Showing posts with label War production. Show all posts
Showing posts with label War production. Show all posts

Sunday, June 7, 2020

Fish Skin - Tanned Fish Skin - Fish Parchment

The images below are a selection of those in Franz Weisse's 1938 article "Fischhaut - Fischleder - Fischpergament" published in Das deutsche Buchbinderhandwerk, Vol 2, Nr 9, 1938. Das deutsche Buchbinderhandwerk was created by a consolidation of all the bookbinding trade publications under the National Socialists to make it easier to control the message... As such nationalistic tones and appeals were integral, and the trades were of national importance.

The article recaps many of the themes around using fish in binding from austerity measures, to self-reliance (no foreign sources), but also to the unique and beautiful variations of the raw material. It references the long history of using fish in Ainu and Siberian (polar) cultures, before discussing the material properties of fish skin, common misconceptions (Oh, the stench...!), and processes for preserving the skin from tanning to making parchment. Martini's article from 1919 is cited, but not by name, neither is there (as expected) a mention of Ernst Collins' articles just 4 years earlier in the bookbinding trade journals. Much of the article describes the most common/suitable for binding species; salmon, pollack, wolf fish, cod, lingcod, flounder, shark, and eel among others. Woven in are also tips for working and descriptions of the aesthetic properties, and suitable uses.

Weisse also speaks to books bound in fish that were shown in exhibits, clearly rejecting many decorative and metaphoric applications that to him are easy outs and too simplistic – not worthy of the infinite variations and natural characteristics of the skins. As an example, don't use flounder on a binding about the Alps... "We can (must) do better!" He further states that to make use of the material as second nature as that of Morocco or calf vellum it must be more than just a temporal fashion statement... It is our "duty" as German workers in the skilled trades, in this case bookbinding. Apropos exhibits, the Archiv fuer Buchgewerbe recapped a 1918 exhibition of Franz Martini's bindings made from Klippfish (stock fisch, salted cod) parchment at the Deutschen Kulturmuseum für Buch und Schrift in Leipzig. Also mentioned were the tests undertaken on Martini's fish parchment.

Note the size of the fish in these images, most caught closer to their markets as factory-scale fishing was not as common then. Compare with the fishes we see now. A clear sign of over-fishing.

Skinning the fish. Note, the fillet is placed skin down and skinned
that way, kind of like paring leather.

The remaining bits of flesh and scales are removed in a process similar 
to de-hairing mammalian skins prior to making parchment or tanning.


The skins are stretched unto boards with nails.

After tanning, the skins are stretched out on boards to dry.


The finished fish leathers in the hands of the Meister who is examining it 
for aesthetics and usefulness. "What binding is this most appropriate for...?"


Book Arts arts du livre Canada (Vol 10., Nr. 2, 2019)

"Fish Tales, experiments with fish skin for bookbinding
The New Bookbinder: Journal of Designer Bookbinders (2020)


Sunday, June 3, 2018

Textiles from Paper

Ernst Collin wrote a number of articles related to binderies and war production during the First World War. Among them "Papier als Spinnstoff" (1918) in which he described making textiles from paper for use in clothing, tarps, packs, and elsewhere as a substitute for the harder to come by cotton, wool, linen. In the case of Germany, the cellulose was derived from plentiful softwoods. In the article he also acknowledged that paper had a long tradition as the basis for textiles in Asia. Shifu anyone? Have to love Open Access!

Interestingly, Smithsonian Magazine recently published an article on the uses of paper as the basis for textiles, "A World-War-I-weary world needed a new wardrobe, and cheap, washable paper clothing seemed to rise to the occasion."
In January 1917, the New York Sun noted that the Germans had devised paper-based threads for making “sacks and bags, girdles, doilies, aprons, working garments,” as well as dresses and other clothing. “The inventors have discovered a way to give the ‘paper cloth’ great resistance to dampness,” the reported added, answering one obvious question on readers’ minds. Other articles noted that the Germans made parts of military uniforms out of paper, including those worn by their pilots and submarine crews.
From "When Paper Clothing Was the Perfect Fit:
A war-weary world needed a new wardrobe,
and this cheap, washable attire seemed to rise to the occasion"

