German Fine Presses

Discuss German fine presses here

>1 CenSur:

By far, the best of German presses were operative during the years of the Weimar Republic, i.e., Between the Wars. If interested in acquiring the work of German private presses, this is where I would start.

>2 dlphcoracl:

Not one single response.

The crowd that flocks to these forums nowadays, arriving through the FSD, Funtup, instagram or other social media wouldn't recognize a truly fine private press book when they saw it.

A sad fact.

There is Edition Dunkelgestirn. Does this count as fine press?

For example:
Hermann Dreßler
The Arts of Doctor Incubus - A Fantastic Novel
Edited by Lars Dangel
193 pages
limited to 90 copies, bound in half-linen and Parisian marbled paper, with ribbon bookmark, embossed spine and in a cardboard slipcase open on both sides
Cover and interior illustrations by Angelika Pillous

Editions are usually quickly sold out.

https://dunkelgestirn.jimdofree.com/

>3 vremiaimir: In that case, can I offer for consideration Roswitha Quadflieg's Raamin-Presse (1973-2003) which I believe easily clears the bar? 'Unity and simplicity of the subtlest kind' (John Dreyfus, Matrix 10).

Here's a page spread from 'Die vier Jahreszeiten', Scardanelli (ie Friedrich Hölderlin) of 1996:

>3 vremiaimir: Wouldn’t it be nicer to share with these newcomers (if indeed they are here) an example or two of fine press books, and point out what it is you like about them, rather than post something so unwelcoming? We were all newcomers to the hobby at some point.

For instance, an easy (though unfortunately unobtainable for most of us) example is Hamlet by Cranach Press, reviewed here in detail:

https://booksandvines.com/2016/07/05/great-illustrated-private-press-books-part-...

>3 vremiaimir: Save it for the troll forum. +) Lots of us don't speak German and while the art of the book may be amazing at German presses, there's not enough time or money to go down every rabbit hole.

>7 SDB2012:

Several of these Weimar-era books from the finest German private presses are printed in the English language.

Well, I know close to nothing about German fine presses and think I'd better limit myself to British presses, which are already causing enough domestic troubles. But I must say that I started looking at Bremer Presse books and they look quite nice indeed.

>8 dlphcoracl: The Bear Press is still active and makes gorgeous copies

>8 dlphcoracl: Yeah, I know. I'm writing generalities. Despite my German heritage, there's a limit to time and money. I love a lot of the French private press books I've seen here. It's good for my wallet that I don't speak or read French!(It's also good for my physical safety as I don't know how I could justify an entirely new collection to my significant other)

Since I suggested starting this topic, I will contribute by presenting some of my books of German fine presses.

Let's start with The Bear Press as this press has been mentioned several times now. The Bear Press is the one man publishing show of Dr. Wolfram Benda who commissions printers, artists, binders, to craft books, often using his own translations or the German original. Since I do not collect translated books I am able to read in the original language, I only own two of his books: Goethe's first version of his play Faust, the "Urfaust" and Borges' Rosé & Blau. Both are beautiful examples of top-notch craftmanship and materials. Both are the "Vorzugsausgabe" I'll post pictures and their colophon in the following.

It remains to say that many of his books can be collected at auctions for much cheaper than the original or secondhand market prices.

Here is a picture of both sitting next to each other.

Let's start with Rosé & Blau, one of my top ten books in my collection. The illustrations fit the feeling of the stories perfectly. I also like how the two colours rose and blue have been used. The pink "endpaper" is in fact silk, which has a really nice touch. The leather of the binding is probably the best you can get; the typesetting and printing are impeccable with a slight "kiss".

Here's what the colophon says:
24. Druck der Bear Press Wolfram Benda - Gedruckt von der Fischbachpresse Lui Karner, Texing, NÖ, in der Centaur-Antiqua auf VL-Bütten. Alle 150 Exemplare, handgebunden von Hans-Peter Geiseler, Berlin, enthalten dreißig Holzschnitte von Jürgen Wölbing. Den Exemplaren 1 bis 25 und I bis XII wurde ein weiterer Farbholzschnitt beigefügt; die römisch nummerierten Exemplare enthalten zudem eine Zeichnung des Künstlers. - Dieses Exemplar trägt die Nummer 18. - Bedingt durch widrige Umstände und den Tod des Künstlers kann das vorliegende Buch erst jetzt erscheinen. Bettina Rulf hat die Vorzeichnungen Jürgen Wölbings zweifarbig in Acryl gestochen, weshalb die Illustrationen eine Gemeinschaftsarbeit sind.

