THE POSTCARD ALBUM

POSTCARD PRINTER & PUBLISHER RESEARCH

Similar looking ‘Winsch back type’ designs

Publishing company ‘Gottschalk, Dreyfuss & Davis’, London, Munich, New York used a similar looking ‘Winsch back’ address side design. Although the differences can be made out quickly. Most GDD cards were printed by ‘Graphia GmbH’ from Munich (story in TPA 25). In the past sometimes believed to be also the source of the “original” Winsch back cards. Although some details are indeed identical and Graphia could supply high quality too, I don’t believe it. – GDD cards show a series number together with “Printed ... or Produced in Germany” imprint and their “Little Girl dropping card into Pillar Box” logo.

Easter Joys came from GDD series 2676. Old style design, chromolitho, card plate-sunk. Finally available at bargain prices, 100 cards for US $1 plus 8 cents postage from “The Springfield News Co.”

The same address side design including floral decorations exactly as on GDD card issues was used by an anonymous US printer, at an later date (?). I have an embossed Christmas card (captions reads Best Christmas Wishes) postally used in 1920, the address side printed in darker grey. “Printed in U.S.A.” and “Series No. 904 / 6” are the only additional imprints.

A tough nut to crack! To identify German printers of US cards is often really difficult. The otherwise helpful comparison of address side details, fonts used, printing quality etc. doesn’t work in many cases. US address side layouts, especially of the greeting card category, simply look different. Unless you find a typical printer code or logo it ends up in speculations. A definite identification requires sample cards with clear mention of printer, alternatively correspondence between publisher and printer.

In this case the absence of the officially laid down “Printed in Germany” on many typical Winsch cards puzzles me. I trust the regulation was still effective in post-1910 times. At the present stage of research I understand John Winsch to be an agent only, probably of a bigger art publishing company from nearby New York. This could be an American business with established contacts to bigger German printers. However, it could also be one of the German printers / publishers with own branch office (and stocks) in New York.

Although there are no reliable figures of the number of ‘original’ Winsch cards once produced at hand, it appears that we are talking about real quantities. This required a bigger printer with skilled staff and quite some printing capacity. I could name some 30-40 German firms immediately. However, I believe it was an art publisher AND printer, who had established contacts to the U.S.A,, not only customers but with (popular then) artists, distribution network etc. and financially sound. This limits the circle of potential “suspects”. Artists’ work used could probably be a way to reveal the printer identity.

3

4

5

Gebr. Obpacher had a branch (of some size) at New York since the late 1880’s. Other branches were at London and Berlin. Probably still a much underrated company.

Albrecht & Meister AG, Berlin

Another “global player” when talking about greetings cards for export. Big company, took over local Priester & Eyck chromo printing company early 1905, moved into huge new factory building in Berlin-Reinickendorf Ost by late 1908, took over Aristophot AG, Taucha near Leipzig in 1909 and run into some financial problems = needed work badly. Had also stock of original art and copyrights. For company history see TPA issue 24.

Berlin-Neuroder Kunstanstalten AG, Berlin-Neurode (Silesia)

‘Neuroder Kunstanstalten (ex Treutler, Conrad & Taube)’ and ‘Berliner Kunstdruck- u. Verlagsanstalt AG’ (ex A. & C. Kaufmann) stood behind the above company name (est. 1900). Both long in business before, export-orientated and especially the former Berlin firm with very good contacts to the U.S.A. Company history in TPA issue 24.

E. Nister, Nuremberg

Well, although I list Ernest Nister company here, I doubt he was the source. Some other research-minded collectors believe to have found some connections with Winsch-back type cards. Nister was (early) big in business with U.S.A. (in most cases in co-operation with Dutton & Co.) as well as in England. Although Nister is best known for picture and youth books. Now I learned that the Nister business was badly hit by a fire on 7 Dec. 1912. They should have had quite some problem to fill any ‘Winsch’ orders in the following months. – E. Nister is an actual research project.