 1542 – Andreas Vesalius publishes De Humani Corporis Fabrica, a detailed, illustrated anatomical text 19th Century – Germ theory revolutionizes public health; bacteria and pathogens identified as primary causes of disease 1870 – Max Brödel born in Leipzig, Germany 1885 – Brödel enrolls at Leipzig Academy of Fine Arts at age 15 1888 – Illustrates a detailed anatomical cross-section for physiologist Carl Ludwig at the University of Leipzig 1891 – begins freelance work for Dr. Howard Kelly at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine 1894 – Develops the Carbon Dust technique for realistic medical illustration 1911 – Medical illustration formally recognized as an academic discipline 1912–1920s – Eleanora Fry joins Mayo Clinic, producing highly detailed medical illustrations. 1914–1918 (WWI) – Medical illustrators document battlefield injuries, standardizing treatments and surgical techniques. 1930s–1940s – WPA commissions posters for public health campaigns in the U.S. 1939–1945 (WWII) – Public health and military posters illustrate hygiene, disease prevention, and venereal disease awareness Late 20th Century – Medical illustration incorporates 3D modeling, digital rendering, and animations 21st Century – Public health campaigns utilize digital media for awareness. REFERENCES Archaeology. (2025, January 9). Tomb of Pharaoh’s physician explored in Saqqara. Archaeology Magazine. https://archaeology.org/news/2025/01/09/tomb-of-pharaohs-physician-explored-in-saqqara Association of Medical Illustrators. (2025). A brief history of medical illustration. AMI. https://www.ami.org/medical-illustration/learn-about-medical-illustration Backus, G. (2023, October 5). Changes in medicine during the 19th century. American Battlefield Trust. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/changes-medicine-during-19th-century Bergstrom, T. (2020, April 27). Marsilio Ficino’s consiglio contro la pestilentia. RBSC. https://sites.nd.edu/rbsc/marsilio-ficinos-consiglio-contro-la-pestilentia/#:~:text=Following%20the%20last%20of%20these,)%2C%20we%20might%20best%20avoid Bhattacharya, A. (2022, October 7). Sushruta—the very first anatomist of the world. Indian Journal of Surgery, 84, 901-904. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12262-022-03578-y Brenna, C. T. A. (2021). Post-mortem pedagogy: A brief history of the practice of anatomical dissection. Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal, 12(1). https://www.rmmj.org.il/issues/48/articles/1152 Brown University. (2010). Religious interpretations of the causes of the plague. The Decameron Web. https://webhelper.brown.edu/decameron/plague/causes/religious.php Dalton, K. (2020, June 29). Germ theory from antiquity to the antebellum period. N_ational Museum of Civil War Medicine_. https://www.civilwarmed.org/germ-theory-antebellum/#:~:text=A%20major%20advancement%20came%20in,now-famous%20Broad%20Street%20Pump. Dray, D. (2023) Women in medical art. Surgeons' Hall Museums. https://surgeonshallmuseums.wordpress.com/2023/03/08/women-in-medical-art/#:~:text=During%20the%20war%2C%20thousands%20of,knowledge%20as%20widely%20as%20possible. Gandhi, M. A., & Patil, B. K. (2024). Sushruta: the father of surgery and ancient medical innovations. Cureus, 16(9). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11527508 Gase, J. (2020, February 6). The battle against germs: World war II public health posters. The National Museum of Health and Medicine. https://medicalmuseum.health.mil/micrograph/index.cfm/posts/2020/the_battle_against_germs#:~:text=Due%20to%20these%20conditions%2C%20with,in%20producing%20public%20health%20posters Green, J. (2021, March 18). Revisiting the miasma theory. The Dirt. https://dirt.asla.org/2021/03/18/the-miasma-theory-was-wrong-but-led-to-smart-sanitation/ Gross, C. G. (2021, June 11). A hole in the head: A history of trepanation. The MIT Press Reader. https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/hole-in-the-head-trepanation/ Hoe, R. (1902). A short history of the printing press. Project Gutenberg. Immerse. (2025). What does illustration mean? Immerse Education. https://www.immerse.education/beyond-syllabus/art-and-design/what-does-illustration-mean Johns Hopkins University. (2011, July 18). A century of medical illustration. The JHU Gazette. https://gazette.jhu.edu/2011/07/18/a-century-of-medical-illustration Jones, R. (2012). Leonardo da Vinci: anatomist. British Journal of General Practice, 62(599). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3361109 Kannadan, A. (2018). History of the miasma theory of disease. ESSAI, 16(18). https://dc.cod.edu/essai/vol16/iss1/18 Kumar, A., & Kumar, B. N. (2020, January 31). The principles of surgical practice: Sushruta Samhita and its importance to present day surgery. Journal of Surgery 6(2). https://sciforschenonline.org/journals/surgery-open-access/article-data/JSOA207/JSOA207.pdf Magee, P. (2021, February 1). Plague era woodcuts shed light on shared beliefs in action. Fugitive Leaves. https://histmed.collegeofphysicians.org/plague-woodcuts/ For the full list of references, contact hello@idh.fm

