S.A.T.
SERVICIO ARCHIVOS TÉCNICOS
1972-1973
At the end of summer 2016 we visited the abandoned asphalt mine of Arraia-Maeztu. Among the debris, we found an unusual publication —the Construction and Public Works Catalog published in Spain by the Technical File Services (S.A.T.) between 1958 and 1978. The edition we found (1972-1973) includes the business listings of hundreds of companies that provided services related to the construction industry. Between product dossier and advertising poster, this publication is a compilation of business listings, a precious visual directory full of graphic solutions, typefaces, photographic compositions and printing techniques used during that period.
In order to unify and organize the growing offer of industrial products, Sweet’s Catalog File was published in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. It was a useful tool for architects and engineers in its day, and so is it now for researchers. By consulting this publisher’s catalogs, it is possible to perceive the spirit of the time, as well as to identify trends in design, to draw graphic solutions and to follow technological innovations of the moment. As stated by the Library of Congress of the United States, Sweet’s document is a gold mine of information, a good example of a master catalog.
Ladislav Sutnar was the artistic director of Sweet’s Catalog File during the 1940s and 1950s, and he is probably the one who designed the catalog we found. In view to share our pleasure of glancing through it, we wish to imprint a daily rhythm on this catalog: as we digitize the listings that make it up, we will upload the files onto the web. You can also follow the process on Instagram, where we will publish a listing every day until the whole catalog is complete.
At the end of summer 2016 we visited the abandoned asphalt mine of Arraia-Maeztu. Among the debris, we found an unusual publication —the Construction and Public Works Catalog published in Spain by the Technical File Services (S.A.T.) between 1958 and 1978. The edition we found (1972-1973) includes the business listings of hundreds of companies that provided services related to the construction industry. Between product dossier and advertising poster, this publication is a compilation of business listings, a precious visual directory full of graphic solutions, typefaces, photographic compositions and printing techniques used during that period.
In order to unify and organize the growing offer of industrial products, Sweet’s Catalog File was published in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. It was a useful tool for architects and engineers in its day, and so is it now for researchers. By consulting this publisher’s catalogs, it is possible to perceive the spirit of the time, as well as to identify trends in design, to draw graphic solutions and to follow technological innovations of the moment. As stated by the Library of Congress of the United States, Sweet’s document is a gold mine of information, a good example of a master catalog.
Ladislav Sutnar was the artistic director of Sweet’s Catalog File during the 1940s and 1950s, and he is probably the one who designed the catalog we found. In view to share our pleasure of glancing through it, we wish to imprint a daily rhythm on this catalog: as we digitize the listings that make it up, we will upload the files onto the web. You can also follow the process on Instagram, where we will publish a listing every day until the whole catalog is complete.