Apparently an attempt was also made to introduce textiles from paper in the US and elsewhere after the war:
But it was the possibilities of paper clothing that captured attention in the U.S., especially after the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce imported a batch of Austrian paper suits, displayed them at its offices in Washington, D.C., and then sent them on tour to cities around the country. When the Washington exhibit opened in September 1920, the Associated Press noted that “one suit is quoted at fifteen cents, and is washable.” The exhibit also featured paper table covers, laundry bags, wall decorations and twine, among other items.
With the end of rationing and increasing "prosperity," the use of paper for textiles came to a quick end, despite attempts in the 60s. Why wear ersatz when the real thing is available again...

Found some references to paper fashion in the 60s from Pathe as well, in this case for women.


Fast forward to 2018, and we have "paper on skin", the "Burnie Wearable Art Competition" in Tasmania, Australia. "The garments must be wearable and made from at least 80 per cent paper. The competition is a nod to Burnie’s connection to papermaking, past and present." Until 2010, Burnie was home to a paper mill that closed after failing to find a buyer...

Und hier zum Thema im Spiegel unter Einestages: Sixties-Modetrend Papierkleidung Traumkleider zum Wegschmeißen.  



Collin references:

Saturday, June 3, 2017

W. Collin War Production - Kriegsproduktion

In the post War Production - W. Collins "Affe" back in April of 2015, I shared my find of a military pack made by W. Collin. Ernst Collin had written several article on the impact of the First World War on binderies, so it was nice to now have a direct connection to that war effort in the form of that pack. I was also able to show an image of a military belt made by W. Collin in my history/bibliography, The Collins.

It had been a long time since I last searched through the daily newspaper collections in the European Library and ZEFYS, so during a day off from work I decided to spend it looking at a screen... Why should it be different from any other day... It seems that since I last looked in mid-2015, that a lot more content had become available online, most notably for me in the Berliner Volkszeitung. My primary interest was searching for more article by Ernst Collin who had been on the the editorial board of that publication and served as an art critic... Glad I looked, 69 articles on art exhibits, artists, and related topics. I also, of course, searched for W. Collin and found a number of job ads, including some from 1914 related to war production...

In dem Aufsatz War Production - W. Collins "Affe", geschrieben im April 2015, teilte ich den Fund von meinem Tornister (auch Affe gennant) der von W. Collin hergestellt wurde. Ernst Collin hat mehrere Aufsätze über die Auswirkungen des Ersten Weltkriegs auf die Buchbinderei geschrieben, und so war es gut diese direkte Verbindung zu haben. I konnte auch einen Militärgürtel der von W. Collin hergestellt wurde in meiner Geschichte/Bibliographie Die Collins abbilden.

Es ist schon länger her gewesen, daß ich in European Library und ZEFYS die digitalisierten Tageszeitungen durchsucht habe, und so kam es, daß ich an einem Tag den ich mir frei nahm (wie in der Arbeit) vor dem Bildschirm hockte. Warum soll ein Urlaubstag anders sein... Ich war zuletzt mitte-2015 dort, und in der Zwischenzeit wurde einiges mehr an Inhalten freigeschaltet, von besonderer Interesse für mich, die Bestände der Berliner Volkszeitung. Hauptsächlich wollte ich nach Aufsätzen von Ernst Collin der Kunstkritiker war und auch in der Redaktion dort saß. Die mühe hat sich sehr gelohnt, und ich konnte 69 Aufsätze über Kunst, Künstler, und verwandte Themen finden. Natürlich habe ich auch nach W. Collin gesucht, und habe dieses Mal einige Inserate gefunden, auch welche von 1914 die mit Kriegsproduktion verbunden sind.


W. Collin pack/Tornister from/von
War Production - W. Collins "Affe"

From the/Aus der Berliner Volkszeitung, 30 December, 1914.


W. Collin is looking for female "quilters" who can work with electric saddlery machines
to make Tornister from canvas... and related items.
Stepperinnen für Sattler-Maschinen zu Einfassen v, Segeltuch-Tornistern, Näherinnen, Elektr. Betrieb...


