Postman

THE POSTCARD ALBUM

POSTCARD PRINTER & PUBLISHER RESEARCH

 

Knackstedt_and_Co_title

The postcard printer / publisher Knackstedt & Naether (as well as the successor Knackstedt & Co.) from Hamburg was one of Germany’s biggest export ppc printers. K+N was among the Top 5 companies during the ppc boom years, concentrating on topographic cards. Their long company history has been subject of research for years already. The K+N File was published in “TPA” issues 17, 18, 19, 21 and 23, a total of some 26 packed pages. However, it was like scratching the surface only. The operations of this company simply too big, world wide, with associated businesses in Paris, New York and Vienna. Even the follow-up company Knackstedt & Co., which is found listed in trade directories up to 1970, needs further research. Listing below is just a very rough survey only. Interested collectors are welcome to contact me.   PLEASE NOTE: TPA issue 28 includes a comprehensive article on K+N and business relationship with ‘The Rotograph Co., New York. – Ludwig Knackstedt died on 10 June 1916 in the age of 52 years at Munich.

Company History

Wilhelm Georg Ludwig (Louis) Knackstedt (*1863) and Hermann Gustav Naether (*1866) set up a studio for (industrial) photography by late 1889. H. Naether left the business around 1893 again. Louis Knackstedt the sole owner and collotype printing process was added. The K+N business was was found at Hamburg-Eppendorf, Eppendorferlandstr. 190 and a studio at Gr. Bleichen 30.

L. Knackstedt did run another business together with G. Constabel since c.1892 under Eppendorf address which appears to have concentrated on photography.

First K+N printed postcards with German views are mentioned by about the mid 1890’s. From 1898 on K+N printed more cards and began publishing and printing stereo views in postcard size, with first business contact made with popular French ‘LL’ company (see separate Stereo Cards page please). K+N must have added more collotype presses by 1899, starting to work for British postcard publishers in c. mid 1898. Litho presses installed, too. The successful line of ‘Souvenir Border Cards’, an interesting combination of colourful done lithography border designs with space for collotype printed (customer) views started in 1899.

By 1900 K+N prospering business moved to Eppendorfer Str. 106, into an own new factory. Before that found at different addresses. Around 1904 Arthur Schwarz, head of Neue Photographische Gesellschaft (NPG), the leading bromide photo manufacturer and Ludwig Knackstedt formed The Rotograph Co., New York. Schwarz was president, Knackstedt vice-president. Another joint-venture between NPG and K+N was the Austrian postcard company ‘Photobrom’.

In 1906 some 60% of K+N’s production was exported (mostly to U.S.A.). Had 290 workers, c. 100 million cards per year printed.

K+N took over the insolvent local printing company H.A.J. Schulz & Co., found at Wagnerstr. 70. Now they had two printing facilities, some 50 printing presses, employed almost 450 persons. In March 1909 K+N was converted into a limited company, Business capital 800,000 Marks. On 2 May 1910 K+N declared insolvency, the debts were equal to the business capital.

Just six weeks later a new company under the name Knackstedt & Co. was set up by Louis Knackstedt. Bought back the Schultz premises, and everything of the former postcard production, incl. some 80,000 negatives. With 14 litho + collotype presses, soon adding a (copper) gravure printing dept.

In 1924 the company was run by the widow of L. Knackstedt and son-in-law Ch. M. J(ulius) Richert, who was sole owner since 1925. In 1930 the firm used 2 letterpress, 2 litho, 3 gravure and 3 collotype presses for production. Employed were 45 persons. During WW2 K. & Co. had to move to Koenigstr. 14/16, entries in 1950’s Hamburg directories mention a Poststr. 14/16. By 1958 the firm was run by Walter Richert and Gertrud (née Knackstedt). By 1964 K+N had moved to Hamburg 13, Brahmsallee 105. Rothenbaumchaussee 77 was their (final?) address in 1967.

Although K+N / successor printed almost anything during the long history, postcards had been always a speciality.

Hannover_Leineschloss_1898_Knackstedt

Hannover, Leineschloss, typical for the time ‘by Moonlight’ design. Published / photo by local firm Karl F. Wunder. Collotype printing by K+N. P/u in July 1898. Card no. 349

Jamaica_Albert_Aust_by_Knackstedt

Jamaica, 3 views (cane cutters, Myrtle Bank Hotel, Jamaica army types) published as card no. 20 in the ‘Central America’ series by Albert Aust, Hamburg. Not p/u, c. 1898-1900.

Bruxelles_Palais_du_Roi_Nels_Knackstedt

Bruxelles - Palais du Roi, published by local Ed. Nels company. K+N souvenir border design no. 17. Souvenir border cards, a combination of chromolithography with space for inserting view by collotype process were introduced in 1899.

Amiens_Rue_des_Majots_Mignon_card_Knackstedt

Amiens - La Rue des Majots was been another border design. Shows imprint ‘K+N Mignon-Karte No. 197’. No local publisher but K+N imprint only. French undivided back, not p/u.

Luther_College_Racine_Wis_Rotograph_Knackstedt

Luther College, Racine, Wis. published as no. G 30020 by ‘The Rotograph Co., New York. Typical K+N combined collotype & lithographic process (machine coloured). P/u May 1907.

Child_study_Lotte_Herrlich_Knackstedt_Co

Lotte Herrlich, a child study from Collection 20, series 46. Published by Waldemar Heldt, Hamburg. Copper gravure printing by Knackstedt & Co.P/u in April 1930.

Lotte Herrlich (1883-1956) was a German photographer (‘Naturism’).

HAPAG_steamer_Pres_Lincoln_Knackstedt_Co

Steamer ‘Praesident Lincoln’ - A HAPAG Shipping Co. passenger ship view published by A. Buettner, Hamburg. Collotype printing by Knackstedt & Co., not p/u but imprinted date reads ‘7 / 1913’.

Knackstedt_Naether_Factory_1906
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