1921 Munsell Color System & Carnegie Color Theory Booklets – Cleland & Sterling

📘 Item Description

1921–1920s Early Munsell Color Theory Set – T. M. Cleland & H. E. Sterling

Offered here is a rare pair of early 20th-century booklets documenting the foundation of the Munsell Color System, the model that revolutionized modern color notation and remains the basis for contemporary systems such as CIE and Pantone.

Included in This Set

1. A Practical Description of The Munsell Color System with Suggestions for Its Use

• Author: T. M. Cleland

• Publisher: Munsell Color Company, 1921

• Binding: Original gray-green card covers with Munsell emblem, staple-bound

• Pages: 20 pp. with diagrams including the Munsell Sphere, Color Tree, and Balance illustrations

• Details: Foreword recounting Albert H. Munsell’s development of the system; full color diagram printed plate intact

• Condition: Very good for age – light edge wear, small corner folds, name “W. R. Barnett” on cover, interior pages clean and tight

2. A Brief Summary of Color Theory According to the Munsell System of Color Notations

• Author: H. E. Sterling

• Publisher: Carnegie Institute of Technology (c.1922–1923)

• Format: Folded booklet, printed by the school’s Department of Printing using Monotype Baskerville type

• Content: Summarizes Munsell’s hue/value/chroma model; includes formulas for color balance and examples of practical application

• Condition: Very good; moderate fold wear and toning; no major tears; all text and diagrams legible

Historical Significance

• These are among the earliest printed instructional materials on the Munsell Color System following Albert H. Munsell’s death in 1918.

• The Cleland booklet was the official 1921 publication of the Munsell Color Company.

• The Sterling booklet represents an educational adaptation printed at Carnegie Institute of Technology, a key partner in color education.

• Together, they document the transition of Munsell’s color model from a scientific invention to a cornerstone of art and design education.

Collector Appeal

• Ideal for collectors of design history, printing and typography ephemera, art education, and color theory.

• Rare to find both publications together, especially complete and clean.

• Suitable for museum, university archive, or professional color science library.

Condition Summary

Both items are complete and in very good condition for age (over 100 years old). Minor edge and fold wear, light toning, no missing pages. Stored flat in archival sleeves in a smoke-free environment.