Will Burtin papers

The Will Burtin Papers, circa 1857-1972 [bulk 1955-1972], mainly cover his professional work created through his firm, Will Burtin Inc., concentrating from the late 1950s to Burtin’s death in 1972. Previous professional work, including that created in Germany, as well as Fortune and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), is not covered in great detail. German work includes eleven pieces of artwork [located in 184.1-184.11: “Early projects, original artwork,”], and publications and brochures designed for German clients (Einst Jetzt, Fanal Flamme, Glas im Bau, Kristallspiegelglas, and Sie Wollen Bauen!).

Fortune and OSS documentation contains a small amount of correspondence. Records for Fortune also include mounted covers and spreads (mainly used for publicity and exhibition purposes), tear sheets of spreads, transparencies of magazine covers and images used in articles, and a magazine Christmas subscription card.

Although not extensive, documentation for Burtin’s tenure in the army includes his sextant, gunnery manuals he designed, photographs of him in uniform and with OSS colleagues, and his discharge papers. Letters from Burtin and Fortune publisher William D. Geer sent to the army discuss Burtin’s acceptance of employment as Fortune art director.

The collection is organized in five series: clients, photographic materials, bibliographic, business, and biographic records.

Series I. Clients, circa 1926-1971, 1984, 2006, undated

The largest of the five series, Series I contains records pertaining to the various aspects of work developed for clients of Will Burtin Inc. Correspondence regarding projects as well as draft and finished artwork, presentation portfolios, architectural drawings, posters, exhibition panels, three-dimensional exhibit models, and audio/visual materials are all present in this series. Through extensive documentation in these various formats, the process of Burtin’s work can be studied. Of particular interest are the Cell, Kalamazoo...and how it grew!, The Atom in Action, and Eastman Kodak 1964 World’s Fair pavilion. Major clients such as Union Carbide, Eastman Kodak, IBM, McGraw-Hill, and the University Circle Development Foundation are all represented, with documentation for Upjohn projects accounting for the bulk of this series records.

Work completed for Upjohn, most importantly, the large-scale exhibits of the Cell, Brain, Chromosome, and Inflammation are covered in great detail. Correspondence regarding these projects, as well as notes, publications, artwork, photographs, slides, transparencies, films, architectural drawings and plans, audio materials, and exhibit models can all be studied to give meaningful understanding to Burtin’s design process.

The majority of client correspondence and project artwork covers the years 1958- 1970. Records for clients vary from just a few documents to several folders, depending on the longevity of Burtin’s relationship with the client, as well as the length of the project. Project artwork contains mechanicals, sketches, drawings, mock-ups and dummies. Architectural drawings and plans offer a detailed view of various exhibits. Many are covered amongst the different subseries formats, such as The World of Brunswick, Eastman Kodak 1964 World’s Fair pavilion, University Circle Cleveland signage project, and IBM Community Living showcase exhibit. However, some projects, for example, the 1964 World’s Fair Illinois state pavilion and Hall of Science pavilion, have most of their documentation within the architectural plan subseries.

Posters and broadsides span Burtin’s career, from a 1948 poster for the 27th annual exhibition of the Art Directors Club of New York, to the Brain, Cell, Kalamazoo…and how it grew!, and Communication of Knowledge exhibits. Broadsides for speeches and lectures are also included. Exhibition panels almost exclusively consist of those used in Burtin’s Communication of Knowledge exhibit created for his receipt of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) medal award in 1971.

Major exhibits can also be studied via the 27 architectural models in the collection, some with numerous iterations. The Brain, Cell, Chromosome, Eastman Kodak film tower (part of 1964 World’s Fair pavilion), Inflammation, and the Muscle are all represented. Models of smaller projects include the Living Monument exhibit created for Société Générale du Banque, and a series of 5 trophy bases designed for Upjohn’s Salesman of the Year award. Please note: While most models are intact, some have sustained small amounts of damage, or are in pieces with original structure unknown.

Audio/visual materials provide additional insight into Burtin’s work. Several of Vision 67 conference addresses, including those of R. Buckminster Fuller and Burtin, are included. Additionally, the collection includes companion films created for some of Burtin’s most famous Upjohn exhibits: Inflammation: Defense of Life and Chromosome: Genes in Action. Publicity films include footage of television programs What is Life? (regarding the Cell) and Horizons (publicizing the Chromosome) for the British Broadcasting Corporation. Please note: Audiotape materials have been re-formatted and are accessed via compact disc. However, films have been re-housed only, with original packaging retained. Films cannot be played, but are available for cursory examination.

Series II. Photographic records, circa 1944-1971, 2006, undated

Photographic records are comprised of four subseries: photographs by client, photographs by subject, slides, transparencies, and negatives. Subseries A. Photographs by client/project, consist chiefly of images of exhibit models and finished exhibits. Some projects (for example, Upjohn’s Brain and Chromosome exhibits) contain images used for research during the creation of the exhibit, or were part of the explanatory material in the exhibit itself. All major clients and projects are represented, with an emphasis on Upjohn projects. Some projects are documented in more detail than others. For instance, the 1964 World’s Fair Eastman Kodak pavilion includes images of various models considered for the final exhibit.

