Graphic Journey reader, Edward Milward-Oliver, brought these to my attention…
The above two posters are from Manchester based, Piper Gates Design. They purport to be ‘retro graphic specialist.’ But in reality, all they appear to be doing is lifting another designer’s work wholesale and flogging it on eBay. They even have the audacity to sign them 'Piper Gates'. No reference on eBay as to where they ripped off the design from.
Well, in this case it was from the hand of the late and highly talented Raymond Hawkey…
Raymond Hawkey's original 1960's Penguin paperback covers
It was he who produced the original designs on which the posters have been based.
I find this kind of theft grossly insulting to Hawkey’s sterling work and hope that Penguin Book’s legal department descends on Piper Gates Design to stop them. And whatever monies made out of the sale of theses posters should be sent to Raymond Hawkey’s widow.
There is a big difference between being ‘influenced’ or ‘inspired’ by a designer and what Piper Gates have done. It is plain graphic robbery.
For those of you interested to know more about the genuine artical, Raymond Hawkey, you can read my interview with him here.