Fish & His Type

Attractive specimen book from Wendell Wilbur Fish, a native of Bakersfield, who in 1920 opened his first office in L.A. becoming one of the earliest "advertising typographers" in the area. In The Pacific Printer and Publisher,October 1922, we find a review of some of Fish's work: "[Fish]. has made a special study of good typography. He is recognized as an authority on the subject of typographical treatment of financial advertising for newspaper purposes. But he has also put into type some of the largest campaigns for firms of national repute, a versatility of treatment and design enabling him to get the highest utility as well as appropriateness into the printed message." We find little mention of Fish outside of these trade journals from the 20s and 30s. He must have been somewhat prominent for quite some time, with this revised edition of his collection of type appearing some 25+ years after he began in the trade. OCLC cites 5 holdings for 3 (likely only 2) versions of this specimen book, with just 1 on the revised edition at the Wolfsonian Library, FIU. 4to, 12.5x9.5" 83pp. Specimens printed in black on a variety of stock with decorative page borders of different colors. Original tan cloth covers, with 3-brad binding, spine lettering and fish logo in red, with blue lettering on front cover. Some toning to pages, single marginal tear to page 64. Boards bumped and worn. Very good.…