What the Hell Is an Addressograph?
How a small vintage item led me down a very deep, very enjoyable rabbit hole.
I love things that feel simultaneously graphic and industrial. As a result, I often find myself drawn to vintage metal objects imprinted with bold designs or patterns. And if the metal object in question happens to be green (my favorite color), so much the better.
So when I recently encountered the metal canister shown above, I pounced. As you can see from the way it fits in my hand, it’s small — just 2¼ inches high by 1⅞ inches wide — but it packs a serious aesthetic punch. Here’s a clearer look:
Oh, man — what a looker! How much do I love it? Let us count the ways:
I love the color scheme.
I love the word “Addressograph.”
I love term “Duro Clear.”
I love the fine print at the bottom that says, “A Certified Product of the Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation — Cleveland, Ohio” (which also appears on the edge of the lid).
I love — like, really love — all the typography, which somehow meshes into a very pleasing whole despite all the different fonts.
I love the design on the top of the cap (although I think I’d love it even more if the word “clear” had printed in white, instead of yellow):
If I rotate the canister, you’ll see why I also love the back design and, especially, the sides: