Collins White Circle Artists Part XXV - Franklin Carmichael (3)

In part II I introduced the idea that Group of Seven member Franklin Carmichael designed White Circle paperbacks in 1943. When Wm. Collins Sons & Co, Canada started the White Circle imprint in 1942 they modeled the covers on the parent company's White Circle line in the UK. Starting with the 1943 issues illustrated covers replaced these uninspired efforts. The 32 books published in the first half of 1943 (51-72 and 101-110) have a level of design that, it seems to me, could only have come from a very talented hand. Carmichael did design at least three hard covers for Collins in the mid 1940s. He was also responsible for the hiring of the artist who started handling the covers in the last half of 1943 - Margaret Paull.

From the McMichael Canadian Art Collection web site:

Carmichael joined the Sampson-Matthews firm in 1922, probably as head designer under the art directorship of J.E. Sampson. Among his projects at Sampson-Matthews, Carmichael worked on the illustration and design of a number of promotional brochures as well as advertisements for newspapers and magazines. In step with the fashions of the times, his work increasingly reflected the flat, simplified design popular in the 1920s. In the 1920s Carmichael also created illustrations for stories, mostly in magazines. The distinctive commercial art of Franklin Carmichael is among the finest examples of design work by the Group of Seven.

Here are four more examples.

White Circle 53 - 1943

White Circle 55 - 1943

White Circle 56 - 1943

White Circle 58 - 1943