BibliOdyssey gathers the work of the Sanborn Map Company's anonymous artists, who created amazing cover illustrations for its insurance documentation. These works clearly involved intense labor for many hours; they seem to embody a particular genius, at the place where technical drawing and typography become one, rarely encountered in the computer age. We just don't make dull official things this delightful anymore.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map Typography [BibliOdyssey via Jim Coudal]