Title page

Cockroaches: Here, There, and Everywhere by Laurence Pringle presents “a brief introduction to one of the world’s most durable insect species that has survived over 300 million years and thrives almost anywhere in the world”. It was published by Thomas Y. Crowell Co. as part of their Let’s-Read-And-Find-Out Science Books series.

Jacket design with an illustration by James and Ruth McRea

Edited by Margaret Stimmann Branson and Edward E. France, this paperback edition was published by Ginn & Co., Lexington, Mass., in 1972. The two abstract profiles made from multiple lines are contrasted with the delicate curves of Bank Script. The author names are shown in light Futura caps, separated by a bullet.

“Edward E. France was an administrator for the Oakland (California) Public School System who, in 1968, had created a popular multi-media program on Black History. He later became Professor of History, California State University at Hayward.” – Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Margaret Stimmann Branson (1922–2019) “was a high school teacher, college professor, assistant superintendent for a large school district in California, associate director for the Center for Civic Education, and Administrator of Instructional Services for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. During Margaret's tenure with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office, she initiated the We the People curriculum and competition, the Mock Trials competition, and History Day. Nationally she assisted in developing the We the People curriculum and for 26 years, wrote the questions for both the state and national competitions.”

Conways Photosetting was a photosetting shop in London priding itself in being ‘good because we have good people’ with a large catalogue of typefaces: some of them licensed from Lettergraphics, some of them appearing original, some of them inspired by competitors.

This particular ad (with perfect 1970s copy style) doesn’t just display wittily the wide array of typefaces they had available but also could be throwing shade at Face Photosetting, a competing shop of the time (‘Not just a pretty face’).

Here's a breakdown of what typeface are used on the poster. The name between brackets is the name found in the Conways catalogue. Note the use of reversed colours for Jim Crow to better match the poster.

We have – Amsterdamer Garamont (Garamond Bold)
Thin faces – Kabel Light (Cable Light)
Fat faces – Mania (Photomania)
Round faces – Futura Bold
Square faces – Eurostile/Microgramma
Condensed faces – Permanent Headline
Bold faces – Futura Extra Bold
Outline faces – Cooper Black Outline
Beautiful faces – Bank Serif
Ugly faces – Rustic
Old faces – Cloister Black
New faces – Computer (Moore Computer/Mogul Computer)
Way in faces – Times Bold
Way out faces – Prismania (Prink Modi)
Swiss faces – Helvetica
American faces – Jim Crow (colour reversed)
Greek faces – Poliphilus Titling
German faces – Fette Fraktur (Fraktur)
etc, etc, etc. and (in every size, shape or colour) – Caslon

Copy text: Amsterdamer Garamont (Garamond Old Style)

While the cover designer for this paperback is unclear, the interior states “designed by Robin Fox”. The cover shows similarities to the work of Alvin Lustig. Perhaps Lustig’s work for Noonday in the 1950s set the tone for the publisher which was followed by this designer.

[More info on Discogs]

Pocket Library PL37, 1957

For this book cover, two very similar copperplate scripts have been paired: While the editor’s name is set in Bank Script, the rest is in Commercial Script. A possible reason is that maybe the latter was simply not available at a bigger size. Note that this is from the 1950s, when type was not as easily scalable as it is today. Also, the former has fancier capitals.