GUINNESS. Untopical Songs: Accompanied by Guinness.

London: Produced for Arthur Guinness Son & Co. by S. H. Benson Ltd.; printed by Sanders Phillips & Co. Ltd. on John Dickinson “Evensyde” paper, c.1950s. Illustrated by Ronald Ferns. Quarto. Original pictorial wrappers featuring a singer accompanied at the piano with the caption “Accompanied by Guinness.” Richly illustrated throughout in colour. Very good. Some light edge wear and minor creasing to wrappers; internally clean and bright.

An attractive piece of mid-twentieth-century Guinness advertising ephemera celebrating music, humour, and conviviality. The booklet presents a series of light verses and songs accompanied by striking illustrations of musical instruments—harp, violin, brass instruments and others—each cleverly paired with the iconic pint of Guinness topped with a smiling head of foam.

The work forms part of Guinness’s celebrated advertising programme of the post-war era, when the company commissioned leading illustrators and designers to produce imaginative promotional booklets and posters. The illustrations here are by the noted British graphic artist Ronald Ferns, whose distinctive style appeared in a number of Guinness campaigns during the 1950s.

Guinness promotional publications of this period are widely collected for their bold graphic design and their association with one of Ireland’s most recognisable brands.

[WR Food & Drink]