Tonio’s logo
Besides his film titles and posters, Saul Bass was a prolific designer of logos, and while his reputation is for timeless marks for prominent companies, he also created marks for smaller, short-lived businesses like this one found in Barbara Baer Capitman’s American Trademark Designs, published by Dover in 1976. The caption in the book:
Tonio’s, a restaurant, a division of Lawry’s. Designed by Saul Bass & Associates, Inc.
Tonio’s was an Italian spot in Los Angeles that apparently didn’t last long. It was located at 395 North Rosemead Boulevard in Pasadena, which is now a barbecue restaurant.
It’s likely this mark was drawn by hand, not working directly with Helvetica, but it is clearly inspired by the typeface’s italic. The apostrophe is a simplified prime-ish stroke rather than a curved typographic glyph.
It’s not clear if this matchbook was also designed by Saul Bass & Associates.