    Medical Design

  2. Sep 17

    Matchbook design

    Matchbooks and matchboxes became influential artifacts in design and visual culture, beginning with early fire-starting tools in sixth-century China, all the way through the development of matches from simply functional to globally standardized packaging shaped by technological innovation. The Swedish safety match and the sliding-drawer box established the foundations of modern match design, while improvements in printing turned matchboxes into miniature canvases for illustration, typography, and branding. By the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, matchbooks evolved into pocket-sized billboards, showcasing advertisements for hotels, airlines, restaurants, and more. Their designs reflected broader movements like Art Deco and Modernism, capturing cultural identities across countries, from Soviet propaganda to Indian folk imagery and American corporate aesthetics. Although their popularity declined in the mid-twentieth century with the rise of lighters and anti-smoking campaigns, matchbooks have re-emerged as nostalgic design objects. Matchbooks ultimately shifted from ephemera to collectible artifacts, drawing on critic Arthur Danto’s ideas about collecting, matchbooks gained meaning as personal and cultural artifacts, valued for the stories they hold about people, places, and design. Today, boutique hotels, artists, and designers revive matchbooks as historic symbolism. This study shows that matchbooks reveal how design lives in ordinary objects. They demonstrate the power of small-scale design to communicate history and culture in ways that continue to resonate long after their original purpose has faded. TIMELINE 1827 – The First Friction Matches 1830s–1850s – Industrial Production Begins 1870s – Branded Labels on Matchboxes 1892 – The Paper Matchbook is Patented 1890s–1910s – Rise of Advertising Matchbooks 1920s–1930s – Golden Age of Matchbook Advertising 1940s – Wartime Utility 1950s–1960s – Midcentury Modern & Pop Culture 1970s–1980s – Iconic Branding & Collectibility 1990s – Decline Begins 2000s–Present – Retro Appeal & Niche Design REFERENCES Adler, B. (2014). The Matchbook: From flame to miniature billboard. Pennsylvania Center for the Book. https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/feature-articles/matchbook-flame-miniature-billboard Beauchamp, M. (2006). Striking images: Vintage Matchbook Cover Art. Chronicle Books. Biener, L., Nyman, A. L., Kline, R. L., & Albers, A. B. (2004). Adults only: The prevalence of tobacco promotions in bars and clubs in the Boston area. Tobacco Control, 13(4), 403. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc.2004.007468 Creative spark: Vintage matchbook art in pictures. (2017, May 20). The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2017/may/20/creative-spark-vintage-matchbook-art-in-pictures-aaron-kasmin-sims-reed Danto, A. C. (1991). From matchbooks to masterpieces: Toward a philosophy of collecting. Aperture, 124, 2–3. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24472389 Greene, R. (n.d.). Matchless beauties: The art of pin-up matchbook covers. Yoe Books. Heller, S. (2003). Boxes of light. Print, 57(1), 97–98.  Heller, S., Fili, L., & Nadel, D. (2006). Stylepedia : a guide to graphic design mannerisms, quirks, and conceits. Chronicle Books. Heron, K. (2009, October 21) A New Old Freebie: Restaurant Matches Return. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/dining/21match.html Jones, B. (2004). Matchbox cover design: The evolution of and the influences on the graphical design of matchboxes [PDF]. Kosinski, J. (2017). Antiques Peek: October 2017. Journal of Antiques and Collectibles. https://journalofantiques.com/columns/antiques-peek-october-2017/ Lee, A. G. (2024). We’re in a matchbook renaissance; As a younger generation takes up match collecting, matchbooks are taking on a new life as a design motif and an emblem of worldliness. The Wallstreet Journal. https://www.wsj.com/style/fashion/matches-matchbooks-collectors-tiktok-prints-kate-spade-110d6b07?eafs_enabled=false Lewis, J. (1962). Printed ephemera; the changing uses of type and letterforms in English and American printing. W.S. Cowell; distributed by Faber and Faber, London. Novin, G. (2012). Chapter 51: A history of matchboxes. A History of Graphic Design. https://guity-novin.blogspot.com/2012/02/chapter-51-history-of-matchboxes.html Oatman-Stanford, H. (2014, October 24). Circling the globe with the mid-20th century’s most brilliant matchbox art. Collectors Weekly. https://medium.com/hunter-oatman-stanford/circling-the-globe-with-the-mid-20th-centurys-most-brilliant-matchbox-art-d3a82c14ee03 Promotions tied in with matchbooks. (1954). Women’s Wear Daily, 88(67), 3.  Saeed, Y. (n.d.). Lives in a Matchbox: Gautam Hemmady's Collection of Matchbox Labels [Online exhibit]. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/lives-in-a-matchbox-tasveer-ghar/nAUxYaf8n-hyWw?hl=en Tres Bohemes. (2015, September 14). Czech matchbox graphics. Tres Bohemes. Wagner Match. (2019, December 17). Phillumeny: Interesting facts about matchbox collecting. Wagner Match. Woodcock, V. (2021). Lucky strikes: The art of the matchbox. FT.com. https://www.ft.com/content/92a45a71-c811-4dda-af85-f371b8dce667

