NKF: Piet Zwart’s Avant-Garde Catalog for Standard Cables

This publication pairs two essential volumes: a facsimile edition of Piet Zwart's revolutionary 1927 NKF catalog and a comprehensive critical companion. The original catalog showcases Zwart's radical approach. Rather than merely documenting electrical cables, Zwart transformed industrial components into dynamic visual elements, combining razor-sharp technical photography with bold typographic experiments and striking use of primary colors. The result was unprecedented: a commercial catalog that functioned simultaneously as a modernist design manifesto.

The companion volume illuminates how Zwart's innovations developed through his decade-long collaboration with NKF. Essays analyze his synthesis of Constructivist principles with practical commercial demands, while previously unpublished materials reveal his working process. Includes an English translation of Zwart's original manifesto. An essential volume for designers - and an ideal gift for those serious about design history and visual communication.

Hardcover slipcase housing two paperback volumes:
- Complete facsimile of the original 80-page catalog
- Critical companion with scholarly analysis and archival materials
8.25 x 11.5"
160 pages

Piet Zwart (1885-1977): Trained as an architect, Zwart brought spatial understanding and systematic thinking to graphic design. His integration of photography, typography, and modernist principles demonstrated how avant-garde approaches could serve commercial needs while advancing visual communication. Named "Designer of the Century" by the Association of Dutch Designers in 2000.