W. Collin is looking to buy underbelly (stomach) leather and scraps from the making of cartridge belts.
Bäuche, Abfall von Patronen-Taschen-Leder kauft W. Collin...

In this series of classified ads, it was interesting to see the name of Rudolf Mosse appear several times. Mosse was a publisher (incl. the Berliner Volkszeitung), advertiser, and philanthropist. From these ads I would guess that his publishing plants were also pulled into the war effort. Like the Collins he was also Jewish.

Interessant zu sehen unter diesen Inseraten war auch der Name von Rudolf Mosse. Mosse war Verleger (auch von der Berliner Volkszeitung), in der Werbebranche sehr Aktiv, und Mäzen. Den Inseraten nach kann man entnehmen, daß auch seine Produktionsstätte in der Kriegsproduktion tätig waren. Wie die Collins war er auch Jude. 

Sunday, April 19, 2015

War Production - W. Collins "Affe"

Working on my Ernst Collin bibliography that also has a great deal of content on the bindery of W. Collin... While writing, sorting sources, ... also just seeing what I might be able to find elsewhere online – I've had a great last few weeks/months!

Bin dabei an meiner Ernst Collin Bibliographie zu arbeiten die auch sehr viel zu der Buchbinderei W. Collin haben wird. Also schreiben, Quellen sortieren, ..., und zwischendurch sehen was sonst noch zu finden ist. Die letzten Wochen/Monate waren gut zu mir!

On eBay, from Latvia, a military pack identified as W. Collin, Berlin WWII. Well, by 1939 the firm and name of "W Collin" had been "liquidated" by the Nazis, but the firms best days were well behind it due to a variety of factors including the economics of post WWI Germany... Also a number/date on the pack 1[rivet]17 indicating the date of mfg/model. That could only be 1917! In German these are called "Affe" (monkey) for the way they rode on the back and because of the fur. So got the monkey for my back last week, and what a great find. 

Bei eBay aus Lettland, ein Tornister der als W. Collin, Berlin, Weltkrieg II identifiziert wurde. Interessant, aber die Firma W. Collin wurde 1939 von den Nazis "liquidiert," hat aber auch wegen der Wirtschaftskrise und anderen Gründen seine besten Tage hinter sich. Die Nummer gab auch 1[Niete]17 an, was nur 1917 bedeuten konnte, Modell/Entwurfsjahr. (Lasse mich gerne anders belehren) Auf Deutsch hießen die auch Affen. Meiner kam letzte Woche an, und was für ein Fund.

Like many industries, binderies (and binders, if not drafted to fight) were pulled into the (total) war effort. Among the goods they produced were Tornister (military backpacks), bags, cartridge belts and pockets and similar items.[1] Some of these were related to peace-time Galanteriewaren, too, some of which were described in the bookbinding manuals of the day. War production also impacted the availability of materials for binding, topics Ernst Collin wrote about. Among the articles were “Technische Kriegserfahrungen in der Buchbinderei”[2], "Die Buchbinderei im Weltkrieg"[3], and “Papier als Spinnstoff”[4]. All of these addressed the need for substitute materials and other rationalizations, in the case of the latter about producing textile fibers from coniferous ground-wood chemically extracted cellulose. Fish leather was also a measure applied to save war critical materials, something Paul Kersten and Ernst Collin, among others, wrote about. In addition, "Die Buchbinderei im Weltkrieg" examined the economic impact of the war on binderies, mentioning on page 277 the large-scale cancellation of orders, the introduction of "make-work" to keep binders occupied, and the ordering of things like Tornister and cartridge belts from selected binderies." He also dealt with the overall economic situation in Germany, a topic he would address in further articles.

I'd love to get the textile on this tested to see what it is. Anyone here able to do some fiber analysis? Would be to fitting if at least some of it was "paper."

