Faber Birren (1900-1988) was a color scholar and industrial color consultant. In 1934, he established an independent color consulting firm where he advised on topics such as product color, environmental safety, and the influence of color on staff morale. In addition to working with private clients like E.I. du Pont de Nemours Company, Birren established color standards for the United States Navy and Coast Guard. Birren was also a prolific author publishing numerous books, articles, and educational materials on various aspects of color.

Birren donated the core collection of 226 books on historic color theory to the Art + Architecture Library at Yale University in 1971 with an endowment to support its growth. The collection comprises historical volumes and manuscripts, contemporary and popular publications, textile samples, photographs, paint chips, manuscripts, and artist books. Birren worked with library staff on collection development until he died in 1988. Today, the Arts Library continues to add a variety of materials to the collection with an increased effort to incorporate texts and samples from Non-western and underrepresented countries and cultures.

Link to finding aid for Faber Birren papers

Image: Faber Birren standing among the color products he designed; in pamphlet titled "American Color Trends" (MS 1567), Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library. 

Here is a short list of articles about Faber Birren and the Birren Collection of Books on Color: