Customer Reviews

The Art of Clairtone: The Making of a Design Icon, 1958-1971

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is approximately 10" x 9" in size with an attractive dust jacket and 177 pages, co-written by the daughter of one of the two founders of the Company. It is filled with photographs (some full page) and lucid commentary. Also included are copies of hand-written initial design and specification sheets along with internal memos and advertising layouts.

Most of the book is dedicated to the "Project G" which is one of, if not the most, innovative console stereos of the period and certainly the most famous of the Company's products. I lusted after this magnificent collection of components and cabinetry when I was young, but the $1,600 price tag was well beyond my means. The overall system engineering was first-rate and the sound was amazing for it's time. Another reason to purchase the product was use of well-known components such as DUAL, ELAC-MIRACORD and GARRARD record changers.

The only small complaint I have is not including pictures of the entire product line. Even if you have never heard of this Company or it's products, you will be entertained by reading about a business that had a great impact within it's product niche but was ultimately driven into the ground by it's founders too-grandiose dreams: what a loss!

I highly recommend purchasing "The Art of Clairtone: The Making of a Design Icon, 1958-1971". The authors, Nina Munk and Rachel Gotlieb, have revealed a fascinating behind-the-scenes tale of the rise and fall of Clairtone.

I was initially drawn to the book due to my own fascination with electronic equipment, modern industrial design, and Canadiana (since I am Canadian). I have found this book to be very well written so that the reader is captivated from page to page and also beautifully illustrated which makes the book an excellent visual reference for those who either collect vintage Clairtone electronics or have an interest in industrial design in general.

This book is chock full of lavish colour illustrations and photographs depicting initial designs, close-up details of Clairtone products, and the marketing campaigns of the era. I simply could not put down "The Art of Clairtone" once I started reading it and I congratulate the authors for producing this delightful gem of a book.

During the 1960s, the Clairtone Sound Corporation had a meteoric success in design and was known for its ability to reflect the spirit of those turbulent, sophisticated, cosmopolitan, experimental times. Founded in 1958 by two young Canadians, Peter Munk and David Gilmour, Clairtone was especially acclaimed for its iconic designs and masterful designs for everything from stereo cabinetry to television panels. Their advertising successes made Clairtone designs an integral part of the popular culture. Their rise to prominence was as dramatic as their sudden collapse and is provided with an insightful commentary by co-authors Nina Munk and Rachel Gotlieb. Enhanced with 250 illustrations (including previously unpublished drawings, rare film stills, confidential memorandums and original photography), this informed and informative corporate history is enhanced further with interviews with its founders, designers, engineers and salesman and is a fitting memorial to one of the most iconoclastic companies that Canada has ever produced. A fascinating read, "The Art Of Clairtone: The Making Of A Design Icon, 1958-1971" is highly recommended reading as a model corporate history.