Wie in den meisten Gewerben wurden Buchbindereien (und die Buchbinder wenn nicht an der Front) in die Kriegsproduktion einbezogen. Unter den Produkten die hergestellt wurden waren Tornister, Patronentaschen, Taschen, und ähnliches.[1] Diese waren auch den Galanteriewaren aus Friedenszeiten sehr ähnlich, Waren von denen einige in den gängigen Fachbücher beschrieben wurden. Der Krieg hatte auch folgen für die Verfügbarkeit von Materialien für die Buchbinderei, Themen über die Ernst Collin schrieb in “Technische Kriegserfahrungen in der Buchbinderei”[2], "Die Buchbinderei im Weltkrieg,"[3] und “Papier als Spinnstoff”[4]. In beiden Aufsätzen ging es die Entwicklung von Ersatzstoffen für die herkömmlichen Materialien und andere Rationalisierungen in der Produktion. Im Letzteren ging es um die Herstellung von Textilfasern aus Sulfit- und Natron-verfahren gewonnene Zellulose von Nadelhölzern wegen der längeren Faserlänge. Fischleder war auch eines dieser Sparmaßnahmen, etwas worüber Paul Kersten, Ernst Collin und andere schrieben. Zusätzlich schrieb Collin auf Seite 277 von "Die Buchbinderei im Weltkrieg" von der großflächigen Abbestellung von Aufträgen, die Einführung von Arbeitsbeschaffungsmaßnamen für Buchbinder, and die Bestellung von Artikel wie Tornister und Patronentaschen von einzelnen Betrieben. Auch schrieb er von den gesamt wirtschaftlichen Zuständen in Deutschland, ein Thema das er in weiteren Aufsätzen beschreibt.

Obwohl ich mir keine großen Hoffnungen mache, würde ich liebend gerne eine Faseranalyse machen lassen... Wäre einfach zu zutreffend wenn wenigstens ein Teil davon aus "Papier" wäre.



eBay page... | Bei eBay

The package arrived from Latvia.
Das Paket aus Lettland.

W. Collin Berlin, 1[rivet]17. Compare to similar pack on ebay.
Mit ähnlichen Tornister bei eBay vergleichen.

Cowhide with fur on to back.
Fell zum Rücken.

This one only has fabric facing outwards, but others also had the furry skin.
Due to numbers of manufacturers and economizations in course of war variations are common.
Dieser hat nur Gewebe auf der Vorderseite, aber Andere hatten auch hier Fell.
Wegen der Anzahl von diversen Herstellern gab es einiges an Variationen.

Interior compartments.
Innenansicht.

Wooden frame, with system for attaching (removable) straps.
Holzrahmen mit System für die Befestigung der Schulterriemen.

Detail of attachment system. The horizontal element slides on the post so it can go vertical and slide out via a slot in washer. On the other side a big rivet. At least that's how it seems. Need to look at more, clean, and see what I can do without breaking...
Detailansicht des Systems zur Befestigung der Schulterriemen. Das horizontale Stück kann senkrecht gestellt werden damit es durch die Unterlegscheibe gedrückt werden kann. Auf der anderen Seite eine große Niete.
Muß das ganze näher ansehen, reinigen, aber ohne das Metall zu brechen.

Technical description of pack which this one largely conforms to including dimensions, interior, buckles... Only fur on exterior was different.
Technische Beschreibung des Tornisters. Paßt zu meinem mit Ausnahme des Fells auf der Vorderseite.
Description from/Beschreibung aus Roth, Wilhelm and Rudolf Lex. Handbuch der Militär-Gesundheitspflege, Volume 3, Berlin,1877 (Tornister p127-128)

How the pack was worn. The bottom of the pack has hooks that attach to the belt with the shoulder straps attaching to the belt/harness  at front.
Description from/Beschreibung aus Roth, Wilhelm and Rudolf Lex. Handbuch der Militär-Gesundheitspflege, Volume 3, Berlin,1877 (Tornister p127-128)

How items were packed per regulations...
Wie alles verstaut wird...
From/aus Der Feldgraue Leitfaden für den Dienstunterricht des ... Oldenburg i.Gr.: Stalling, 1917 (114)

Finally, archivally packed in Talas' finest custom T16 2-piece (drop-front) box in E-PLUS Heritage corrugated board.
Zum Schluß, alles archivalisch ausgefüllt und verpackt.