And here is ChatGPT's translation to English:
24. edition of the Bear Press Wolfram Benda - Printed by the Fischbach Presse Lui Karner, Texing, Lower Austria, in Centaur-Antiqua on VL handmade paper. All 150 copies, hand-bound by Hans-Peter Geiseler, Berlin, contain thirty woodcuts by Jürgen Wölbing. Copies 1 to 25 and I to XII include an additional color woodcut; the Roman-numbered copies also contain a drawing by the artist. - This copy bears the number 18. - Due to unfortunate circumstances and the death of the artist, this book is only now being published. Bettina Rulf engraved Jürgen Wölbing's preliminary drawings in two colors in acrylic, making the illustrations a collaborative work.

Pictures

Here's the Urfaust. Another really nice book. The illustrations are very different to other takes but I think the artist has nailed it. Otherwise, everything what I said about Rosé & Blau applies to the Urfaust as well.

Colophon:
38. Druck der Bear Press Wolfram Benda - Gedruckt von der Offizin Haag-Drugulin, Leipzig, in der halbfetten Romolus-Antiqua auf VL-Bütten. Sämtliche 150 handgebundenen Exemplare enthalten 19 Radierungen von Eberhard Schlotter, gedruckt von G. Spieß, Hamburg. Den Exemplaren 1 bis 25 sowie I bis XII wurde eine weitere Radierung beigefügt; die römisch nummerierten enthalten zudem eine Zeichnung des Künstlers. Dieses Exemplar trägt die Nummer 15. § Signiert von Eberhard Schlotter.

And ChatGPT's translation:
38. Printed by Bear Press Wolfram Benda - Printed by the Haag-Drugulin Press, Leipzig, in semi-bold Romulus-Antiqua on VL handmade paper. All 150 hand-bound copies contain 19 etchings by Eberhard Schlotter, printed by G. Spieß, Hamburg. Copies 1 to 25 and I to XII include an additional etching; the Roman-numbered copies also contain a drawing by the artist. This copy bears the number 15. § Signed by Eberhard Schlotter.

Pictures:

More German fine presses in the upcoming days!

>11 SDB2012:

I will post photos of a splendid Weimar-era book published 1924 in the English language that I recently acquired in the -50% off Oak Knoll Books sale later today. Many of these books are far less expensive than purchasing a new edition from some of the highly regarded presses currently active. Your significant other will be quite pleased.

>12 SebRinelli:
>13 SebRinelli:

Those are truly beautiful books. The Bear Presse has always been top-tier.

Hamlet illustrated by Sepp Frank in an expressionist style, published by Julius Schroeder in 1920.

I acquired a copy of this from our very own dlphcoracl.

Pictures (not mine) here:

http://booksandvines.com/2011/11/02/hamlet-by-william-shakespeare-1920-edition-p...

>14 SebRinelli: I’ve been tempted to get Urfaust, the problem is that I enjoy it much less than I do Faust. Hoping here that Dr. Brenda would be able to do the final version in the future.

>19 CenSur:
Available here for 640€ instead of 1000€ direct from the publisher.
They could be the same that sell it on AbeBooks currently, but I didn't checked.
https://varr.ch/produkt/urfaust-goethes-faust-in-urspruenglicher-gestalt/

>11 SDB2012:
>18 abysswalker:

The Merry Wives of Windsor by Wm. Shakespeare, published by Dr. Julius Schröder as No. 15 in his series 'Meisterwerke der Weltliteratur mit Original-Graphik'.

This was published in an edition of 220 copies with 26 original illustrations from copper plates by Johannes Thiel. Both the text and the illustrations were printed using a hand press on hand-made Zerkall-Bütten paper. The vellum and gilt bindings were handmade by Knorr & Hirth in Munich.

>20 Ragnaroekk: I just purchased it, thanks a million!

>21 dlphcoracl: lovely.

>22 CenSur:
You are welcome. Show us pictures of it 🙂

>21 dlphcoracl: I had considered buying this when it was included in the sale. It is one of two books in the Meisterwerke series I am still missing. Sounds like it is in good hands now.

Here are some pictures of another book published by Schröder, this title is readily available. The text is in German, though, and the illustrator is quite controversial.

Die Schriften Salomos

No. 10 in Schröder's 'Meisterwerke der Weltliteratur mit Original-Graphik' series. An edition of 250 copies with 8 woodcuts by Bruno Goldschmitt. Pinted on Bütten paper, full vellum binding by Knorr & Hirth (the binding of my copy is somewhat imperfect).

>25 teppi2:
Wow, what a beauty.

>25 teppi2:

The presswork on that edition is exceptional.

Bruno Goldschmitt's illustrations are somewhat 'controversial' because they are 'over the top' and sometimes a bit too dramatic. In this regard, his work reminds me (somewhat) of Fritz Eichenberg's wood engravings for the Limited Editions Club.

One very fine German press of note that I haven’t seen mentioned here (unless I have missed it) is Otto Rohse Presse.

Another that comes to mind is BABEL Verlag

Einhorn Presse, too.