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I recently happened upon an antique Acme Color Chip Bulletin #29 binder from 1961. Unlike Pantone binders today, these colors were created exclusively for one product; the great American automobile. Featuring fully detailed information regarding the Lacquers, Color Names, Enamels and Car Manufacturer's Color Codes – the Detroit-based Acme Quality Paints, Inc. offered every dealer and shop in the country the tools to match any paint on the market. From makers like DeSoto and Edsel to Buick and Cadillac, from colors like Mojave Yellow and Desert Sage to Beaumont Beige and Argyle Blue Metallic, Acme was at the forefront of all that was America's true explosion of color in design.