1: Brüntgens Beate. 400 Jahre Buchbinder-Innung Berlin-Brandenburg 1595-1995. Berlin: Buchbinder-Innung, 1995. (76)
2: Collin, Ernst. "Technische Kriegserfahrungen in der Buchbinderei". Archiv für Buchgewerbe, Leipzig: A. Waldow - Verlag des deutschen Buchgewerbevereins, Vol 55, 1918. (136)
3:Collin, Ernst. "Die Buchbinderei im Weltkriege". Archiv für Buchgewerbe, Leipzig: A. Waldow - Verlag des deutschen Buchgewerbevereins, Vol 53, 1918. (275-279)
4: Collin, Ernst. "Papier als Spinnstoff". Archiv für Buchgewerbe, Leipzig: A. Waldow - Verlag des deutschen Buchgewerbevereins, Vol 55, 1918. (17-19)

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Something Fishy - Fish Leather for Binding

In 1919, after the end of World War I, there were severe shortages and civil unrest in Germany. This situation repeated itself after World War II. These shortages led to a high level of experimentation with ersatz (replacement/alternative) materials such as straw for paper and board, spun paper, ..., silk instead of linen for sewing thread, but also colored straw for inlays (Strohintarsien). Ernst Collin and others wrote articles on the subject in such periodicals as the Archiv für Buchgewerbe, the Buchbinderlehrling, and the Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbindereien. This post is about one of those "ersatz" materials, fish leather.

In "Fischhaut zu Bucheinbänden" from the Archiv für Buchgewerbe ( Vol. 56, 1919) the bookbinder Franz Martini of Charlottenburg (Berlin) recounted a war experience in which he saw cod skins that had been pulled off the fish in a field kitchen in Belgium and discarded. Drawing on his experiences at the bindery of Lüderitz and Bauer, he examined the skins to ensure there were no cuts/tears, then carefully removed the scales and made parchment from them, using them to bind various such as military journals. Based on these experiments he deemed the fish parchment superior to calf or sheep for durability and working properties such as the ability to mold over raised cords without wrinkling.

Martini had the leather tested at the national testing center on the recommendation of Paul Kersten (Director of the School for Artistic Bookbinding in Berlin), and the Director of Royal Library of Berlin. The results of this testing were impressive, especially in terms of fold and tear strength where the fish parchment easily reached 50,000 double folds without damage.

Material: Fish skin (untanned), sheep parchment, calf parchment
Mittlere Reißlänge in mm = average breaking length in mm
Mittlere Dehnung in % = average stretching in %
Resistance to folding.


After these tests Martini also developed a way to tan these fish skins to leather, also taking out a "utility model" (Nr. 674 741), a more limited form of patent, on this invention. Below some images of bindings he  created with these tanned skins from the Archiv für Buchgewerbe. Obviously, fish skins are most suited to half/quarter bindings due to their shape... Images from Archiv für Buchgewerbe ( Vol. 56, 1919).


Half-leather extra binding with leather onlay and original pastepaper

Half-leather extra binding with leather onlay and original pastepaper


In the 1934 Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbindereien (Vol 49, Nr 19), Ernst Collin wrote an article titled "Bucheinbände aus Fischhaut" ("Bookbindings in Fish Leather") that described the process in more detail, illustrated with photographs by Ernst. Shown is the same Franz Martini as mentioned above demonstrating how to remove the skin from the fish and prepare it. Martini has been able to demonstrate the effectiveness of tanning fish on a variety of species including cod, halibut, shark, eel, and others. Ernst points out that one of the reasons fish leather is not common is that most consumers prefer to cook the fish with the skin on - he suggests wrapping in gauze for the same effect, the cooking method is not mentioned.

From "Bucheinbände aus Fischhaut"
Click to enlarge.

The article recaps an earlier article by Paul Kersten from the  1917 (Nr 7) Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbindereien which was similar to the 1919 article mentioned above. Ernst's article also states that Martini's attempt to patent the process failed as it was not unique enough and had been described in earlier publications.

Ernst concludes by praising this material and encouraging the German fisheries to take advantage of the need for durable yet affordable native materials to help contribute to sustainability and German economic independence.