    Matchbook design

  3. Sep 10

    The Hobo Code

    The Hobo Code was a shared visual language used by itinerant workers, okies, bohemians, and some famous blues artists in America. In the late 1800s, people (usually men) hopped onto trains and headed into the American West looking for work wherever they could find it. These people, called hobos, developed and used a system of pictograms to leave notes for other hobos passing through. Whether it was to signal that water and food was available in an area, or to alert Hobos of police enforcement, this shared language strengthened a marginalized community. Not all hobos were men. The documentation is sparse, but there are some records of women hopping trains. As some of them were fleeing situations of domestic violence, for them, the hobo code was a lifeline for finding sanctuary in unfamiliar towns and cities. As more people took to traveling the train lines looking for work, a worker’s union emerged along with a publication and what were known as hobo colleges. During and after WWII, there were far fewer itinerant workers and the need for the hobo code declined, but it didn’t go away. It evolved into some of the train graffiti we see today. TIMELINE 1865 - Civil War ends and discharged soldiers are looking for work becoming the original itinerant laborers. 1869 - Transcontinental Railroad is completed by immigrant laborers which creates a source of transportation for transient workers (hobos and tramps). 1873 - The Panic of 1873 forces large amounts of stable workers onto the road in search of new jobs. 1880s - “Hobo” becomes a formal group to distinguish themselves from tramps. 1890 - The Hobo Code begins to spread across different parts of the west. 1900s - The term Hobohemia becomes a part of white hobo culture 1905 - Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) founded. 1909 - The Little Red Songbook was published by the IWW in Spokane Washington. 1910-1920 - New Immigration (European immigrants join migratory labor and add to hobo population). 1920s - African American hobos and itinerant works express hardship through music which leads to the start of the blues. 1929 - Stock market crashes leading to the Great Depression (Hobohemia Golden Age) 1930s - Dust Bowl storms displace midwest families and lead to more migration to the west. 1940s - World War II begins, allowing workers to find stable war industrial jobs marking the end of the hobohemian era. REFERENCES Allsop, K. (1967). Hard travellin’; the hobo and his history. New American Library. Clayton, O. (2023). Vagabonds, Tramps, and Hobos. In Vagabonds, Tramps, and Hobos: The Literature and Culture of U.S. Transiency 1890–1940 (pp. i–i). half-title-page, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Dreyfuss, H. (1972). Symbol sourcebook : an authoritative guide to international graphic symbols (First edition.). McGraw-Hill. Dyl, J. (2014). Transience, Labor, and Nature: Itinerant Workers in the American West. International Labor and Working Class History, 85(85), 97–117. Hall, J. (2010). Sisters of the Road?: The Construction of Female Hobo Identity in the Autobiographies of Ethel Lynn, Barbara Starke, and “Box-Car” Bertha Thompson. Women’s Studies, 39(3), 215–237. https://doi.org/10.1080/00497871003595828 Hobo Communications: A Brief History of Hobos and Their Signs. (2021, August 4). National Security Agency/Central Security Service. https://www.nsa.gov/History/National-Cryptologic-Museum/Exhibits-Artifacts/Exhibit-View/Article/2718897/hobo-communications-a-brief-history-of-hobos-and-their-signs/ https://www.folkschool.org/author/cory. (2017, January 13). What’s a Hobo Nickel? JCCFS. https://www.folkschool.org/2017/01/13/whats-hobo-nickel/ NPR. (2016, June 11). Anthropologist Discovers 100-Year-Old Graffiti By “America’s Most Famous Hobo.” NPR. https://www.npr.org/2016/06/11/481695146/anthropologist-discovers-100-year-old-graffiti-by-americas-most-famous-hobo Liungman, C. G. (1991). Dictionary of symbols. ABC-CLIO. Joffe-Block, J. (2025, November 8). Immigration agents have new technology to identify and track people. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/11/08/nx-s1-5585691/ice-facial-recognition-immigration-tracking-spyware Volk, T. M. (2001). Little Red Songbooks: Songs for the labor force of America. Journal of Research in Music Education, 49(1), 33-48. https://libproxy.uco.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/little-red-songbooks-songs-labor-force-america/docview/214489163/se-2 Wanderer, J. J. (2001). Hobo Signs: Embodied Metaphors and Metonymies. American Journal of Semiotics, 17(4), 131–146. https://doi.org/10.5840/ajs200117476

