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Company name: B. Schwenke; Luxuspapierwarenfabrik & Chromolithogr. Kunstanstalt B. Schwenke GmbH; Graphische Kunstanstalt Königstein GmbH
Address: Koenigstein on the River Elbe, Saxony (population of about 4,000 in 1911)
In business from: 1875 to c. 1909/1911
Printer: yes Publisher: yes
Means of production / workforce:
First a typical chromolitho printer with machinery for embossing etc. Added more letterpress machinery after 1900. Employed some 150 persons in 1907. The GmbH / Ltd. had a business capital of 131,200 Marks. Managing director was a Wilhelm Mueller.
Trademark(s): 
1) Full name imprinted in faint grey ink, often found on picture side. 2) the ‘Tannenzweig” / pine twig logo I believe to had been used mostly on own designed greeting cards.
Specialised in:
All types of greeting cards, especially cards with blank space for individual imprints. All other sorts of cards including menue cards, cards announcing death etc. The business become more a deLuxe paper factory from c. 1908 onwards, also packaging and boxes for the soap/perfume and chocolate trade.
Notes: Complicated company research indeed! The Schwenke business run in financial difficulties in 1909 and was bought by the Schloss family (Otto Schloss, Berlin, big greeting card company). The business was continued at Koenigstein until mid 1911, then integrated into the Berlin factory at Magazinstr. The Schloss business folded in 1918.
An entry in a 1921 directory lists Vitus Noever & Co, Koenigstein. They claim to be the successor to Schwenke, same business, and establ. 1901. Disappears by late 1920’s again. – The logo was identified by a “key card”, the only divided back “Tannenzweig” card I have seen so far, together with Schwenke name on.
Illustrations (from top):
Schwenke card no. 2110. Typical sample with space for imprint (this with New Year greetings). Signed ‘O. Student, 1900’. P/u Dec. 1901.
Schwenke no. 2883. Chromolitho, embossed. With ‘Tannenzweig’ logo. P/u May 1905
Schwenke no. 2228. Chromolitho. P/u 1903. With ‘Tannenzweig’ logo on picture side.
Schwenke no. 2942. Chromolitho, embossed, with space for individual imprint. P/u 1906.
Schwenke card without number, only logo. Nicely done, embossed. P/u 1903
Schwenke no. 2706. Chromo with New Year greetings steel-engraved. P/u, stamp missing.
Schwenke no. 3117. New Year greetings. Chromolitho, embossed. With ‘Tannenzweig’ logo. P/u January 1907
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