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Company name(s): Graphische Anstalt Otto Schloss; Otto Schloss KG
Address: Berlin: Panoramastr. (1897); Dresdenerstr. 34.35 (1899-1905); Alexanderstr. 31 (1906); Own factory at Magazinstr. 15-16 (-c. 1916); last known address was Blumenstr. 89 (1917-24)
In business from: mid. 1890’s to c. 1918 / 1924
Printer: yes Publisher: yes
Means of production / workforce: Unknown, but used letterpress, chromolitho and collotype process. Big in postcards during postcard boom years (export, especially to the USA)
Trademark(s):
Best known logo was the OS on printing stone; later  some cards show the O.S.B. inside shield logo. Said to be a 3rd logo version around, in ‘padlock’ shape.
Specialised in:
Any type of (quality) greeting postcards, hold-to-light and mechanical cards, also art reproductions. Likely other articles printed by chromolithography process.
Notes: Otto Schloss first mentioned as co-owner of a cotton jersey underwear factory. Then running a ‘picture factory’ (S. Block), before starting his fine art printing business (postcard factory). Family business. Moved into own 4-storey factory building with art nouveau decorations in 1906. Took over the Schwenke business (‘Tannenzweig’) in 1909. Moved out by late 1916, factory sold in 1918. O. Schloss worked in the paper wholesale trade in the following years.
An undated (pre-1905) Schloss promotional card found in literature (Postkarten - von der Ansichtskarte bis zur Kuenstlerkarte, 1996) claims a weekly production of 2,5 million cards. – I am working on an article on the Otto Schloss business for TPA actually. First research has shown that Schloss produced also quite some standard (average) quality cards, and that there are a number of cards around clearly printed by O. Schloss but without any logo or name on.
Illustrations (from top):
O.S.B. card no. 248. Chromolitho, embossed, not p/u - post-1905 date. Same automobile with flowers but dark background, silhouettes in gold, glossy finish, around as no. 248 N (p/u 1909).
O.S.B. card no. 699 (found on picture side) with ‘Birthday Greetings’, p/u March 1911 in the USA. Glossy finish and extra gold on top.
O.S.B. card no. 875 (number on picture side). ‘Easter Greetings’, embossed. P/u 1907 in the USA.
O.S.B. card no. 1492 with birthday greetings imprint. Excellent embossing work. P/u as German fieldpost in Nov. 1918. Shows Schloss shield logo.
O.S.B. card no. 1159 with Easter greetings in Hungarian language. Glossy finish and main silhouettes done in gold again. Impressive! P/u in April 1909 within Hungary.
O.S.B. card or series no. 69. A very untypical Schloss card but it bears clearly the OS on printing stone logo together with other characteristically Schloss layout details. Imitated wooden frame done by litho, but the inserted monochrome view (fjords? Norway?) was printed by halftone / letterpress process. P/u May 1909 in Germany.
O.S.B. Christmas card without any card number or series mention but logo (OS on printing stone) only. Quality chromolitho printing with glossy finish (that tends to peel off) and golden contour shaping. P/u in Germany, postmark illegible. Address side layout typical for 1906-07 period.
O.S.B. card no. 970 (number on picture side) with ‘New Years Greetings’, p/u January 1908 in Germany. Bearded motorist. entire card heavily embossed, making writing on address side difficult.
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