    The Hobo Code

  4. Sep 3

    Elizabeth Friedlander

    Elizabeth Friedlander (1903–1984) was a pioneering German-Jewish graphic designer, calligrapher, and typographer best known as the first woman to have a published typeface. Born in Berlin, she studied at the Berlin Academy under typographer Emil Rudolf Weiss, whose refined aesthetic shaped her early work. Friedlander began her career at Ullstein Publishing House, designing for Die Dame, a leading women’s magazine, before creating her groundbreaking “Elizabeth” typeface for the Bauer Type foundry. Denied work under Nazi rule in 1935, she fled Germany for Italy, where she designed book covers and illustrations for publishers like Mondadori. Still, the rise of fascism, again, endangered her life, prompting her escape to England in 1939. There, she was recruited to design for the British government’s wartime propaganda office, producing forged Nazi documents and counterpropaganda materials. After World War II, Elizabeth Friedlander's work continued to be a source of admiration and inspiration. She built a prolific freelance career, designing book covers, patterned papers, and calligraphic maps for Penguin Books, Thames & Hudson, and other major publishers. Her elegant borders and type designs were widely admired, and her calligraphic skill earned her commissions from institutions such as Sandhurst Military Academy. In the 1960s, Friedlander retired to Kinsale, Ireland, with her lifelong partner, Professor Alessandro Magri MacMahon, turning her creative focus to small crafts like leatherwork and maps. She continued designing for friends until her eyesight failed. Friedlander died in 1984, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and resilience. TIMELINE 1903 – Born in Berlin 1927 – Designed the Elizabeth typeface for Bauer Type Foundry 1928-1935 – Designed for Die Dame Magazine 1933 – Nazis rise to power 1933 – Italian Under-Secretary of State allows in refugees from allied Nazi Germany as long as they were politically inactive 1935 – Elizabeth’s permit to work as a designer is denied by the Nazi party and she is fired from her job at Die Dame magazine 1936 – Elizabeth flees Germany and settles in Milan 1936-1938 – Works for Mondadori publishing house 1937 – Paid 200 marks for her Elisabeth typeface 1938 – Italy passes racial laws. Elizabeth seeks to emigrate to the US 1939 – Elizabeth learns her visa application cannot be expedited. She obtains a Domestic Service permit for Britain. 1941 – Mynell hires Elizabeth for his advertising firm 1942 – Final attempt to emigrate to the US before settling in Britain. World War II begins. 1942 – Howe recruits Elizabeth to his black propaganda unit 1945 – WWII ends. Elizabeth chooses to become a naturalized British citizen 1946-1949 – Worked on “Britain in Pictures” 1948 – Begins working for Penguin Books, designing book covers and patterned papers. Designs the Flexocase. 1949 – Is finally paid for her Flexocase design 1951 – Chosen by the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, to inscribe the Roll of Honour for officers of the Armies of the Commonwealth who fell in WWII  1951-1960 – Designed several of the covers for the “Penguin Classics” series 1961– Moved to Kinsale Ireland 1958 – Designs the “Freidlander Borders” for Monotype 1967-1972 – Becomes the official Sandhurst calligrapher  1984 – Death and burial in Cork REFERENCES Bauer Types. (n.d.). ELIZABETH FRIEDLANDER: THE FIRST WOMAN TO DESIGN A TYPEFACE. Bauer Types. https://bauertypes.com/elizabeth-friedlander-la-primera-mujer-que-diseno-tipografia Ganeva, M. (2008). Women in Weimar Fashion: Discourses and Displays in German Culture, 1918-1933. Boydell & Brewer, Incorporated. Kolesa, P. (2021, April 13). "ELIZABETH-ANTIQUA": A FILM ON ELIZABETH FRIEDLÄNDER [Video]. https://youtu.be/lY9FG9lcELY Muraben, B. (2018, March 8). Elizabeth Friedlander: one of the first women to design a typeface. It's Nice That. Retrieved September 5, 2025, from https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/elizabethfriedlander-graphicdesign-internationalwomensday-080318 Paucker, P. (1998). New borders : the working life of Elizabeth Friedlander. Incline Press. https://doi.org/10.58066/j89j-mt96 The People's Graphic Design Arvchive. (2024, October 31). Penguin Books 25th Anniversary Designs by Elizabeth Friedlander. The People's Graphic Design Archive. https://peoplesgdarchive.org/item/15702/penguin-books-25th-anniversary-designs-by-elizabeth-friedlander Rawsthorn, A. (n.d.). Story | Elizabeth Friedlander. Maharam. Retrieved September 5, 2025, from https://www.maharam.com/stories/rawsthorn\_elizabeth-friedlander

