Logo design evolution of famous brands (IBM)

The story begins in 1956 when designer Paul Rand introduced what IBM refers to as the IBM continuity logo (1956-1972) This logo is the solid block letters IBM in City Medium type font. At the time it was considered a modernization from the IBM in transition (1947-1956) logo in the Beton Bold type font. This earlier logo is most easily recognized by the flat bottom M, where the New block letter logo has a pointy M. 
According to the IBM Archives in 1972 the IBM international recognition logo was adopted and remains the official logo still in use. The IBM logo is easily recognized by the distinctive eight stripes that make up the letters IBM. This logo is often refereed to as the Eight Stripe Logo, or the Eightstriper for short. There is little question based on published material that 5 years earlier in 1967 the 360 family of computers were produced and shipped to with a logo made up of 13 stripes. The ThirteenStriper is easily reconized by the fact it has three stripes or lines makeing up the tip of the I where the EightStripe logo has only two.
It was the total lack of acknowledgment of even the very existence of a 13 strip logo on the IBM website, combined with a marked silence in response to my direct questions, that got me digging deeper. The following mutterings resulted from that tail chase .... and has evolved over time..

The first System 360's had no stripes ...

On April 7, 1964, IBM introduced the System/360, the first large "family" of computers to use interchangeable software and peripheral equipment using the IBM continuity Solid Block logo in a light color on a black background. All the press releases and photos of the first systems reveal this logo color combination. These first  360's supported both punch card and magnetic tape storage and the "old" solid block stripeless logo.

Mixing the old with the new - June 1966 ..

The Thirteen stripes logo has been said to have first been introduced to management several times between 1960 and 1962 and was rejected due to contrast and printing concerns. For reasons beyond explanation the Thirteen Stripes was chosen for the masthead of the IBM TSS/360 by the engineering group. As far as I can tell the TSS/360 Mastheads was the first system to sport the Thirteen Stripe logo in black stripes on a light background. This rare mastheads introduced the new logo on the old colors! I rescued it in 1979 from a system that was being scrapped for its gold content. It was said to have been one of the first model 67 based TSS/360 Systems. This system was reported to have come from Commercial Time Share Services one of the first test sites.

1967 the Thirteen Stripes first appeared in public ...

In 1967, when IBM introduced the first Disk drive storage system, the System 360's began to sport the new look. This flashy new IBM logo. Although this logo was reported to have been introduced by Paul Rand in 1960 and again in 1962, it was considered to "far out" by the brass and was not to be seen by the general public until 1967. The new masthead was a solid black bar with silver 13 striped logo and lettering, matched the silver on black look of the new front panels. This distinctive new silver on black look was continued into the System 370 family of computers, when the logo design was refined one last time. The resulting eight stripe design remains in use today.

System 370, First to show the Eightstripes ...

The Big Iron mastheads continued to be used on the 370 family of systems. They were replaced by more conventional labels on the 303X and later systems. I remember the first time I worked on a 3031, I was shocked to see IBM had done away with the classic masthead. It had very little on the outside to identify it beyond a small badge.

The Thirteen Stripes continued to live on 

Determining the first use of the Thirteen Striper turned out to be much easier then trying to figure out the end of the line or last use.
First suggested in 1960 it was officially rejected in about 1962. By 1966 the Thirteenstriper appeared on the masthead of the first Time Share System the TSS/360. It remained on the masthead of the entire 360 family of computers until it was replaced by the Eightstriper with the introduction of the System 370 family and started shipping in the summer of 1970. One would have thought that would have been the end of the line for the ThirteenStriper. It was only a start of a new life. The Thirteen Striper logo continued to be the logo of choice for the for the System 3 a direct descendant of the original TSS/360 system. The System 3 was the first of a line of midrange business systems 34, 38, 36 and the first AS400. It remained in limited use related to the AS400 into the new millennium!

1967 through the dawn of the System 370 - The ThirteenStriper represented the next generation and was used on a variety of items including pins and needles

1969 - System 3 Sports the Thirteenstriper ...

In 1969 IBM released the System 3 sporting the ThirteenStriper on the front. The System 3 is the great Grandfather of the AS/400. The System 34 and System 36 were extension and enhancements on the System 3. The System 38 was the start of a new architecture that has resulted in the AS/400 family of computers we have today.

System 3 Documentation came in all flavors ...

Field engineering "Logics" was still sporting the open block letter logo of the ea

rly 360 throughout the System 360 family. System 3 and some of the early 370 documentation was known to be in ThirteenStriped binders. I was once told that shortly after ordering a large quanity of thirteenstripers the eight striper was adopted. Over time the old stock of binders just got used in places where it did not matter. The ThirteenStriper could be found on an odd mix of documentation until the eightstriper became the exclusive standard.

1971 - IBM Selectric II used a ThirteenStriper Logo ...

In 1971 IBM introduced the Selectric II typewriter using the ThirteenStriper as the Logo of choice in this ad.

1984 - the IBMPCjr proudly displayed the Thirteenstriper ...

The 1984 release of the IBM PCjr proudly displayed the Thirteen Striper on boot up. The computer and its packaging was all done in the 8 line logo but the Monitor / Memory check screen has a Thirteenstriper proudly displayed along with a color bar and memory size.

Use of the ThirteenStriper extends into the new millennium ...

I have found examples of the ThirteenStriper being used in gold on letter head as late as February 2000 !  This was on the AS/400 Application Development tools and Middleware manager welcome letter used to welcome members into the AS/400 developers group.

And then there was the French FifteenStriper ...

In 1965, IBM set up one of its EMEA large systems production facility in Montpellier France. The reasons behind this choice were the presence of an important training network (80,000 students in Languedoc-Roussillon),  the qualifications of the regional labour force, and an evolving communication infrastructure. Currently, IBM employs numerous people and has developed a complete network of specialized local sub-contractors. This is the only, remaining example of a 15 stripe logo.  If anyone ever finds one please let me know !