Showing posts with label exlibris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exlibris. Show all posts

Saturday, November 18, 2023

Picturing Ernst Collin

I've always wanted to put a face to the name. In the case of Ernst Collin that was, sadly, not possible. I got excited recently when I decided to look for Ernst Collin on Ancestry.com and found someone whose profile indicated that they had two images. As we say in German, Fehlanzeige... The images were those of the marriage certificate between Ernst Heinrich Collin and Else Cronheim that I had also found there. This was very important because for the first time I had an official, documented connection to his parents Georg Collin and Regina Collin (nee Josef) who were also listed on the certificate. Otherwise, all connections were embedded in his often-self-referential articles. In contrast, there are images of his doppelgänger Heinrich Ernst Collin-Schönfeld in the latter's papers at the Leo Baeck in New York. His marriage certificate to Margarete Weisgerber-Collin was also available in Ancestry confirming those details.

But a confirmed photo of the Ernst Collin of the Pressbengel ... has still not been found.

There was a photograph that appeared in both of Ernst's two articles about binding in fish skin (both 1934) showing the customer sizing up a fish that might be used on his binding. In that image, the customer is shown from behind and slightly to the side, but not identifiable. For me, that was Ernst, I wanted it to be him.

Is the customer at right Ernst Collin?
Holding the fish at left is Franz Martini, the binder.
Ernst took the images for the article, so was there.

A year or two after finding that image, I found a wonderfully expressionist ex-libris for an Ernst Collin that was created by Walter Kampmann in 1920. Featured in the ex-libris was a face. In circumstances like that it is easy to jump to conclusions, and I did. The ex-libris was found in a bound volume of Die Heftlade, the "modest" bookbinding journal published 1922-24 by Ernst Collin for the Jakob-Krause-Bund. The reason for trading-up was that this copy had all inserts and the remaining two issues from 1924. The Heftlade did not appear in 1923. Among the inserts was one to accompany an article on collecting ex-libris by Ernst. 

Ernst Collin ex-libris by Walter Kampmann, 1920.

It's been a while since I was actively searching for articles by, and mentions of Ernst Collin, but I recently came across the journal Exlibris Buchkunst und angewandte Grafik, volume 31, 1921. In it, an article by Ernst about Walter Kampman that also included the ex-libris above among many others. In the article Ernst also described his ex-libris, providing the confirmation that this was his, and not the "other Ernst's".  

Passage in which Ernst interprets his ex-libris.
Below, the transcribed text.

Das nächste Exlibris Ernst Collin [Beil. zw. S. 52/53] hat der Künstler dem Verfasser dieses Aufsatzes gewidmet. Es gilt dem Kunstkritiker. Dessen Kopf nimmt, ruhend auf einer Feder, die von Fingern geführt wird, die Diagonale des Bildes ein. Es soll der Kopf des Kunstkritikers sein; die Augen hinter der Brille sind geradeaus gerichtet, ein Symbol der kunstkritischen Arbeit, die, vorurteilslos und unbeeinflußt, nur geradeaus schauen darf. Es ist nicht uninteressant, hier zu erwähnen, daß der Künstler nicht beabsichtigt hat, in den Kopf eine Bildnisähnlichkeit hineinzulegen, daß mir aber von Freunden versichert worden ist, sie hätten mich sofort erkannt. Von dem Finger geht eine Treppe aus, die zu einem Hause führt; vor diesem steht der Künstler, an der Staffelei malend. Er steht auf einer Rahmenleiste, die ein nur zum Teil sichtbares Bild mit einer tanzenderscheinenden Figur umrahmt. Der Aufbau des Bildes ist sehr konzentriert, Licht und Schatten sind dem Charakter der Darstellung gemäß streng und rhythmisch verteilt. Hier kommt Kampmann, wie er es bereits bei einigen vorhergehenden, hier nicht ab gebildeten Exlibris getan hat, zu einer freieren und doch der Zeichnung sich an- und eingliedernden Anordnung der Schrift. Die aufsteigende Anordnung bei dem Eigennamen meines Exlibris scheint mir die aufbauende Arbeit des Kritikers andeuten zu sollen.

And in English with a little help from Deepl for expedience:

The artist dedicated the next bookplate to Ernst Collin [insert between p. 52/53], the author of this essay. It is dedicated to the art critic. His head, resting on a feather guided by fingers, occupies the diagonal of the picture. It is supposed to be the head of the art critic; the eyes behind the glasses are directed straight ahead, a symbol of the work of art criticism, which, unprejudiced and uninfluenced, may only look straight ahead. It is not uninteresting to mention here that the artist did not intend the head to resemble a portrait, but that I have been assured by friends that they recognized me immediately. A staircase leads from the finger to a house; the artist is standing in front of it, painting at an easel. He is standing on a frame that surrounds a picture of a dancing figure that is only partially visible. The composition of the picture is very concentrated with light and shadow distributed strictly and rhythmically in accordance with the character of the depiction. Here, as he has already done in some previous ex-libris not depicted here, Kampmann has arrived at a freer arrangement of the lettering, which nevertheless adapts and integrates itself into the drawing. The ascending arrangement of the proper name of my bookplate seems to me to indicate the critic's constructive work.