    Elizabeth Friedlander

  5. 11/13/2025

    The Mimeo Revolution

    This episode examines the often-overlooked role of the mimeograph in the intertwined histories of print technology, graphic design, and social change. Emerging in the late nineteenth century through the innovations of Thomas Edison and Albert Blake Dick, the mimeograph offered an accessible, low-cost means of reproducing text and images—long before the advent of xerography or digital printing. Its simplicity and affordability placed the power of print into the hands of schools, churches, offices, and, crucially, grassroots organizations and independent creators. By the mid-twentieth century, mimeograph machines had become vital tools in the production of newsletters, pamphlets, and zines that fueled social movements and cultural revolutions. From the Civil Rights Movement’s underground newspapers to the literary explosion known as the Mimeo Revolution, the mimeograph democratized publishing and redefined the relationship between authorship, design, and distribution. Magazines such as The Floating Bear, F**k You / A Magazine of the Arts, and The Yardbird Reader illustrate how writers and artists used the technology to challenge mainstream publishing, amplify marginalized voices, and experiment with form and content. Though ultimately replaced by photocopying and digital media, the mimeograph remains a critical link in the evolution of design and the politics of independent print culture. TIMELINE1876 - Thomas Edison patents the electric pen and duplicating press 1881 - David Gestetner founds The Gestetner Cyclograph Company 1884 - Albert Blake Dick incorporates as a lumber business 1887 - The Edison Mimeograph Model 0 hits the market 1891 - Samuel O’Reilly patents the first electric tattoo machine 1898 - Neostyle Company introduces the first rotary mimeograph 1906 - Gestetner opens a manufacturing plant in London 1923 - Wilhelm Ritzerfeld invents the spirit duplicator 1929 - Gestetner hires Raymond Loewy to redesign the cyclostyle 1929-1930 - Yvor Winters publishes Gyroscope, the first mimeographed literary magazine 1942 - Chester Carlson patents xerography 1945 - WWII ends 1955 - US involvement in Viet Nam begins 1960 - The first xerox copier becomes commercially available 1961 - The Floating Bear #1 is published 1961 - Diane Di Prima and LeRoi Jones are arrested on obscenity charges 1962 - SDS Port Huron Statement is published 1962 - Ed Sanders publishes the first issue of F**k You / a magazine of the arts 1969 - BSU at Oregon State publishes the first Scab Sheet 1971 - The Floating Bear publishes its final issue 1972 - Yardbird Reader v. 1 is published 1975 - Vietnam war ends 1976 - The final Yardbird Reader is published 1977 - Y-Bird v. 1 is published 1980 - Risograph duplicators are released in Japan REFERENCESAlfred, R. (2008, August 8). Aug. 8, 1876: Run This Off on the Mimeo. WIRED. https://www.wired.com/2008/08/dayintech-0808-2/ Ashawnta_Jackson. (2024). Exploring the Yardbird Reader. JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/exploring-the-yardbird-reader/ Clayman, A. (2025, January 9). A. B. Dick Company, est. 1884 - Made-in-Chicago Museum. Made-in-Chicago Museum. https://www.madeinchicagomuseum.com/single-post/ab-dick-company/ Digital Collection - service/instruction manuals – Mimeograph Revival. (2024, October 18). Mimeograph Revival. https://www.mimeographrevival.com/manuals/ Donley, K. (2014, November 22). stencil duplicator. MULTIMEDIAMAN. https://multimediaman.blog/tag/stencil-duplicator/ Edison’s electrical pen and duplicating press. (1871). Mimeograph Revival. https://www.mimeographrevival.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Edison-Electrical-Pen-and-Duplicating-Press.1876-Expo.pdf Einträge Archiv | Exploriso: Low-tech fine Art. (n.d.). Exploriso: Low-tech Fine Art. https://en.exploriso.info/exploriso/ Floating Bear Archive. (2006, October 3). Reality Studio. https://realitystudio.org/bibliographic-bunker/floating-bear-archive/ Gestetner Cyclostyle Office Duplication Machine Design by Raymond Loewy | Hagley. (n.d.). https://www.hagley.org/librarynews/gestetner-cyclostyle-office-duplication-machine-design-raymond-loewy Hawley, H. (2006). Revaluing mimeographs as historical sources. RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage. https://rbm.acrl.org/index.php/rbm/article/viewFile/414/414 Helland, M. (2024, February 24). THE HISTORY OF THE MIMEOGRAPH — International Printing Museum. International Printing Museum. https://www.printmuseum.org/blog-3/history-of-the-mimeograph Home | From a secret location. (2020, July 21). From a Secret Location. https://fromasecretlocation.com/ Independent Voices. (n.d.). JSTOR.org. https://www.jstor.org/site/reveal-digital/independent-voices/?so=item_title_str_asc&searchkey=1760415107268 Mimeograph machines. (n.d.). https://museumofprinting.org/blog/mimeograph-machines/ Our Own Devices. (2024, January 9). Gestetner Cyclostyle: the Original Office Copy Machine [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdBSYUbaAZg Riordan, E. (2021, July 23). Spirit Duplicators: Early 20th century copier art, fanzines, and the Mimeograph Revolution – News & announcements. https://blog.lib.uiowa.edu/speccoll/2021/07/23/spirit-duplicators-early-20th-century-copier-art-fanzines-and-the-mimeograph-revolution/ Rubin, L. (2021, March 6). Women of the Mimeo Revolution: Diane DiPrima & Anne Waldman - Village Preservation. Village Preservation - Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. https://www.villagepreservation.org/2021/03/05/women-of-the-mimeo-revolution-diane-diprima-anne-waldman/ Smith, E. (2022, May 20). How Mimeographs Transformed Information Sharing in Schools. Technology Solutions That Drive Education. https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2020/09/how-mimeographs-transformed-information-sharing-schools The Mimeograph Revolution | verdant press. (n.d.). https://verdantpress.com/checklist/3110-2/ Waugh, K. (n.d.). The Mimeo Revolution. Poet’s House. https://digitalcollections.poetshouse.org/digital-collection/chapbook-collection/mimeo-revolution Weber, G. (2021, May 3). How an obsolete copy machine started a revolution. Adventure. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/mimeo-mimeograph-revolution-literature-beat-poetry-activism Yankelevich, M. (2020, February 3). “Power to the people’s mimeo machines!” or the politicization of small press aesthetics. Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/featured-blogger/83551/power-to-the-peoples-mimeo-machines-or-the-politicization-of-small-press-aesthetics

