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Design For Today Small press publisher, collector and fan of mid-century lithography, and the poetry of Hank Williams

a small independent publisher of well printed books and ephemera drawing inspiration from the lithographed books of the midcentury.

Merry Xmas everyone!Barbara JonesWishing peace & happiness to one and all, and a big thank you to everyone who has found...
25/12/2025

Merry Xmas everyone!
Barbara Jones

Wishing peace & happiness to one and all, and a big thank you to everyone who has found these little posts during the year.

Ariel PoemsFaber & FaberA few of the Ariel Poems from the 1930s & 50s.Designed to be given as Xmas cards or little prese...
24/12/2025

Ariel Poems
Faber & Faber

A few of the Ariel Poems from the 1930s & 50s.
Designed to be given as Xmas cards or little presents. A simple concept, pair a poem with an illustration, published in an attractive folder, with an envelope to post to a friend or relative.
The illustrators were a roll call of the very best, Paul & John Nash, McKnight Kauffer, Ravilious, Bawden, and many more, with the poems from Faber’s stable of poets.
The illustrations were lithographed at Curwen, a wonderful little library of printed ephemeral gems.

S R BadminRoyle Greetings CardsHere are just two of the many cards illustrated by Badmin for Royle Publications. Carring...
24/12/2025

S R Badmin
Royle Greetings Cards

Here are just two of the many cards illustrated by Badmin for Royle Publications. Carrington was art director and co-founder of Royle Publications, launched in 1946. Royle’s started with small print runs, a couple of thousand of each card, and many of the artists were those who had illustrated for the Puffin Picture Books or Transatlantic Arts. By the late 1950s Royle were able to boast that there wasn’t a mantelpiece at Xmas that didn’t have one of their cards on show. Badmin, who had illustrated three Puffin Picture Books, was a favourite and his cards were amongst their bestsellers.

A collection of the early lithographed Royle cards are on display at the new Noel Carrington exhibition at

Daniel BooneLes Adventures d’un Chasseur Americain Parmi les Peaux-RougesFeodor RojankovskyA ground-breaking French chil...
23/12/2025

Daniel Boone
Les Adventures d’un Chasseur Americain Parmi les Peaux-Rouges
Feodor Rojankovsky

A ground-breaking French children’s book, lithographed on stone by Rojankovsky at Mourlot Freres in 1931 (the same atelier used by artists such as Picasso). It was published by the Domino Press, run by two American women, Esther Averill & Lili Stanley, who ran an advertising studio in Paris. Rojan’s use of vibrant colour was in complete contrast to the somber and duller books of the time. Faber took a few copies for sale here, but it was an expensive production at the time and sales were slow. It took the soft cover and less expensive Albums du Pere Castor to break into a wider audience.

albumsduperecastor historyofthebook frenchchildrensbook faberandfaber

Festive wishesFrom Orlando & GraceKathleen Hale’s magical creations were first bought to us by Noel Carrington, whose ge...
22/12/2025

Festive wishes
From Orlando & Grace

Kathleen Hale’s magical creations were first bought to us by Noel Carrington, whose genius in talent-spotting saw the potential in Hale’s first dummy book, rejected by every publisher, until he commissioned Hale for Country Life.
They remained life-long friends, and Carrington commissioned Hale for this card for Royle Publications c1947.
You can see more of Noel Carrington & Kathleen Hale at the new exhibition at open over Xmas and running until June.

Xmas GreetingsBetty SwanwickA delightfully quirky Xmas card, illustrated and printed for friends by Betty Swanwick.She w...
21/12/2025

Xmas Greetings
Betty Swanwick

A delightfully quirky Xmas card, illustrated and printed for friends by Betty Swanwick.
She was an inspirational teacher, painter and illustrator, and her Xmas cards are so wonderful, full of humour and fun.

Around the HearthBarnett FreedmanA few snips from the 1950 Xmas card Barnett lithographed on stone for Faber and here’s ...
20/12/2025

Around the Hearth
Barnett Freedman

A few snips from the 1950 Xmas card Barnett lithographed on stone for Faber and here’s a joyful gathering around the joanna. Signed by the three, presumably by Claudia on behalf of her family, so often the case perhaps.

singing artistsxmascards

Bonjour BonsoirImages et jeux pour les touts petitesA board and activity game from the wonderful Nathalie Parain, publis...
19/12/2025

Bonjour Bonsoir
Images et jeux pour les touts petites

A board and activity game from the wonderful Nathalie Parain, published in 1934 in the Albums du Pere Castor series. The double sided boards have images from the day of a small child with objects on the reverse that match breakfast, bath time, bed time. The board are perforated so that the book can be dismantled and played with. Now almost impossible to find, but has been reissued by les Amis du Pere Castor.

frenchchildrensbook lithography stonelithography inthenursery emigreeartist

The Yuletide Cottage& A Christmas MangerJohn HarwoodTwo of the Puffin Picture Books designed to be pressed out and assem...
18/12/2025

The Yuletide Cottage
& A Christmas Manger
John Harwood

Two of the Puffin Picture Books designed to be pressed out and assembled. One, The Christmas Manger, was published every year for a dozen or so years. The other, A Yuletide Cottage, was only published twice.
The probable reason that the Yuletide Cottage advocated a lit candle placed inside to illuminate the cottage, probably not the best idea. Both books attracted purchase tax, classified as toys, not books, despite a little book stapled inside the covers, and consequently booksellers were reluctant to stock these titles. Now, the first editions of these two are all but impossible to find.

The good news is that both books can be seen at the new Noel Carrington exhibition at which is open over Xmas and all the Puffin Picture Books are on display for the first time, along with other gems from Noel Carrington’s publishing career.



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Book TokensBarnett FreedmanInstead of giving a book for Xmas, why not give a book token! I used to love getting a book t...
17/12/2025

Book Tokens
Barnett Freedman

Instead of giving a book for Xmas, why not give a book token!
I used to love getting a book token, deferred enjoyment, but the anticipation of going along to a good bookshop and choosing a book I’d heard about, or always wanted was the best present.

I don’t know if book tokens still exist, rather than gift tokens, but these two designed by Barnett Freedman in the 1930s bring back the thrill of choosing a book to buy.
And if you do buy a book this Xmas try and support your local independent bookshop, buy books from bookshops not billionaires!

Xmas CardsDorothy ChapmanRoyle PublicationsThese Xmas cards c1946 from Dorothy Chapman are amongst my favourites. Doroth...
16/12/2025

Xmas Cards
Dorothy Chapman
Royle Publications

These Xmas cards c1946 from Dorothy Chapman are amongst my favourites. Dorothy Chapman illustrated the first two Baby Puffins, and was a favourite of Noel Carrington who commissioned her for his Transatlantic Arts imprint, and also these cards for Royle Publications. Her first husband was George Chapman, best known for his paintings of the Rhondda.

There’s collection of these magnificent Royle Greetings cards on display at for the new Noel Carrington exhibition which runs until June next year.

Xmas Card timeXmas Dinner!Barbara Jones.From her Xmas card of 1952 privately printed for friends. Just so much fun, even...
15/12/2025

Xmas Card time
Xmas Dinner!
Barbara Jones.

From her Xmas card of 1952 privately printed for friends. Just so much fun, even for cat lovers.

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Our Story

Design For Today is a small independent publisher of crafted books and ephemera drawing inspiration from midcentury lithographed books, Russian Children’s Books and the publishing of Noel Carrington.

We take pride in collaborating with new illustrators to create objects of printed pleasure that can be touched, played with, and just fun to brighten up a mantlepiece or home.