L. Langebartels & Kunstverlag Juno, Berlin
Louis Langebartels, Berlin
The company using the L.L. with (crossed) arrows trade mark was a photographic paper and photo negative plates manufacturer. Similar to several other photo paper factories they couldn‘t resist to install also own real photo bromide printing machines and start with (postcard) publishing. Taking advantage of having their own ready to use photo paper for production. Their real photo printing shop said to had started production late July 1906.
The illustrated advert L(ouis) Langebartels from Berlin-Charlottenburg mentions contract photo card printing and published new card designs monthly (also for export).
The business said to had been established in 1899, led by founder Louis Langebartels from 1901 to his death in 1928. Then directed by his son-in-law Johannes Oskar Baake.
Langebartels business first found at Wilmersdorferstr. 39. Then moved late 1905 into their new modern factory building erected at Kaiser-Friedrichstr. 90, Charlottenburg. Had an own letterpress/lithographic printing shop. I strongly believe they printed/published own L.L. photo postcards (1000‘s of designs) only between mid-1906-1912.
New L.L. Publishing business
Early August 1912 Kunstverlag Juno GmbH was established in Charlottenburg. The company took over the former publishing activities (real photo postcards, art prints etc) of L. Langebartels. Business capital 20,000 Marks. Managing director was Erich Mintel. Juno company moved to Ritterstr. 48 on 1 July 1914.
In first quarter 1915 E. Mintel, a former accountant of L.L. company, lost his managing director job. New director of Kunstverlag Juno GmbH became Jean Wald from Charlottenburg. J. Wald had been before technical director of "Photographica" GmbH already, another (early) bromide photo company found at L.L. factory address. J. Wald was also head production manager of Langebartels factory for many years.
In 1918 Leo Heilborn became managing director of Juno GmbH. The business had been moved to Dorotheenstr. 53 in 1919. Heilborn came also from Charlottenburg, his professional described as factory director (before Juno). Trust that Kunstverlag Juno GmbH was then no daughter company of L. Langebartels anymore.
Juno had been specialised in bromide real photo cards since existence, but with beginning of 1923 they offered all types and makes of postcards. The company was still in business by late 1929, now in Charlottenburg with Berlin branch, managing director a Josef Heilborn. Business capital 50,000 Marks. L. Langebartels had begun to work as fine arts and postcard publishing company under own name again by about the second half of the 1920‘s.
Louis Langebartels became a limited company in 1931.
By late 1930‘s J. Wald set up an own bromide photo printing business (Jean Wald Bromsilber-Rotationsdruck-Anstalt) at Koepenicker Str. 113. A bigger trade complex housing several printing/publishing trade companies. Of special interest to postcard collectors are: Druck- und Verlagsgesellschaft vormals Stern & Schiele, Graphische Kunstanstalt Fabian & Co. GmbH, Arthur Rehn & Co., Buck & Co.
The Langebartels Story continues
Producation was taken up at old location after end of WW2 again. L. Langebartels listed with a business capital of 410,000 RM in the Berlin 1950 trade register.
Co-operation with the photo paper factory Roland Risse, Floersheim/Main since 1951. Langebartels moved part of the photo paper production from Berlin to Floersheim in 1976. The R. Risse business was liquidated in 1993.
Since 1981 the company had worked under the name Labaphot-Langebartels GmbH. Bankruptcy was declared on 22 February 1999.
Note: Above post WW2 company information was provided by Hartmut Thiele, Munich.
Some L. Langebartels as well as Kunstverlag Juno postcard issues and more found on next page.