    The Mimeo Revolution

  6. 11/06/2025

    Medieval Heraldry

    Medieval heraldry, originally developed in 12th-century Europe, functioned as a complex system of visual identity. Initially created to distinguish individuals—particularly nobility—on the battlefield and in tournaments, heraldry evolved into a hereditary and legally significant tradition. These emblems, comprised of tinctures (colors), charges (symbols), and shield shapes, became early forerunners of modern branding and identity design. Although inspired by earlier forms such as seals and standards from antiquity, heraldry developed its own rules, vocabulary (blazon), and aesthetic logic, emphasizing contrast and clarity for distant visibility. Heraldic symbols adhered to strict conventions, such as the rule of tincture, and made extensive use of symbolic imagery—from lions and fleurs-de-lis to mythological creatures and geometric forms. Over time, the system expanded to include professionals, women, clergy, towns, and even fictional characters, thereby reinforcing the reach of heraldry across medieval culture. Scholars like Michel Pastoureau have recontextualized heraldry as a significant precursor to graphic and identity design, drawing parallels between medieval coats of arms and modern logos. Indeed, contemporary visual identities—such as university crests, sports team logos, and automotive emblems like Peugeot and Porsche—often draw directly from heraldic elements, both visually and symbolically. Heraldry’s enduring legacy highlights its importance not only as a historical artifact but as a foundational structure in the evolution of design, symbolism, and legal identity systems. Understanding heraldry thus offers critical insights into the roots of modern graphic communication. TIMELINEAncient Times (Pre-Medieval) - Seals Used Across Civilizations: Used in Ancient Greece, Rome, China, and Mesopotamia, etc. for legal and practical identity purposes. 1066 – Norman Conquest of England 1066 – Bayeux Tapestry: Shows lance flags with charges, a possible early example of European heraldry. 1100s - First appearance of heraldic systems, first used by noble combatants  1180 - Women begin adopting arms, almond-shaped 1200s - Blazon Language Developed: Formalized system for describing coats of arms in writing. 1200 -  Members of the clergy adopting arms 1220 -  Patricians & Bourgeois adopting arms 1230 - Artisans begin adopting arms 1240 - Corporations begin adopting arms 1280s-1290s -  Towns begin adopting arms 13th & 14th centuries - Religious communities adopt arms 14th & 15th Centuries - Printed Heraldry Appears: Woodblock and engraving techniques introduced. Hatching methods used to represent tinctures in black-and-white printing. 1484 — The College of Arms was created in England 1696 - Armorial Général was created as a registry of arms for taxation in France 18th Century - Some scholars dismiss the study of heraldry as outdated or meaningless  1722 - Alexander Nesbitt defends heraldry’s role in social identity. 1922 -  Porsche created its first logo using heraldic imagery  REFERENCESAnonymous. (n.d.). The Manual of Heraldry; Fifth Edition : Being a Concise Description of the Several Terms Used, and Containing a Dictionary of Every Designation in the Science. Project Gutenberg. Beerisyourfriend. (2013, March 13). Z is for zymurgical heraldry. BEER IS YOUR FRIEND. https://beerisyourfriend.org/2013/05/26/z-is-for-zymurgical-heraldry/ Boutell, C., Fox-Davies, A. C., & Utting, R. B. (1914). The Handbook to English Heraldry. Project Gutenberg. Carr-Gomm, S. (2005). The Hutchinson dictionary of symbols in art. Helicon. Gallo, G. (2023, October 4). Trinacria: meaning and history of the Sicilian Triskele. Giuseppe Gallo - Designer, Architect, Researcher. https://www.giuseppegallo.design/design-and-communication/meaning-and-history-of-the-sicilian-triskele/ Heraldry. (2018). In P. Lagasse & Columbia University, The Columbia Encyclopedia (8th ed.). Columbia University Press.  Jackson, A. (2025, April 26). Decoding Porsche logo History, Meaning, and Symbolism. Designhill. https://www.designhill.com/design-blog/decoding-porsche-logo/ Keen, M. (2003, 03). Heraldry and the medieval gentle woman. History Today, 53, 21-27.  Pierce, R. K. (2025, January 6). University shield and seal | University Marketing & Communications. University Marketing & Communications. https://marcomm.washu.edu/university-shield-seal/ Pettengill, B. (2013, August 13). Logo design 101: The coat of arms, crest and shield. https://www.marketing-partners.com/conversations2/logo-design-101-the-coat-of-arms-crest-and-shield Pastoureau, M. (1997). Discoveries: Heraldry. Harry N. Abrams. Pastoureau, M. (2009). Black : the history of a color (English language edition.). Princeton University Press. Pastoureau, M. (2014). Green : the history of a color. Princeton University Press. Pastoureau, M. (2017). Red : the history of a color (J. Gladding, Tran.). Princeton University Press. Pastoureau, M. (2018). Blue : the history of a color (M. Cruse, Tran.; First edition.). Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691251356 Pierce, R. K. (2025, January 6). University shield and seal | University Marketing & Communications. University Marketing & Communications. https://marcomm.washu.edu/university-shield-seal/ Sutherland, D. (2020). Arms and the Woman: the heraldry of women parliamentarians. In The Coat of Arms (pp. 61–90). https://www.theheraldrysociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sutherland-paper.pdf Thiry, S., & Duerloo, L. (2021). Heraldic Hierarchies : Identity, Status and State Intervention in Early Modern Heraldry. (1st ed.). Leuven University Press. Woodcock, T., & Robinson, J. M. (1988). The Oxford guide to heraldry.

