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garyhornseth.bsky.social
Gary Hornseth
@garyhornseth.bsky.social
1.4K followers 220 following 2.4K posts
Minnesota ephemerist. History, music, visual arts, a bit of baseball. Work = PR. Posts = else. Also the westerly half of Trademark Issues 🎸
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garyhornseth.bsky.social
Watercolor specimens from “Paint and Colour Mixing: A Practical Handbook (6th ed.)” by Arthur Seymour Jennings, London, 1921

Image: Getty Research Institute via @archive.org; archive.org/details/pain...
A page of 36 watercolor specimens arranged in four rows of 9 vertical bars, with each bar showing a different color. Colors range from yellows to oranges, pinks and reds, greens, blues and browns. Page is headed “Specimens of Winsor and Newton’s Artists’ Water Colours”
November 23, 2025 at 3:27 AM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
A page of index stamps
From: “Matthews' Book of Marking Devices and Metal Signs”
Jas. H. Matthews & Co., Pittsburgh
1914

Image: TheHoard Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/matt...
A page full of pointing finger index stamps. Some labeled: Read Carefully; Notice: Special Attention To This, Returned to Writer; etc. Copy: Matthews of Pittsburgh THE HANDY INDEX STAMPS They help to get your message quickly read and help to make quick action. Furnished plain or with any lettering in the centre, similar to those illustrated.
November 21, 2025 at 3:16 AM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba, Spain
Nov. 3, 2025
11:50 a.m.
A look upward at an ornate ceiling section with arches and sunlight streaming into windows, Chapel of Villaviciosa. Image: me
November 19, 2025 at 11:48 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Three illustrations from “Air Marking,” a U.S. Dept. of Commerce Aeronautics Bulletin with design guidelines for ground-based pilot navigation aids, July 1, 1929.

Image: TheHoard Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/depa...
A drawing of an overhead view of a city block. One of the buildings has a flat roof upon which is placed directional signage, including a directional arrow pointing north, a directional arrow pointing towards an airport showing a 3 mile distance, and the name of the city in block letters— in this instance “Airville.” Caption FIGURE 3.-Typical air marking, including name of city or town, meridian marker, and airport pointer A drawing of an overhead view of an intersection coming to a T in a rural location. The two roads bear large letters the width of the road in height, reading NY-12 and US-20. Caption FIGURE 9.-Air markings recommended for Federal and State highways A drawing of an overhead view of two airport structures. On the roof of one structure is a sign reading “Municipal Airport Airview.” On the roof of the other structure is a directional arrow pointing north as well as two directional arrows labeled “Madison” and “Chicago,” pointing in different directions. Caption FIGURE 7.-Typical hangar roof markings showing route arrows
November 19, 2025 at 1:05 AM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Album cover crop, postmodern opera, c. 2016
Cropped and crudely filtered portion of original photo focusing on an uplit concrete overhang, a fuzzy bright light, and dreamy window lights at a distance, all set against darkness
November 18, 2025 at 11:49 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Discos Bora-Bora, at which a signed 2015 Jayhawks setlist is among many framed on a wall #localangle
Granada, Spain
Nov. 7, 2025
6:52 p.m.
A nighttime view of a record stage exterior set into an old storefront, with the store lit from within.
November 18, 2025 at 11:26 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Cádiz, Spain
Nov. 4, 2025
2:30 p.m.
View over Cádiz toward the sea from atop the Torre Tavira, an 18th c. watchtower and the highest point in the Old Town district, offering a 360° outdoor view. 173 steps to the top. Cirrus clouds and sun.
November 18, 2025 at 1:54 AM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Detergente Líquido at Bar Mutante, Sevilla
Nov. 2, 2025
2:10 p.m.
A colorful music venue filled with people, vivid lights and decoration a band playing at the far end.
November 16, 2025 at 1:06 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Ceiling, Catedral de Granada, Spain
November 5, 2025
5:08 p.m.
Wide-angle view looking upward at the cathedral ceiling with about a half dozen pillars reaching to the top. Ceiling has arched sections catching the uplighting. A few windows are visible as well as a bit of the upper part of the apse. Colors are generally white and grey.
November 15, 2025 at 9:19 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Sevilla Santa Justa Station, Spain
Nov. 1, 2025
1:06 pm
An interior view of a train station looking down a set of tracks that recede into the distance along with a set of ceiling arches. Travelers await a train along a platform. Clocks and signage. Grey and silver colors predominate. Image: me
November 14, 2025 at 10:12 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Coin telephone, c. 1960s
Compañía Telefónica Nacional de España

