And stay a while. … Book jackets were never meant to be worn forever. They were ephemeral dust protectors designed to serve two masters—marketing and advertising. Destined for the trash bin, the DJs from the 1930s and ’40s that survived are indeed worn and tattered. But they are also fascinating indicators of graphic style and form.
These are from a collection of good, bad and ugly jackets that made me look twice. And that’s the job of the jacket: Two looks often mean one sale. See for yourselves whether you can tell these books by their respective covers and whether or not they move you to learn more.
H.J. Barsdell [sic]
Carl Cobbledick
Uncredited
Uncredited (possibly Arthur Hawkins Jr.)
K.S. Woerner
Gorska
Alfred Maurer
Arthur Hawkins Jr.
E. McKnight Kauffer
Uncredited