Northern Natural Gas Company: Corporate Identity Manual 1964 [Herbert Bayer]

Northern Natural Gas (NNG) Company, Corporate Identity Manual, 1964. Northern Natural Gas Company, Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Oblong, 11.5 x 8.5 with (16) uncoated single-side pages, (2) tabbed coated section dividers, coated paper covers and a plastic comb binding. Designed by Bauhaus alumnus Herbert Bayer (1900–1985) who was also responsible for the companies corporate symbol, printed collateral, various stationary systems for multiple divisions, annual reports and more throughout the 1960s.

Rare. With an Introduction stating the multiple purposes of this manual: “To express the character of the corporate design system ...”; To call to the attention of all Northern operating groups the importance of visual communications ...” and “To control the application of the corporate design system at Northern, its subsidiaries, and divisions.”

This manual establishes and defines the fundamental parts of the design system and presents policies and standards for their use. Heavily illustrated throughout with black and blue featuring explanations of: The Corporate Symbol, The Corporate Logotype (Standard Medium), The Corporate Signature, General Rules for Display and Reproduction, Incorrect Uses of Symbol, The Signatures of Subsidiaries and Divisions, Reproduction, Master File, Color Standards (Color notations from the color manual of Container Corporation of America 1958), Paint Samples (Exterior and Interior), Typography (Monotype News Gothic, Intertype News Gothic, etc.), Typographic Rules, Guidelines for Leading, Standardization of Formats, Internal Correspondence, Stationary, and one page labeled Facilities and Equipment ... perhaps for sign fabrication. Presumably printed in low quantities for internal use only; never sold publicly.

A near fine original and early American company corporate identity manual with only light handling to some edges and cover corners. Rare.