The origins of modern logos

Countless global brands, including Rolex, BMW, Louis Vuitton, and the New York Yankees, still use logos that were designed over 100 years ago. Yet there has never been a monograph devoted to the origins of logo design. In the second half of the 19th century, the trademark replaced traditional symbols such as the family coat of arms as a promotional and identifying symbol for companies. At first, the designs were often still figurative; only gradually did they develop into the abstract marks that have become fixtures in everyday life today.

Author Jens Müller, described as the “logo detective” by Wired magazine, examined historical trademark registers, international corporate archives, and early design publications to unearth more than 6,000 logos from 1870 to 1940. This unparalleled collection traces the development of modern trademarks and sheds light on forgotten designs and early versions of famous logos. The catalog is divided into four design categories: “Figurative,” “Form,” “Effect,” and “Typographical.” Each chapter is then systematically subdivided according to basic elements of design such as circle, line, overlap, and outline, thus offering a new perspective on design principles that are still relevant today.

Along with an extensive picture section, the book comprises an introduction by Jens Müller on the history of the trademark as well as a reproduction of the first comprehensive examination of modern corporate logos: the influential design pioneer F.H. Ehmcke’s (1878–1965) illustrated essay “Wahrzeichen—Warenzeichen” (Symbols—trademarks) from 1921. Also included are ten case studies of famous trademarks, including those of 3M, NBC, Shell, and Olivetti, and numerous rare images illustrating the—at times varied, at times consistent—developments in international logo design and the birth of the corporate identity. Logo Beginnings is not only a fundamental and inspiring graphic design manual but also an excellent read for anyone interested in social, cultural, and corporate history and the fascinating impact of trademarks. It is also the perfect complement to the TASCHEN classic Logo Modernism.

现代商标的起源

无数的全球品牌，包括劳力士、宝马、路易威登和纽约洋基队，仍然在使用100多年前设计的标志。然而，从来没有一部专著专门论述商标设计的起源。19世纪下半叶，商标取代了家族纹章等传统符号，成为公司的宣传和识别符号。起初，这些设计往往还是具象的；后来才逐渐发展为今天日常生活中固定的抽象商标。

本书作者延斯·穆勒（Jens Müller）被《连线》杂志称为“商标侦探”，他研究了历史上的商标登记册、国际公司档案和早期设计出版物，发掘出1870年至1940年的6000多个商标。本书追溯了现代商标的发展，揭示了被遗忘的设计和**商标的早期版本。目录分为四个设计类别：“象征”、“形式”、“效果”和 “印刷”。每一章都根据设计的基本要素进行系统细分，如圆、线、重叠、轮廓等，为今天仍然适用的设计原则提供了一个新的视角。

除了大量的图片展示，本书还包括延斯·穆勒关于商标历史的介绍，以及首次全面审查现代企业商标的文字材料：知名设计先驱F.H.Ehmcke（1878-1965）1921年的插图文章《Wahrzeichen-Warenzeichen》（符号——商标）。此外，还包括10个**商标的案例研究，如3M、NBC、Shell和Olivetti的商标，以及许多罕见的图片，说明了国际标志设计的发展和企业形象的诞生，时而变化，时而一致。本书不仅是一本基本的平面设计手册，而且对社会、文化、企业历史以及商标爱好者来说，也是一本很好的读物，可以搭配TASCHEN经典书籍《标志现代主义》阅读。