Seen on display last Saturday as part of a numismatics exhibit at the National Archaeological Museum, Madrid
A photo of a wall-mounted pay telephone with a silver exterior, black handset and rotary dial. There is a narrow window into the enclosure that allows viewing of the coins inserted, I presume?
November 14, 2025 at 1:04 AM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Old telephone sign as tapas bar wall decoration, last Saturday afternoon, Madrid
A round, weathered metal sign reading TELEFONOS in yellow and blue block lettering, below an encircled outline map of Spain and Portugal. Casa Ambrosio Taberna, Madrid
November 12, 2025 at 10:51 AM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
A minute or so of a pharmacy sign seen last week along a street in Sevilla
November 12, 2025 at 12:45 AM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
“I think I spent just an afternoon on it.”

An annual repost as the World Series opens: From 2008, writer Paul Lukas (Uni Watch) interviews retired graphic designer Jerry Dior (1932-2015) about his creation of the MLB logo in 1968. ⚾️

Full article: espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/081105
MLB logo Excerpt: UW: What sort of thought process did you go through at the outset of the project? Did you know right away that you'd use a silhouetted image? JD: No, it just came about. UW: Did you know from the start that you wanted to show a human figure, instead of just type or other graphics? JD: No, I just went through some magazines and tried to figure out some ideas. I really don't know how the process worked -- I just did it, y'know? It was fast. I think I spent just an afternoon on it. UW [incredulous]: The whole thing took one afternoon? JD: Yeah. Excerpt: UW: Did Major League Baseball accept the logo pretty much as you designed it, or did they ask you to make adjustments? JD: Nope, no adjustments. I cleaned it up and that was it. UW: What do you mean "cleaned it up"? JD: You tighten it up so it can be reproduced. What I had originally created was just a Magic Marker sketch. UW [incredulous again]: The original version that you created in one afternoon, and that was presented to Major League Baseball, was rendered in Magic Marker? JD: Right.
October 25, 2025 at 12:09 AM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
(2) More push-pull plate images, credits as above.
Plates reading push and pull Plates reading push and pull with cross-hatch patterns Handles reading push and pull
October 18, 2025 at 5:10 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Array of push-pull plates
from: “Tubelite Aluminum Entrances”
Trade catalog
Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co.
1960

Image: Association for Preservation Technology via @archive.org; archive.org/details/pitt...
A two-page catalog spread headed “Unlimited Tubelite®️ Multi-Insert Push-Pull Plates.” It shows illustrations of 17 different varieties of door-mounted, metal push-pull plates in vertical and horizontal orientations. Some simply say “Push” or “Pull,” some have decorative motifs suggesting a pharmacy, medical office or night club. Some feature cross-hatch patterns in red or black. Copy: The above are just a few of the many custom designs possible. Also available in solid colored Vinyl Plastic surfaces in the following colors. Metal Green Cordovan Red Ebony Blue Dark Mahogany Blizzard Grey Bronco Brown
October 18, 2025 at 5:06 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Three advertising drawings
Alcoa Aluminum, Pittsburgh
1936-1937

American Architect & Building News
Artist: Lurelle Guild (1898-1985); en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lurelle...