Recently, eight years later, I found yet another work by Walter Kampmann depicting Ernst Collin in the catalog to the Grosse Berliner Kunstausstellung of 1929. While the first was very expressionist, this one is a little less so, and depicts him in a chair with a [notebook] and holding a writing instrument, his head seemingly lost in thought resting in his palm. A woman, presumably his wife Else (nee Cronheim) almost has him in embrace, one hand on his right arm, with her left almost on his shoulder. As item 73 in the catalog, it is described as a painting (Gemälde), with the "N[G]" possibly indicating that Kampmann was a member of the "Novembergruppe", a group of expressionist artists. 

Image from the Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg's 
digital collections.

The search for a photograph will continue, but given that so much of Ernst's writings were focused on the arts and art criticism these are quite lovely to view.

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Colliniana 2018 - Ernst Collin Updates

Wie in den 6 vergangenen Jahren gebe ich am 31. Mai zum Geburtstag von Ernst Collin (dies wäre sein 132. gewesen) eine Zusammenfassung von Funden und Fortschritten an meinem Projekt über die Collins.

As in the past 6 years, on May 31st, Ernst Collin's birthday (This would have been his 132th) I share updates from my research and findings into his life and work.



Jetzt sind es schon 5 Jahre her seit dieser Blog auf seiner eignen Art lebhaft wurde . Das habe ich Ruth zu verdanken die mich zu Ihrer möglichen Verwandtschaft mit Ernst Collin befragt hat. Dazu kamen meine andauernden offenen Fragen zur Herkunft die in der Einleitung zu ersten Fassung meiner Pressbengel Übersetzung angedeutet wurden. Zusammen genommen  mehr als genug Ansporn auf teils obsessiver Weise weiter zu machen. Neues wurde regelmässig auf Facebook unter #Colliniana und #PressbengelProjectBlog geteilt, sowie bei Twitter.

It's been 5 years since this blog "took off" in its own special way. For that we largely have Ruth to thank whose questions about possibly being related to Ernst Collin. Add to that my own nagging open questions from the introduction to the first edition of my translation of his Pressbengel as The Bone Folder. Together these ignited an obsessive flame that still burns. Updates have been shared regularly via Facebook under #Colliniana and #PressbengelProjectBlog, as well as on Twitter.

Die Boss Dog Press Ausgabe als Pressendruck ist endlich erschienen und all Vorbestellungen sind verschickt wurden. Das ich erfreut bin ist eine riesige Untertreibung, und daß die Auflage von Don Rash und seiner Boss Dog Presse geschaffen wurde, besonders mit den Photographien von John Hans Schiff, eine riesige Ehre. Es wa eine weiter Weg, aber wie beim guten Wein hat sich das Warten sehr gelohnt.  Bis jetzt hat das Buch ein Heim in den Bibliotheken von Azuza Pacific University, Cambridge University, dem Grolier Club und Yale University gefunden, sowie der Deutsche Nationalbibliothek und dem Leo Baeck Institute. Für mehr Infos und zu bestellen bitte die Boss Dog Press besuchen oder links klicken.

The Boss Dog Press edition is out and all preorders have shipped. To say I am pleased is a massive understatement, and having Don Rash and the Boss Dog Press create this edition, especially with the photographs of John (Hans) Schiff was a great honor. It's been a long road, but the wait (like with a good wine) very much worth it.  So far, the book has found homes at Azuza Pacific University, Cambridge University, the Grolier Club, and Yale University, in addition to the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek and Leo Baeck Institute. For more information and to order, see the Boss Dog Press site or click the link at left.

Deluxe edition (left) and regular edition (right).
Both come with a matching slipcase | Beide mit passenden Schuber geliefert

Titel mit Facsimile der 1922er Erstausgabe
Title page spread with facsimile of original 1922 edition

I hatte auch die Freude 2 Exemplare dieser Ausgabe zwecks Ausstellungen zu binden und bin mit den Ergebnissen ganz zufrieden. Eines ist unten zu sehen, mit mehr unter diesem Link, inkl. denen in  Lagen zum Downloaden und Binden. Letzere sind schon mehr als 1500 mal heruntergeladen seit ich sie so geteilt habe.

It was also my pleasure to bind two copies, ostensibly for exhibitions. I'm rather pleased by how they turned out. One is below, and you can see more here, including test bindings on the downloadable edition for binding. The latter has been accessed over 1500 times since first appearing online.

