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Graphic designer responsible for first record covers passes away

Graphic designer responsible for first record covers passes away

Alex Steinweiss, the man who designed the first record album covers, has passed away. He was 94.

When Mr. Steinweiss was employed by Columbia Records in 1939, records were sold in plain covers.

He came up with the idea to produce designs for the covers. Despite concerns over costs, the Columbia company agreed.

However, it soon became clear that record buyers liked the concept with more records being sold.

During the Second World War he worked for the US Navy but returned in a freelance capacity to Columbia in peacetime.

He was then responsible for designing a new form of cover for the long-playing records which were just coming on the market.

Columbia had discovered that the traditional cover damaged the grooves on the vinyl when the records were stacked. 

Mr. Steinweiss’s design solved this problem and was to become the industry packaging standard.

In later years he withdrew from the music industry and concentrated on producing ceramics and paintings.

To view more information on designs by Alex Steinweiss click here.

 

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