BURGER–BAIRD ENGRAVING CO. ADVERTISEMENT

This full-page advertisement appears in the 1935 Bomb yearbook and promotes the services of the Burger–Baird Engraving Company. The ad features a dramatic black-and-white illustration of a craftsman at work, accompanied by modernist typography and a clean, vertically structured layout. Positioned among the student-generated pages of the yearbook, it represents the intersection of commercial print culture and campus publications during the 1930s.

This 1935 advertisement for the Burger–Baird Engraving Company, published in The Bomb yearbook, offers a compelling view into the formal and technological aesthetics of early twentieth-century commercial design. Through a formal analysis approach, this essay explores how the ad’s composition, typography, and visual hierarchy reflect both the stylistic influences of the 1930s and the printing technologies available at the time.

The central illustration, rendered in sharp black-and-white contrast, immediately communicates precision and craftsmanship. The dramatic spotlighting on the craftsman’s hands reinforces the company’s promise of expert engraving, while the deep shadows create a sense of modern efficiency. This attention to chiaroscuro echoes the stylistic tendencies of Art Deco, a movement that valued geometric order, bold contrast, and streamlined forms. The image positions engraving as both a skilled tradition and a modern, technologically advanced practice, aligning the company with contemporary ideas of progress.

Typographically, the advertisement uses condensed sans-serif lettering paired with more traditional serif body text. This combination creates a clear hierarchy: the sans-serif type conveys modernity and efficiency, while the serif text reinforces trust and professionalism. The choice of a narrow, vertically oriented typeface also mirrors the tall, angular proportions characteristic of Art Deco design. Together, these elements communicate reliability while appealing to the visual sensibilities of a 1930s audience.

The composition’s asymmetry is also significant. The illustration occupies the left third of the page, while the right side is dominated by text arranged in carefully measured blocks. This layout guides the eye naturally from the dramatic image to the company’s services, suggesting both artistic flair and organizational clarity. The precise alignment of elements reflects the engraver’s own values, accuracy, discipline, and control.

Finally, the advertisement functions not only as a promotional tool but also as a record of how yearbooks themselves were produced. By featuring an engraving company within The Bomb, the publication acknowledges the technological and commercial networks that supported its creation. Through its formal qualities, the advertisement offers insight into the visual language of 1930s print design and the intricate relationship between craftsmanship and modern advertising.