El papel de fumar / Rolling Paper Graphics
| November 09, 2007

Rolling Paper Graphics by José Lorente is a gorgeous book. This is one you really need to see in person. For added effect the interior pages are left unhinged from the actual spine of the hardcover. Extra attention to detail is evident throughout, especially with the selection of the paper the book is printed on. The art director was Laura Meseguer. I'm very excited to have discovered her work.

“Rolling Paper Graphics is typographic dream. For decades typographers and designers have been waiting for a publication just like this one - they just didn't know it until now. Interestingly, many of the examples featured demonstrate a highly sophisticated command of visual graphics, particularly those that date back to the 19th Century. Rolling paper was clearly a highly prized consumer product and an enormous amount of care was taken to create a look and feel that would appeal.
The color, texture and size were all vital to an individual brand's success. This unique collection presents 540 different kinds of rolling paper plus seventy posters. Brands featured include Amber (1876), Cine (1900), Malvarrosa (1903), Bambu (1907), and Remeditos (1908). Another interesting aspect of this title is that it provides the opportunity for the viewer to observe the influence of historical moments on advertising and design.” – Ginko Press