Quarter salmon parchment binding with pastepaper sides (both made by the binder); endpapers of Cave Paper “Alphabet”; graphite top edge; sewn endbands. Décor on boards from images in the text by John (Hans) Schiff with title stamped in gold. Also bound in are an extra set of enlarged photographs and the prospectus. 30.5 x 23.5 x 3 cm. Bound 2017.

Mehr Schriften von Ernst Collin | More writings by Ernst Collin
Die Bibliographie von Ernst Collins Shriften begann mit 60, wuchs zu 275 als ich meine erste Bibliographie teilte und steht jetzt mit 355 da. Der Großteil der neuen stammt aus der Berliner Volkszeitung wo Ernst in der Redaktion und als Kunstkritiker tätig war. Die Aufsätze wurden über die voll-text Suchen bei  Europeana Newspapers und ZEFYS gefunden. Da die OCR mit den Schrifttypen der Zeit oft Probleme hat bin ich mir sicher, daß noch mehr zu finden ist. Ich fand auch einen Zitat zu einem zweisprachigen Aufsatz über die Graphik in der pharma werbe Branche. Das der Aufsatz zweisprachig war, war eine Überraschung. Ich fand auch einige andere Aufsätze in mir noch nicht bekannten Zeitschriften.

The bibliography of titles that started with some 60, grew to 275 when I shared the bibliography, now stands at 355. The bulk of those new additions are from the Berliner Volkszeitung, where Ernst was an editor and art critic. The articles were found using a full-text search at Europeana Newspapers and ZEFYS. Based on the overall quality of the OCR of text from that period, I'm sure there are more within the pages. Also found via a citation in a dissertation was a bi-lingual (Deutsch/English) article on graphic design in pharmaceutical advertising. The bi-lingual nature was a surprise to me. There were also other articles in unknown-to-me publications.

Die Heftlade und ein Exlibris
Ich konnte mir auch ein zusätzliches Exemplar der Heftlade zulegen, eine Zeitschrift die Ernst Collin 1922-24 für den Jakob-Krause-Bund herausgab. Der Hauptgrund für dieses zusätzliche Exemplar war, daß es alle Beilagen UND die letzten zwei Hefte von 1924 mitgebunden hatte. Die Heftlade erschien nicht 1923.Unter den Beilagen war auch eine zu dem Aufsatz über das Sammeln von Exlibris, eine großes Sammelgebiet einst und und für manche noch jetzt. Die Heftlade hatte eine Auflage von 400 Exemplaren, und es war gut möglich, daß es verschiedene Beilagen zu den einzelnen Aufsätzen gab. In meinem Exemplar war ein Exlibris von Walter Kampmann für... Ernst Collin datiert Dezember 1920.

The Heftlade & an exlibris 
 I also acquired an additional copy of Die Heftlade, the "modest" bookbinding journal published 1922-24 by Ernst Collin for the Jakob-Krause-Bund. Reason for trading-up was that this copy had all inserts and the remaining two issues from 1924. The Heftlade did not appear in 1923. Among the inserts  was one to accompany an article on collecting exlibris/bookplates by Ernst. Collecting these was big, still is to some today. The Heftlade was printed in a run of 400, and may have had several different pasted on samples spread across the edition. Well in my copy there was an exlibris by Walter Kampmann for none other than... Ernst Collin. The exlibris was created in December of 1920.




Mehr Exlibris von Kampmann gibt es hier zu sehen. Ich habe auch ein reizvolles Exlibris von Ernst Heigenmoser, daß ich 2013 hier teilte. Seit ich das Exlibris für Ernst fand habe ich es oft mit dem Kopf des Herren (rechts) verglichen aus Collins Aufsatz "Bucheinbände aus Fischhaut" (1934).

More exlibris by Kampmann can be seen here. I also have a charming post-war exlibris by Ernst Heigenmoser that I shared here in 2013. Since I received the exlibris for Ernst, I've been comparing the head in that wonderful print to the back of the head of the "man in black" at top left in Ernst's article (1934) on making leather from fish.

Ernst Collin rechts?Ernst Collin at right?

Angeregt von Ernst und Anderen, habe ich sogar selbst Pergament aus Fisch gemacht.

Encouraged by Ernst and others, I even made my own parchment from fish.

Stolpersteine
Ich sah, daß der 20. März Stolperstein Putztag in Deutschland war, der Tag an dem Menschen versuchen die vielen kleinen individuelle Mahnmale an die von den Nationalsozialisten ermordeten und verfolgten zu reinigen. Als ich den Aufruf auf Twitter sah äußerte ich die Hoffnung, daß vielleicht einer die für Ernst und Else Collin reinigen könnte. Ich bin dieser Person sehr dankbar. Obwohl meine Tochter sie im letzten Sommer versuchte zu reinigen entwickelte sich wieder eine starke Patina. Es ist sehr schön beide wieder in altem Glanz zu sehen. Danke.

