Strongs Book of Designs (Reprinted in 2001?)

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Posted by Mike Jackson on March 26, 2004

I was searching around tonight and found a reference to a Strong's Book of Design as a trade paper in 1888. I paid $15.95 for the thing, not really knowing what I was buying and then did some more snooping around. The fact it had an ISBN number was confusing me. Looks like a company in Canada reprinted the book (again) in 2001. I thought Signs of the Times held the copyright from the early 80s, but that is not my concern of course.

For people looking for a copy of the book, even if it is a new one, check out the link below.

When my copy comes in, I will give a quick report.

Mike Jackson

Strongs Book of Design 2001
http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?i ... 94572246-0

Robare M. Novou

I saw a copy of that 2001 edition that Jeff Lang had. It's a soft cover with as Doug says, a few additional pages, of which a few arent in any of the originals that I have.

One of the originals that I have does have 4 pages that are not in the signs of the times reprint.
So I assume that the canadian reissue was done with an original with some additional different pages other than mine. I have not seen an original like the one that the canadian reprint is based on. Maybe one of this sites readers out there does have such a copy. The canadian issue has a color page with ice cream displayed in glasses and bowls.

At a past letterhead meet, I showed my original to others, trying to find out if they also had such an original. Nobody did or was sure.

On the issue of copy right...the originals are now in the public domain as is anything else published more than 75 years ago, and anyone can copy and reprint these. Signs of the times and lee valley tools or you and I, can all make reprints without any infringement concerns.

The signs of the times reprints are excellent reissues of the original. They have a black hard cover with gold embossing just like the original. And from what I am told are no longer being printed. They are an excellent buy at around $30. Sometimes I see these reissues go for $60 or more. Some sign suppliers around the country still have a few to sell at the $30 price.

RMN

Mike Duncan

Robare,
I have the 1982 signs of the times copy and 2 copies from 1917, is yours the 1910 edition? If so does it have those three pages in the back that the signs of the times edition does?
I guess that the 1917 doesn't have them because it was published by Frederick Drake Co. and not the Detroit School School of Lettering?

Robare M. Novou

The 1910 edition has three pages in the rear that are not in the 1917 edition. But they are not the pages I made reference to. The pages I made reference to are in the 1917 edition and are of the following...

"Skating at Belle Isle"

"I can, will and do make SHOW CARDS quick and cheap"

"Splash with me at Pleasure Park"

"music" with a harp and guitar shiloette.

Are these pages in your 1917 edition?

I did not find that Ice Cream page in any of my editions. I only saw it in the 2001 edition.

RMN

D. Bernhardt

Hi Goldie,..yes have a copy of it. The company is actually Lee Valley Tools, just down the road from me and this is their publishing arm. The E.C.Matthews book "how to paint signs and sho-cards"is also available there. You have a copy with a signed cover (an aid to ageing memory);= I also wondered about the copyright but the book is different from the SOT version. Has a page or 3 more and several more in colour.