GAMES, ABRAM

GAMES, ABRAM (1914–1996), British graphic designer. Born in Whitechapel, London, to Moshe Joseph Gamse, a photographer from Dvinsk, Latvia, and Sarah Rosenberg from Semyatitz, Russo-Poland, Games achieved early recognition for his poster designs before being conscripted in 1940. Subsequently he was posted to the War Office and awarded the unique title "Official War Poster Artist," in which position he created some 100 posters until his demobilization in 1946, many of which became recognized classics. Games was responsible for creating many iconic posters and numerous emblems, including those for the Festival of Britain and the Queen's Award to Industry. His stamp designs led to his appointment to the Advisory Committee of the Council of Industrial Design and his giving a course for designers of the Israel Philatelic Services. He did much work for Jewish organizations. In addition, Games was a lecturer at the Royal College of Art and was later made an honorary fellow, and was an active painter, product designer (including the famous Cona coffee maker), and inventor. He was awarded the Queen's OBE in 1957 and appointed Royal Designer for Industry in 1959. His book Over My Shoulder was published by Studio Books in 1960 and he later summarized his work through a traveling exhibition called "60 Years of Design." In 1968 the United Nations Industrial Development Organization appointed Games as consultant on Graphic Design at the Bezalel School of Art in Jerusalem. He was the designer of the original motif and cover for the first edition of the Encyclopaedia Judaica, an exceptional concept combining Hebrew and English calligraphy of text from the Book of Isaiah in the form of a menorah. (Naomi Games (2nd ed.)