A CHRONOLOGY
Thisbrief biography of the man called Dean of American Designers byThe Saturday Evening Postand Dean of American Art Editors byPublishers’ Weekly, is amplified from its earlier compilation and printing as a Typophile keepsake in 1948. It was first distributed at a birthday luncheon held in New York, for Mr. Bradley’s eightieth.
1868Born in Boston, July 10, son of a cartoonist on a Lynn daily newspaper.1874First finger in the “pi”—on being presented a box of characters brought home by his father for a small printing press Will bought with his own savings as a delivery boy.1877Moves to Ishpeming, a mining town in northern Michigan.1880A job (with a salary of $3 a week) as a printer’s devil, with theIron Agitator(laterIron Ore).1885Foreman withIron Oreat a man’s wages, $15 a week.1886To Chicago—and an art department apprenticeship with Rand McNally—sweeping, dusting, running errands, grinding tempera ... at $3 a week.1887With Knight & Leonard, Chicago’sleading fine printers, as a full-fledged designer at a salary of $21, and then $24 a week.1889Free-lancing in Chicago; studio in the Caxton Building.1890To Geneva, Ill., and first recognition through covers forHarper’s Weekly; posters for Stone & Kimball’sChap Book; cover designs for theInland Printer(perhaps the first magazine covers ever to be changed monthly).1890The creation of a widely copied type face named “Bradley” by ATF.1893An exhibition at the Chicago World’s Fair.1895To Springfield, Mass., the launching of his Wayside Press, “At the Sign of the Dandelion,” and plans for publication ofBradley: His Book... his love for Caslon and the beginning of a new Caslon era as a result.1895The initial Bradley-designed paper sample book for Strathmore.1896Exhibits at Boston Arts and Crafts; Colonial typography attracts national attention.1897Caslon types on Strathmore DeckleEdge Papers prove successful; Bradley’s plant is expanded and moved to a loft in the Strathmore mill at Mittineague.1898Merges business with University Press, Boston. Opens design and art service in New York; specialty, bicycle catalogs.1900Mr. Bok, editor ofLadies’ Home Journal, commissions a series of eight full pages of house interiors for theJournal. A roman and italic face, used later forPeter Poodle, Toy Maker to the King, is designed for American Type Founders. While recovering from illness,Castle Perilousis written, later serialized inCollier’swith Bradley illustrations.1902Collier’s Weeklyappears with Bradley cover (July 4).1903Heads campaign of type display and publicity for American Type Founders.1904Writing and designingChap Booksfor American Type Founders; setting typographic style for decades.1906Writes and illustratesPeter Poodle, Toymaker to the Kingfor Dodd Mead.1907Art Editor ofCollier’s. Introduces newtechnique in coordinating make-up, art direction and typography. Holiday number becomes collectors’ item.1910-15Simultaneous art editorship ofGood Housekeeping,Metropolitan,Success,Pearson’s,National Post. Revises typographic make-up ofChristian Science Monitor... beginning of a series of stories later published asWonderbox Stories.1915-17Art supervision of motion picture serials for William Randolph Hearst, includingPatria, starring Irene Castle.1918-20Writing and directing motion pictures independently. Production ofMoongold, a Pierrot pantomime shot against black velvet, using properties but no sets, shown at the Criterion Theater in Times Square, New York.1920Back to Mr. Hearst as art and typography supervisor for Hearst magazines, newspapers, motion pictures, and the introduction, inCosmopolitan, of many typographic innovations.1923WritesSpoils, a play in free verse forHearst’s International.1926RestylesDelineatorand Sunday magazinesection of New YorkHerald Tribune(notThis Week).1927Harper & Bros. publishLauncelot and the Ladies.1930Final, but far from inactive, retirement.1931Serves on AIGA “Fifty Books of the Year” jury; delivers address at exhibition opening, New York Public Library.1950Rounce and Coffin Club of Los Angeles award, October 28, for “Distinguished Contributions to Fine Printing,” at preview of Huntington Library exhibition, “Will Bradley: His Work.”1953New type ornaments (used at chapter-openings in the present book) designed for American Type Founders.1954Completion of a new paper specimen in Strathmore’s Distinguished Designers Series, almost sixty years after his first sample book for Strathmore. Introduced at University Club luncheon in New York, March 25.1954Award of gold medal by the American Institute of Graphic Arts at Annual meeting, May 19.
“I have never known any guide other than what to me happened to look right.”—w. b.