New American Library
A constitution of the Penguin Books, the first Signets appeares in
August 1948; they were priced at 25 cents.
Signet Giants (35 cents) and Signet Doubles (50 cents)
were introduced in 1950, and Signet Triple Volumes (75 cents) were
added in 1953.
Between March and July of 1948, the transition period between Penguin
and Signet, a few titles were released under the imprint Penguin Signet
Books.
The first true Signet Book was numbered 660; later reprintings
of earlier Penguins took on the Signet imprint but retained their original
(lower) numbers.
660. 100 American Poems- edited by Selden Rodman
661. Tragic Ground- Erskine Caldwell
662. Invitation to the Waltz- Rosamond Lehman
663. As Good as Dead- Thomas B. Dewey
664. Portrait of the artist as a Young Man- James Joyce
John Legakes was named art director at NAL in 1949. He made designs
for all covers and did the lettering and, occasionally, the layout himself.
It was under his direction that the characteristically dark and brooding
Signet covers came into being; these covers were James Avati's trademark,
but they were also produced by Stanley Meltzoff, Alan Harmon, Cardiff,
Stanley Zuckerberg and Barye Phillips.
Illustrations were always either square or rectangular; until 1956,
they were bordered at the top and bottom by coloured bands.
The Signet Key Books, which first appeared in 1954, cost either 25,35
or 50 cents; they were numbered from K300 through KD373;
except for number 366 which was not used.
The Signet Classics were introduced in August 1959, and numbering began
with CD1.
Books
