Old film box swoon

I was looking at old film boxes for sale on the auction site, and felt utterly compelled by the design of (post-)WWII-era film packaging. My favorite ones so far are the Ilford HP/FP films, and Kodak Verichrome (the one with the checkerboard desing).

I can't believe that film companies are not trying a little now to capitalize on their old designs. Frankly, they were much more acccomplished aesthetically speaking, and you could get throngs of kids in a 50's retro fashion mood buying into film because it's got that je-ne-sais-quoi of a bygone era.

I must bow down to whoever is holding the ADOX brand now because they seem to be the only one who got it.

Why did commercial design went down the toilet so deep once the 80's kicked in???

I think I'm becoming a young fart!

mhv said:

I was looking at old film boxes for sale on the auction site, and felt utterly compelled by the design of (post-)WWII-era film packaging. My favorite ones so far are the Ilford HP/FP films, and Kodak Verichrome (the one with the checkerboard desing).

I can't believe that film companies are not trying a little now to capitalize on their old designs. Frankly, they were much more acccomplished aesthetically speaking, and you could get throngs of kids in a 50's retro fashion mood buying into film because it's got that je-ne-sais-quoi of a bygone era.

I must bow down to whoever is holding the ADOX brand now because they seem to be the only one who got it.

Why did commercial design went down the toilet so deep once the 80's kicked in???

Click to expand...

I love old packaging. I'd collect it, but I think I'm near the tolerance level of my wife as it is. If you like old designs like that, take a look at some of the ads in vintage magazines and photo annuals. Amazing!

Companies these days are blind to these aspects of their products. Packaging should be as cheap as possible and the consumer should pay 4 times its cost in end pricing structure. I guess it's hard to see down through 47 levels of management (a.k.a. 'Yes! men') to the people that really know about the products or services.

mhv said:

I think I'm becoming a young fart!

Click to expand...

Welcome to the club!

- Randy

Yes the old film packaging is really cool.

But I think a bigger problem is trying to get the film manufacturers to stay in the business of making film. I'd settle for the old-fashioned generic white packages (remember those from a decade or two ago -- at least in the US?) if I could just be assured that film will still be available.

Here's a 1923 Kentmere advert from the BJP annual: very cool

I have an area of my darkroom wall dedicated to old film boxes, mainly 35mm but some others as well. Pride of place is taken by a Kodachrome Type A 18 exposure box (unopened) with an expiry date of 1939.

Steve