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Milton’s menus, part 3: return to Subseries G
Milton Glaser Collection, Series II Subseries G: Menus. Box 106, Folder 7. Menus for the Crystal Pavilion.
March 23, 2014

Milton’s menus, part 3: return to Subseries G

So last time I sorta got caught up in the history of Milton Glaser’s involvement with the restaurant designs at the World Trade Center and neglected some of the other logos and menus he designed for destinations further afield. Here is a small sampling of some highlights with a more comprehensive overview of this aspect of his work to follow.


A scarlet menu. A big vertical 'step cut' like shape is in the center. It has a black-magenta gradient stripe pattern. In the shape is a smaller horizontal 'step-cut' like shape that is a black to white gradient stripe pattern. Inside this shape is a black background. In the shape "RTR" is printed in scarlet with a line outline in a detailed lettering. The first R in "RTR" is backwards.


 
Milton Glaser Collection, Series II Subseries G: Menus. Box 106, Folder 19. Menu for the Russian Tea Room.

A biege menu. The paper has a rough texture. In in the middle "Upstairs" is printed in script lettering. "Up" an "Stairs" are not connected as a one word. The "Up" in upstairs is a bright blue and the "Stairs" is a dark brown". The scripted "P" in "Up" continues it's cursive line downward in a spiral like line, it looks like a small wide tornado. The last "S" in "Stairs" continues it's cursive line upwards in a spiral like line, it looks like a upside down small wide tornado.


 
Milton Glaser Collection, Series II Subseries G: Menus. Box 106, Folder 25. Menu for the Upstairs.

A brunt orange menu. In the middle is a dark brown silhouette of a black bald man in a pastor like clothing. The silhouette is in circle that has lines going inward towards the silhouette, giving is a holy-like glow. Underneath is "Rudi's Country Kitchen" in a dark dark formal lettering. The text is within a minimalistic boarder.


 
Milton Glaser Collection, Series II Subseries G: Menus. Box 106, Folder 20. Logo for Rudi’s Country Kitchen.

The illustration of a menu. The illustration is flat colored scene of a small step of stairs leading up to marbled throne in the middle of two pillars and two brown vase in front of the stairs. Behind the throne is an open view of a blue sky and branched of a green tree. Laying on the floor in front of the throne is a light blue cloth is drapes down the stairs. Underneath this illustration is "Old King Cole" in a medieval-like black text.


 
Milton Glaser Collection, Series II Subseries G: Menus. Box 106, Folder 23. Logo for St. Regis Sheraton—Old King Cole.

An Illustration for a menu. The illustration is a line-less flare color side-view print of a woman. The woman is smiling and has pink skin, the rest of her torso and long hair is bright green. Her hair is long and flows upward in a small spiral. Within her torso and hair is "Positano" in thin white unique lettering. The lettering has the S and N in "Positano" curve on top of the letters next to it.


 
Milton Glaser Collection, Series II Subseries G: Menus. Box 106, Folder 16. Logo for Positano.

A olive green and blue-grey menu. The menu has a olive green background and has a pattern of horizontal and vertical blue-grey striped squares throughout the menu. In the middle is two squares, on the left is plain olive green and on the right, next to it, is a plain blue-grey square. In the olive green square is "Jean" in all capital white letters in a narrow bolded text. In the blue-grey square is "Georges" in all capital white letters in a narrow bolded text. "Georges", however, is not vertical but rather diagonal in the square.


 
Milton Glaser Collection, Series II Subseries G: Menus. Box 106, Folder 12. Logo for Jean-Georges.

This one begins a period of Glaser’s fascination with low-contrast patterns and the resulting ambiguity or shimmering effect of the graphics suspended within them. A recent show at AIGA in New York showcased much of this work, as can be glimpsed by the catalog shown here.


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