    Medieval Heraldry

  7. 10/30/2025

    Cuban Posters

    Cuban graphic design emerges as a vibrant and politically charged art form, reflecting the resilience and creativity of designers amidst challenging circumstances. Through a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of Cuban posters, this research illuminates the innovative techniques, visual languages, and ideological foundations that characterize the era’s influence on graphic design. The study not only sheds light on the intricate interplay of art, politics, and culture in Cuba but also highlights the far-reaching influence of Cuban designers on global visual communication. Art itself is profoundly influenced by politics and social events, serving as a mirror to societal changes and a medium for expressionism in all forms. The political climate and social movements shape the themes and messages conveyed in artworks, reflecting issues important at the time. Posters become tools for activism, challenging power structures and advocating for change. They capture the emotional and psychological impacts of social events, fostering empathy and awareness. Through this dynamic interplay, graphic design not only documents but also influences public perception and dialogue, highlighting its integral role in both reflecting and shaping the socio-political landscape. By unraveling the threads of history, politics, and creativity within Cuban graphic design, this paper offers valuable insights into impact it had on a worldwide scale. Additionally, this episode examines the transformative power of Cuban poster design in graphic communication, shaping societal narratives and challenging established norms through its messaging. Ultimately, this exploration of Cuban graphic design serves as a compelling case study, enriching our understanding of the intricate connections between design, society, and cultural evolution. TIMELINE1902 - Carteles magazine founded; early example of poster design in Cuba, primarily focused on advertising. 1900s–1950s - Posters used for public communication due to low literacy rates; emphasis on commercial advertising. 1933 - Revolt of the Sergeants overthrows Cuban government; Fulgencio Batista appoints himself military commander and becomes de facto leader. 1940 - Batista is elected President of Cuba. 1944 - Batista completes term and moves to Florida. 1952 - Batista returns to Cuba, leads a military coup, cancels elections, and declares himself president/dictator. 1950s - Batista’s regime marked by corruption, censorship, and repression; Cuban society suffers from severe inequality. 1959 - Fidel Castro overthrows Batista, marking a dramatic political and cultural shift in Cuba. 1959 - Cuban graphic design shifts from commercial to social and political messaging—literacy, public health, and motivation campaigns. 1959 - ICAIC (Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos) founded by Saúl Yelin and Alfredo Guevara. 1960 - ICAIC opens its own screen-printing workshop, ushering in the “golden age” of Cuban poster design. 1963–1982 -  Antonio Reboiro works as a designer at ICAIC, opposing Socialist Realism and promoting creative freedom in revolutionary art. 1966 - OSPAAAL (Organization of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa, and Latin America) founded after the Tricontinental Conference. 1969 & 1971 - René Mederos travels to Vietnam to document the war; creates vivid poster series from firsthand experience. 1960s–1970s -  OSPAAAL posters highlight international struggles, e.g., Lázaro Abreu’s “Solidarity with the African American People”; feature work by Emory Douglas of the Black Panther Party. Posters produced in multiple languages (Spanish, English, French, Arabic) and distributed via Tricontinental magazine. Posters focus on anti-imperialist solidarity, with themes supporting Vietnam, Black Americans, the Congo, and more. 1980s–2000s -  Political and technological changes mark the decline of the golden age of Cuban poster art.   REFERENCESBardellotto, L., & De Mattio, P. (2016). Cinema in the Cuban graphics: posters from the Bardellotto Collection. Silvana. Cant, A. (2012). “Land for those who work it”: a visual analysis of Agrarian reform posters in Velasco’s Peru. Journal of Latin American Studies, 44(1), 1–37. Casals, M. (2020). Chilean! Is This How You Want to See Your Daughter? The Cuban Revolution and Representations of Gender and Family during Chile’s 1964 Anticommunist “Campaign of Terror.” Radical History Review, 136, 111–127. Celina. (2023, July 31). The Art of the Revolution will be Internationalist. Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. https://thetricontinental.org/the-art-of-the-revolution-will-be-internationalist/ Corrigan, L. M. (2014). Visual rhetoric and oppositional consciousness: poster art in Cuba and the United States. Intertexts (Lubbock, Tex.), vol. 18, no. 1, 71–91. https://doi.org/10.1353/itx.2014.0006 Cushing, L. (2023). How Poster Art of the “Long 1960s” Fueled International Solidarity. Brown Journal of World Affairs, 29(2), 1–18. Cushing, L. (2003). Revolución!: Cuban poster art. Chronicle Books.  Dwyer, M. (2016, September 27). Step Inside Cuba's Oldest Printmaking Studio. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/cuban-lithography-printmaking-tradition-culturaltravel-180960612/ Fleming, D. (2017). Art of solidarity: Cuban posters for African liberation 1967–1989. Museum Worlds, 5(1), 224-226. https://doi.org/10.3167/armw.2017.050118 Mage, Wohlforth, & Robertson. (1960). The Cuban Revolution and Marxist theory. Marxists.org. https://www.marxists.org/history/etol/document/icl-spartacists/cuba/cuba-mt.html Solidarity and design: An introduction to OSPAAAL · V&A. (n.d.). Victoria and Albert Museum. https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/solidarity-and-design-an-introduction-to-ospaaal?srsltid=AfmBOorXvX_CHRG8XK75Sye76DTmDg2u1xbwDlILkYS9bmDCKhbFWEby Turner, N. (2017) "Hollywood in Havana: Five Decades Of Cuban Posters Promoting U.S. Films." Riot Material. https://www.riotmaterial.com/hollywood-havana-five-decades-cuban-posters-promotingus-films/ Uriarte, L. F. (2005). Modernity and postmodernity from Cuba. Journal of Design History, 18(3), 245–255. https://doi.org/10.1093/jdh/epi047