The 1938 volume of the Buchbinderlehrling, a periodical for apprentices, describes the manufacture of fish leather in the context of the 4-year plan to make Germany independent of imports, and increased rationing in advance of the looming war...

The fish were carefully skinned and then tanned in rotating drums using a vegetable tannage -  sumac, dividivi, or willow. Unfortunately the tannins in most domestic plants were not effective enough. To dye the skins, aniline dyes and pigments (for darker colors) were used. Finally, the leather is pressed and glazed. Overall, these processes are identical to tanning other animal skins with an equivalent quality possible. Fish leather retains its flexibility and softness. It is also very resistant to tearing.

The article concludes by reminding the upcoming bookbinders that this is a material that they will need to become comfortable with, just as all other binding materials.

A final article on the subject from the 1946 (Nr 12) issue of the Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbindereien leads with "Fish Leather Developed by Bookbinder." It recaps the articles mentioned above, and concludes by saying fish leather has established itself as a binding (and other leather trades) material, but no one remembers that a bookbinder first developed it.

Images of fish leathers below from my leather "stores." Of these the eel is the thinnest and smoothest by far, and only really useable on millimeter bindings, on small/light books, or for onlays. Almost no paring is required for use.

The other fish leathers, trout, salmon, cod, and carp are available glazed and suede. Paring is possible, but what I've found most effective is pasting out the back for dimensional stability and letting it dry on Mylar. Peel off and sand (a "micro" belt sander is great) with a little edge-paring. These leathers can easily be used as a structural element of the binding, just as any other leather - they're not just for onlays...


Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge


The dogfish/shark and stingray skins are very difficult to pare, the former being very rubbery - kills Scharfix blades, fast.  The stingray is very hard and best used as an in/onlay. Cutting with a knife also very difficult. Probably the reason I haven't used it yet. Abigail Bainbridge wrote a great description of working with shagreen for the West Dean College Current Projects blog.


Click to enlarge

Book Arts arts du livre Canada (Vol 10., Nr. 2, 2019)

"Fish Tales, experiments with fish skin for bookbinding
The New Bookbinder: Journal of Designer Bookbinders (2020)


Below examples of bindings using fish leather that I have made. Click image to enlarge.


On Søren Kierkegaard by Edward F. Mooney

Bound in salmon leather on spine with stained birch veneer covered boards; endpapers of handmade Roma paper; graphite top edge; leather endbands; title stamped in gold on front cover with goat leather onlays. Enclosed is cloth-covered slipcase. Bound 2013.

The Book of Origins – Le Livre des Origines, André Ricard, 2004

Modified Bradel binding (Gebrochener Rücken); textblock sewn on three slips of Cave Paper brown walnut dyed paper; endpapers of Cave Paper brown walnut dyed paper; gilt top edge; sewn silk endbands; Bradel case with 1/4 veined calf vellum spine and undyed goatskin sides; slips laced through at joint; decor of codfish leather onlay and blind tooling.
22.5 x 14.5 x 2.5 cm. Bound 2005. Collection of Karen Hanmer.

Gaylord Schanilec and Clarke Garry, Mayflies of the Driftless Region, Midnight Paper Sales Press, 2005

“Open joint” binding; sewn on 3 brown salmon leather slips; flyleaves and doublures of Cave Paper “layered indigo day” paper; graphite top edge; rolled endbands brown salmon leather; spine covered in gray salmon leather; boards covered in full vellum with printed illustrations from text below; salmon leather slips attached to boards and framed with decorative weathered wood veneer; tied mayfly attached to front board. 26.5 x 19 x 2 cm. Bound 2013.

Ladislav Hanka, Remembering Jan Sobota, 2013

Modified Bradel binding (Gebrochener Rücken); layered Indigo Night Cave Paper endpapers; sewn link stitch on 5 reinforced slips of same paper as ends; endbands of endpaper paper around core; spine covered in brown Kangaroo with cutouts to reveal slips and sewing; boards covered in brown tie-dyed Pergamena deer parchment; onlays of suede Salmon leather with fishing fly mounted into lacuna in parchment; title stamped in gold on front board. 33 x 25.4 x 1 cm.Bound 2013.