Images: US Modernist Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/usmo...
April 1937 A black-and-white drawing from a second-floor view looking down to a retail storefront with a shop window with goods on display on a table, and a large letter M overhead. Accompanying ad copy: BEST FOOT FORWARD It is not a new discovery that the commercial facade attracts more business with Beauty. Not new either, but becoming more widely realized, is the discovery that the exceptional versatility of Alcoa Aluminum and the glory of its lustrous surface offer unlimited scope to the designer. Especially to him who seeks to embody elegance without extravagance. Practical things to remember are that Alcoa Aluminum is available in the form of sheets, shapes, and castings; that special extrusions are economical answers to individuality; that standard extrusions may be ingeniously used for achieving interesting detail; that the Alumilite finish heightens Aluminum's natural resistance to corrosion; that ease of fabrication promises appropriately economical finished cost; that our experienced engineers are available for consultation. Aluminum Company of America, 2195 Gulf Building, Pittsburgh, Pa. November 1936 A black-and-white drawing with a view from an upper floor looking down into the lobby of a sleek commercial building. Two revolving doors lead to two escalators. An ornate globe scene adorns the front window. Two retail shops are seen, one signed PARFUM. Accompanying ad copy: ECONOMY WITH BEAUTY The beauty of the many lustrous surfaces of Aluminum needs no fanfare. The economy of Aluminum as a general-purpose architectural material is equally evident. All forms of Aluminum are easy to fabricate, to handle, to erect. There can be no streaking or staining of adjoining surface. A wide variety of finishes may be used to obtain your most cherished decorative effects. Alcoa Aluminum gives real economy in first cost, real economy in upkeep. No accident is this wedding of economy with beauty. Architectural requirements as to form and shape and finish have been a major program with us for many years. We think you would find discussion with one of our engineers highly profitable. Aluminum Company of America, 2195 Gulf Building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania September 1937 A black-and-white view from above of a house. Accompanying ad copy: LETS LOOK INTO THE REAL COST OF WINDOWS A price is quoted on “Windows.” Is that the final cost, or must a lot of extras be added to get their true cost; labor for assembling knocked-down parts, weather stripping, paint and more labor, and so on? Many builders are saving money by knowing the truth. Only the cost of setting Aluminum windows need usually be added to the figure quoted. Price differentials are, therefore, often equalized when costs are compared on a completely installed basis. With Aluminum windows, less maintenance is required. Because Aluminum is so resistant to weather, they retain their attractive appearance without the frequent painting and repainting required by other windows; they never warp, swell, rust or rot. Property owners are spared much of the upkeep expense ordinarily expected. Aluminum windows are fabricated from extruded shapes like those shown on this page. Designed especially for window construction, these shapes utilize every ounce of metal to best advantage, giving maximum strength with minimum weight and cross section. They account for the reasonable cost of Aluminum windows. We do not manufacture windows, but supply Alcoa extruded shapes to many well known window manufacturers. They have developed individual types of construction, and will gladly give you detailed information on windows of their own design. Aluminum Company of America, 2195 Gulf Building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
October 5, 2025 at 3:09 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
(2) An Armstrong factory image from the same catalog, credits as above.
A factory scene showing workers operating a large linoleum press. The workers are seen on three different floors as what looks a single sheet of linoleum, with a tan and reddish-brown checkerboard pattern, threads its way through the press. “This giant rotary press at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, produces Armstrong's Straight Line Inlaid Linoleum. Standing three stories high, it is so controlled and synchronized that it operates with the precision of a fine instrument.”
September 21, 2025 at 10:20 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Four linoleum samples
Pattern book, Armstrong Cork Co.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
1948

Images: Association for Preservation Technology (APT) Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/Arms...
A deep red, marble-looking background with small clusters of light and dark rectangles. Catalog description “ARMSTRONG'S STRAIGHT LINE INLAID LINOLEUM No. 0540 Standard Gauge Two features of this pattern-its crisp, small-scale design and its wine-red, black, plain white, and willow green color scheme —recommend it for use in kitchens, baths, and halls. And, thanks to the strong background marblization, this pattern is practical also for shops, clubs, restaurants, and small stores.” A sandy beige background with right-angled stripes and rectangles in various colors. Catalog description “ARMSTRONG'S EMBOSSED INLAID LINOLEUM No. 5340 Standard Gauge A contrasting background in shades of brown, tan, and beige emphasizes the colorful tiles and accent lines of this handsome pattern. The multiplane embossing serves further to heighten the effect of the design. Streamline embossing keeps dirt from collecting in the depressed areas. This pattern is especially practical for residential use.” A light background containing monochrome squares with smaller squares and rectangles of bright color atop them. Catalog description “ARMSTRONG'S EMBOSSED INLAID LINOLEUM No. 5341 Standard Gauge Mottled shades of ivory, gray, and black are combined to give a distinctive appearance to the background of this modern tile pattern. An intriguing interplay of rectangular color accents in Chinese red, goldenrod yellow, and willow green adds a bright touch to the floor and makes it excellent for kitchens and bathrooms.” A deep blue/grey background with an array of rectangles containing curved lines and a few wheel-looking shapes within. Catalog description “ARMSTRONG'S EMBOSSED INLAID LINOLEUM No. 5740 Standard Gauge This richly decorative embossed pattern draws its inspiration from the fine sculptured fabrics that are so popular today. Featuring muted tones of blue, this design provides a smart floor not only for living rooms, halls, bedrooms, dens, and other rooms in the home but also for smart shops and stores.”
September 21, 2025 at 10:09 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
(2) One more cool image from the catalog. Source credit as above.
Illustration of a serene-looking interior scene. View is about 10 feet away from closed set of elevator doors made of glass panels and greenish metal or wood. The doors are set into stone-tiled walls. Light streams from a skylight, presumably, casting a warm glow on the elevator doors and a few patches of light on the stone-tiled floors. A clock-like dial indicator on the wall above the doors has floor numbers from 1 to 16 in a circle, with the arrow pointing between the two and three.
September 10, 2025 at 3:14 AM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Trade catalog illustrations
“Elevator Cars / Elevator Entrances”
The Tyler Company
Cleveland, Ohio
1927

