Kunstgewerbeschule Hamburg

Happy to add this image of the bookbinding workshop of the Staatl. Kunstgewerbeschule in Hamburg Lerchenfeld to my collection. The workshop is significant for the first teachers there, Franz Weiße (1907-1942) and Ignatz Wiemeler (1945-1952). Both were among the absolute top of German binders and teachers of binding, and Weiße was Wiemeler's teacher. The building the studio is in was built 1911-1913, and this postcard appears to have been taken shortly after, so during Weiße's time.

Workshop of the Staatl. Kunstgewerbeschule Hamburg

Postcard verso

In addition to teaching at the school, Weiße was the author of numerous articles on bookbinding and marbling, including the monograph Die Kunst des Marmorierens (Translated into English Richard J. Wolfe as The Art of Marbling, and published by Bird & Bull Press, 1980)

Franz Weiße with student Martin Lehmann,
from Der Buchbinderlehrling, Vol. 11, Nr.11, 1938.

Wiemeler, was perhaps THE most noted German binder of the 20th century, certainly from the US perspective. He was, among others, teacher of Kurt Londenberg (teacher of Frank Mowery), Fritz Eberhardt (teacher of Don Rash), and Arno Werner (teacher of many in Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley including Carol Blinn, Sarah Creighton, and elsewhere such as Gerhard Gerlach).

Ignatz Wiemeler (at left)with Kurt Londenberg in Leipzig, Germany, 1937.
From: Leben und Werk des Buchkünstlers Kurt Londenberg (1914-1995),
Helma Schaefer, ed., Verlag Ludwig, 2009.

Bone Folder Printing DONE

The printing is done, and even the printer can't believe it!

About 2.5 weeks ago I signed LOTS of colophons and mailed them back to the Boss Dog Press while they finished the title pages and frontispieces...

Then today, a box arrived with my copies in sheets to bind for the Guild of Book Workers' Formation exhibition. Great timing as I am off of work until January 3rd, so hoping to get through all the forwarding.

Final pre-sewing trim...


Don Rash and his Boss Dog Press did a really beautiful job printing this. Orders for sheets will go out shortly, and then binding starts next month!

The wait has been more than worth it. More details about the edition and ordering information here.

Thank you Don!