Ed Benguiat collection

Collection

Identifier: CSC-0076

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Ed Benguiat Collection contains design and development work on typefaces designed by Benguiat, as well as logos for clients, ranging from 1953 to 2001. Materials include original sketches for type and logo design; large sheet negatives, transparencies, and paste-ups for published and unpublished typefaces; type specimen catalogues and posters; and negatives and mock-ups for logos and newspapers, including The New York Times. Material pertains to Benguiat and his affiliated businesses, namely International Typeface Corporation and Photo-Lettering, Incorporated, with some work produced for the Type Directors Club. Predominate holdings include: ITC Barcelona, ITC Benguiat, ITC Bookman, and ITC Edwardian.

Dates

Creation: circa 1953-2001

Creator

Benguiat, Ed (Ephram) (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers. Portions of this collection may not be reproduced. Please consult the curator.

Biographical / Historical

Ephram Edward Benguiat was born in Brooklyn, New York, on October 27th, 1927. After serving time in the Air Corps during World War II, he returned home to New York and became an established jazz percussionist. He soon enrolled at the Workshop School of Advertising Art in New York City under Paul Standard, where he studied layout, design, typography, and calligraphy. In 1953, he became the associate director of Esquire magazine, whose logo he designed. In 1962 he met Ed Rondthaler, and joined Photo-Lettering, Inc. as their Typographic Design Director. During his time at Photo-Lettering, he also acted as editor of their promotional publication, PLINC, and produced over 400 typefaces for the phototypesetting firm. In 1971, Rondthaler, along with Herb Lubalin and Aaron Burns, founded the International Typeface Corporation, and contracted Benguiat for their first typeface—Souvenir. Benguiat and Lubalin partnered to develop ITC’s magazine, U&lc, and continued to produce new typefaces to add to the ITC repertoire. Benguiat served as vice president of ITC until 1986.

Ed Benguiat has designed over 600 typefaces including Bookman, Benguiat, Benguiat Gothic, Panache, Tiffany, Barcelona, handtooled versions of Century, Cheltenham, and Garamond, and the logotypes for brands and publications including The New York Times, Coca-cola, Playboy, Reader’s Digest, Sports Illustrated, Photoplay, and Look magazine. He has served as president of the Type Directors Club, and was awarded their TDC Medal in 1989. Benguiat is also a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale. He later taught at The School of Visual Arts in New York, where he was awarded Teacher of the Year in 1995.

Extent

33 Linear Feet (16 oversize boxes, 1 map drawer)

Language

English

Additional Description

Overview

The Ed Benguiat Collection contains original sketches, phototypesetting materials such as photographic prints and negatives, and printed materials relating to the design, production, and promotion of typefaces generated or accumulated during the life and career of type designer, Ed Benguiat. The collection contains objects dating from 1953 to 2001. The collection is organized into two series: I. Graphic Work, and II. Typefaces. The first series contains printed and design work for logos and newspapers, promotional materials such as posters and booklets, or in-progress work such as sketches and paste-ups. The second series contains materials related to the designing and production of specific typefaces, predominately photographic negatives and transparencies, paste-ups, and type specimens.

Arrangement

Collection is organized into two series: I. Graphic Work (circa 1953 - 1990); II. Typefaces (circa 1960 - 2001). The collection is arranged first by genre, typeface alphabetically, by type style and weight, and then medium.

Physical Location

Graphic Design Archives, Cary Collection Annex

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Accession number(s):

Bibliography

Edward Benguiat. Biography of Ed Benguiat. Written by Elisa Halperin: Art Directors Club, 2000.
Edward Ephram Benguiat. List of Benguiat's typefaces. Klingspor Museum, 2008.