These images (and many more): Association for Preservation Technology via @archive.org; archive.org/details/Elev...
An outside-in illustration of an empty, bright red, wood-paneled elevator car with a checkerboard, black and white floor, gold trim around the top and what looks to be an ornate, gold-tinted skylight ceiling with a detailed design applied. An inside-out illustration of an elevator car with light blue-gray panels and gold stripe details running vertically from ceiling to floor, and a gold-colored ceiling. The floor is a checkerboard tan and brown tile. The view out the door of the elevator looks to a hallway with a wood and glass door and a small potted plant visible. An inside-out view of an elevator car wood-paneled in a sort of sage green. The border of the ceiling has some red, black and gold accents and the floor is a checkerboard, brownish-red and white pattern. The ceiling is light yellow. Light spills into the car from the corridor, just a sliver of which can be seen. An inside-out view of an elevator car paneled in dark wood with the door open and looking straight out to a bright scene of marble walls, stone columns and an archway, and large draperies — suggesting a museum, library, cathedral, theater or some other ornate public building. The floor is tiled in a dark green and red diamond pattern. There is a black, red and gold border near the ceiling, and the ceiling itself is light yellow.
September 10, 2025 at 2:45 AM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Trade publication cover
Master Builders Company
Cleveland, Ohio
1928

Image: Association for Preservation Technology via @archive.org: archive.org/details/Plai...
A textured cover with a dark background, blank except for an upper-half title in white all-lowercase text reading “plain talk about concrete floors”. The title is contained within a white, mostly rectangular boundary with little notches at the corners and a curved lower line. Someone appears to have underlined “concrete floors,” perhaps with a pencil.
September 6, 2025 at 10:03 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Image, 1965 Annual Report
The Dayton Co.
Minneapolis, Minn.

Image: Fund and Stock Reports Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/01-t...
Color image looking down a of a row of Target checkout aisles, with customers and clerks within them. The aisles are numbered 12-17 with what look like lit signs, each with a store logo. Impulse purchase items are on adjacent displays, can’t really tell what they are except for a display of color-change sunglasses. A handful of shoppers are seen bearing impassive expressions. No one looks directly at the camera. The image blurs into the distance.
September 6, 2025 at 3:41 PM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
Three illustrations of a fictitious United American Food Co. from “Plant Conditioning,” a promotional booklet about industrial paint

Sherwin-Williams Co.
Cleveland, Ohio
1936
Harry Harringer, artist

Source: Association for Preservation Technology via @archive.org; archive.org/details/Sten...
Drawing of an exterior factory/warehouse scene. In the foreground is a large truck/trailer labeled United American Food Company. Various products are depicted on the truck exterior. Colors of the fictitious company’s brand are two shades of green and a dark red. These images were reprinted in the booklet having appeared originally in the January 1935 issue of Modern Packaging magazine. Illustration in the same color scheme of a large packaging room in a factory. Workers are attending to various hoppers, machines and assembly line positions. One in the foreground is loading cans or jars into a box. An illustration of food packages arrayed in an elaborate, multi-level display. Same color scheme.
September 5, 2025 at 1:46 AM
garyhornseth.bsky.social
September 2, 2025 at 2:22 AM