Other images offer visual information only available within the photographic subseries. For example, images of the Brain, Cell, The Atom in Action, and Visual Communications 1957 include detail views of exhibit panels and stations. Furthermore, photographs offer documentation for events, such as a 1955 appearance by Burtin at the Art Center in Los Angeles and the 3rd and 5th International Design Conferences at Aspen (1953 and 1955 respectively). Photographs by subject serve mainly as a “picture file” of images, used either for research, or they appeared directly in numerous projects.

To a large extent, subseries slides, transparencies, and negative images overlap those found in photographs. Unique material to these subseries does exist; specifically in regards to slide presentations. For example, the slide subseries contain presentations created for Upjohn: Corporate Communications and Reality in 1970, as well as other slides used for lectures and other presentations. Events are also covered in the slide subseries, specifically the 1958 Art and Science of Typography conference at Silvermine, and the 6th International Design Conference at Aspen in 1956.

Please note: When known, photographers are listed for each folder’s contents. Most accredited photographs were taken by Ezra Stoller.

Series III. Bibliographic records, circa 1931-1972, undated

Series III consists of ten subseries, the largest of which is exhibition/client publications. Upjohn publications and advertising material comprises most of this subseries. However, exhibition booklets, journals, brochures, and letterhead designed for other clients are also documented to a great degree, including Herman Miller Furniture, ESTO, Reynolds Metals, and Strathmore Paper. Please note: Although all Upjohn materials were not designed by Burtin, they were created during his tenure as design consultant.

Bibliographic records also document Burtin’s professional work outside that completed for clients, and include writings on and by Burtin, speeches, teachings, professional organizations he belonged to, conferences he attended and organized, awards and honors, publicity, and research material (each its own subseries). Burtin’s prolific writings on design and communication are well-documented and include handwritten manuscripts.

As Burtin was heavily involved in professional organizations, documentation of various design organizations and conferences is especially strong. Alliance Graphique Internationale (with correspondence with Jean Carlu), American Institute of Graphic Arts, International Center for the Communication Arts and Sciences, and International Council of Graphic Design Associations are well represented. Design conferences are also welldocumented particularly the period from the mid-1950s to 1971. These include: the International Design Conference at Aspen series, 1958 Art and Science of Typography at Silvermine (organized by Burtin), 1959 Typography USA, and Vision 65, 67, and 69 (organized by Burtin).

Although the speeches and teachings subseries cover Burtin’s career from the mid- 1940s to 1971, their documentation is small in volume. The majority of teachings deal with Burtin’s work at the Pratt Institute, where he was on staff and served for a short time as chairman of the Visual Communication department.

Series IV. Business records, circa 1950-1971, undated

Business records consist of two subseries: general business records and accounts. Highlights in general business records include Burtin’s appointment book pages, office rolodex, designs in progress (which describe time, payroll, and staff for projects), and notes written by Cipe Pineles Burtin regarding the proposed creation of “Will Burtin Associates” in 1971. A small amount of records also describe work completed by Burtin’s wives Hilde and Cipe Pineles as staff members of Will Burtin Inc. Accounts consist mainly of invoices and receipts for client projects from 1951 to 1971.

Series V. Biographic records, circa 1857-1972

Series V contains records offering insight into Burtin’s personal life. The Burtins brought various documents with them upon their 1938 immigration into the United States, including family genealogical records, a 1933 German passport (Deutsches Reich Reisepass), and two books by Jan Tschichold: Die Neue Typographie and Eine Stunde Druckestaltung.

Personal correspondence consists of family, friends, and acquaintances, mainly wife Cipe Pineles Burtin, daughter Carol Burtin Fripp, and sister Rosa Lansbeck. Letters from friends include Robert Osborn, Alger Hiss, and Willem Sandberg, and many are get-well wishes for Burtin during his illness of 1971 to 1972. Letters to and from Dr. Phillip Knöll, (whom he apprenticed for as a young man in Germany), span 1955 to 1966, and document their lifelong friendship.

Images of Burtin, his family, travels, and home in New City, New York are also documented. A small amount of records, including bound check registers and Hilde Burtin’s estate, offer insight into Burtin’s financial matters.

Lastly, this series documents Burtin’s death. Tributes by Saul Bass, F.H.K. Henrion, and Parsons School of Design dean David C. Levy, obituary clippings and press releases announcing Burtin’s death, and the memorial service guestbook are all present. The guestbook contains the signatures of colleagues and friends of Will Burtin, including Lou Dorfsman, Saul Bass, Ezra Stoller, Dr. Robert L. Leslie, Edward Gottschall, Max Gschwind, and Alger Hiss.