    Cuban Posters

  8. 10/23/2025

    Underground Newspapers

    Underground newspapers of the 1960s and ’70s were central to the New Left and broader countercultural movements, serving as both platforms for dissent and vehicles of radical visual experimentation. Often dismissed by mainstream journalism due to their limited circulation, lack of professionalism, and overt bias, these publications were nonetheless vital expressions of political, social, and aesthetic resistance. Historian Bob Ostertag emphasizes the near inseparability of social movements and their press, yet notes the critical neglect of underground newspapers in historical scholarship. Emerging from earlier activist publications and enabled by accessible printing technologies like mimeograph and offset printing, underground newspapers eschewed editorial conventions, embracing experimental layouts, psychedelic imagery, and DIY production methods. Publications like The Los Angeles Free Press, Berkeley Barb, San Francisco Oracle, and East Village Other became iconic not just for their messages, but for their groundbreaking graphic design. These papers also served as training grounds for influential designers and illustrators such as Ron Cobb and Steven Heller, who valued the freedom of expression and anti-commercial ethos they offered. Movements beyond the New Left—including the Black Panther Party, Red Power, Chicano rights, Women’s Liberation, and Gay Liberation—each developed their own newspapers, forming a diverse ecosystem of radical print media. Through networks like the Underground Press Syndicate and Liberation News Service, these publications shared content and ideology, reinforcing solidarity across causes. The underground press is a rich, underappreciated chapter in both journalistic and design history—one where visual form and political function were deeply intertwined in the service of revolution. TIMELINE1958 - The Realist was founded  by Paul Krassner 1960s - Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) founded as part of the New Left 1964 - Los Angeles Free Press founded 1965 - Watts Riots 1965 - Fifth Estate newspaper founded, Detroit; Berkeley Barb newspaper founded, Berkeley; East Village Other newspaper founded, NYC 1965 - The Underground Press Syndicate (UPS) founded 1966 -  San Francisco Oracle founded  1966 - Album, The Electric Newspaper, released by The East Village Other  1967 - Liberation News Service (LNS) founded 1968 -  San Francisco Oracle ceases publication 1968 - The Freep published the names, addresses, and home telephone numbers of eighty undercover narcotics agents. 1969 - last national convention of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) 1969 - The Chicano Press Association was formed  1970 - It Ain’t Me Babe was published by Berkeley Women’s Liberation 1970s - Freep purchased by Larry Flint  1973 - The Underground Press Syndicate (UPS) dissolved 1980 - Berkeley Barb newspaper ceases publication 1981 - Liberation News Service (LNS) dissolved 2011 - facsimile edition of the San Francisco Oracle published REFERENCESGuida, J. (2021). The East Village other. JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/the-east-village-other/ Cobb, R. (2015). Cartoons. Roncobb.net Cohen, A. (1990). The San Francisco Oracle: A Brief History. Serials Review, 16(1), 13–46. Dreyer, T., Embree, A., Duncan, C., & Bishop, S. (2021). Exploring Space City!: Houston’s Historic Underground Newspaper. East Village other. (n.d.). https://nyujournalismprojects.org/eastvillageother/ Embree, A., Dreyer, T., & Croxdale, R. (2016). Celebrating the Rag: Austin’s iconic underground newspaper. Lulu.com. Fortin, J. (2020). Ron Cobb, 83, a Pioneer In Science Fiction Design. The New York Times, B7-. Glessing, R. (1970). The Underground Press in America. Heller, S. (2018, May 6). It was 50 Years Ago Today . . .. PRINT Magazine. https://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/50-years-ago-today-1960s-design/ Heller, S. (2022). Growing Up Underground: A Memoir of Counterculture New York. Kaplan, G. (2013). Power to the People: The Graphic Design of the Radical Press and the Rise of the Counter-Culture, 1964-1974. University of Chicago Press. Kramer, D. J. (Ed.). (2023). Heads Together: Weed and the Underground Press Syndicate, 1965-1973. Edition Patrick Frey. McMillian, J. (2011). Smoking Typewriters: The sixties underground press and the rise of alternative media in America. Oxford University Press. Morley, M. (2019, March 7). The cost of free Love and the designers who bore It—Meet the women of psychedelic design. AIGA Eye on Design. https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/women-of-psychedelic-design/ Ostertag, B. (2007). People’s movements, people’s press: The Journalism of Social Justice Movements. Beacon Press. TRR. (2020, September 7). The feminist fandom of Trina Robbins. The Revolution (Relaunch). https://therevolutionrelaunch.com/2020/08/02/the-feminist-fandom-of-trina-robbins/

    Underground Newspapers
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The nature of history is that it is never “complete”, new information is gained every day that changes our understanding an interpretations of history. The mission of Incomplete Design History is to explore areas of graphic design history that are overlooked or ignored; to expand our knowledge in the field and to include all sides of the story. Incomplete design history seeks to be inclusive, inclusive not only of people but of ideas and technologies that advance the field of graphic design. History is messy. History is incomplete.

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