I saw that March 20 was the big spring Stolperstein cleaning day in Germany, when people make a concerted effort to try to clean the many Stolpersteine for those murdered, or otherwise persecuted by the Nazis. When I saw the notice on Twitter, I asked that if someone happened to come down past Cicerostr 61 in Berlin, could they please clean the stones for Ernst and Else Collin, too. I am very grateful to a kind person for doing this. Even though my daughter had cleaned them last summer they had developed a strong patina again. Nice to see them (and all the stones) shine. Thank you.

Here they are before and after cleaning today: pic.twitter.com/QTgau9i8c0
— Jane Yager (@Jane_Yager) March 20, 2018



W. Collin
Im letzten Jahr konnte ich auch einiges zu W. Collin finden, besonders die Stelleninserate in der Berliner Volkszeitung. Dabei waren viele in denen Mädchen und Frauen gesucht wurden um bei der allgemein und bei der Kriegsproduktion zu arbeiten.

I was also able to find some great materials about W. Collin that give a sense of the kind of work they hired for while looking in the Berliner Volkszeitung. Among them were ads directed at women seeking labor for war production, as well as other general positions.



Ich konnte auch einige Exemplare der Arbeiten von W. Collin erwerben. Unter denen ein Pergament Einband an Goethe's Clavigo und eine kleine Mappe mit interessanten Eigenschaften.

I also acquired two more W. Collin exemplars, one a full vellum binding on Goethe's Clavigo and the other a small portfolio that has some interesting properties.

Clavigo

Kleine Mappe | Small portfolio



Und so kommt zu meiner Sammlung mit einem echten Pressbengel...

And so, to my collection of a genuine pressbengel, ...



dieses schöne Gemälde von einem Falzbein (Bone Folder) von Don Rash.
(Gemalt ist es auf eine der Pappen die seine Werksbank beschützt haben. Werkstoffe als Metapher...)


I now add this wonderful painting by Don Rash of a bonefolder.
(It is painted on a used piece of binders board that once protected the tops of his benches. Material as metaphor...)


Danke Don! | Thank you Don!


Tuesday, March 8, 2016

W. Collin Exlibris

Gefunden in der Deutschen Digitalen Bibliothek und von der Universitätsbibliothek Würzburg – das Exlibris von W. Collin entwurfen von dem Graphiker Hermann Hirzel, 1899. Hirzel war Schweizer und studierte an der Kunstakademie Berlin wo auch Georg Collin studiert hat um die gleiche Zeit. Er starb 1939 in Berlin.

Found in the Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek and in the collections of the University Library at Würzburg – the exlibris of W. Collin, designed by the artist Hermann Hirzel, 1899. Hirzel was Swiss and studied at the Kunstakademie Berlin where Georg Collin also studied at about the same time. He died in Berlin in 1939.


Es ist gut möglich, daß dieses Exlibris auf der Weltausstellung von 1900 in Paris gezeigt wurde.

It is possible that this exlibris was exhibited at the 1900 World's Fair in Paris.

Below an article about that starts at bottom-right of the page and continues on next pages.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Exlibris, In the Ruins of a City...

Hand-colored etching, signed in pencil E[rnst] Heig[enmoser], ca. 1945. 5.5 x 9.5cm.
Click to enlarge

I recently acquired this desolately charming bookplate for Hanns Heeren by Ernst Heig[enmoser]. The bookplate shows a group of bibliophiles looking at books amidst the ruins of a recently-ended war. The sign in the background says Ex-Libris Freunde, or Friends of Ex Libris, the book on the left Samm-lung Heeren (Collection Heeren, whose bookplate it is, and the books on the right have on them [Walter von] Zur Westen, [Friedrich] Warnecke, and [Richard] Braungart. All three published books illustrating artistic bookplates. Links with their names take one to online examples of some of these books.

Heigenmoser (1892-1963) was German painter, commercial artist, and industrial designer in Munich. Heeren (1893-1968) was a German librarian who became a military pilot serving in both World Wars, but more significantly was a composer of German "volkslieder" (folk music) extolling the virtues of heimat, wandering, the countryside... He was also apparently a collector of bookplates judging by other examples found during Google searches. Here some examples:

Karl Blossfeldt, 1920

Harry Corvers, 1955

Bruno da Osimo, 1956

Waltraud Weissenbach, n.d.

In a case of serendipity, today, two days later I received the journal below featuring an article by Ernst Collin entitled "Der schöne Bucheinband" (The Beautiful Bookbinding). As I am usually single minded I don't even know if I looked to see what other authors were mentioned and/or remembered whose bookplate I ordered. In flipping through the issue also found an article by Hanns Heeren of the bookplate above on "Künstlerische Neujahrswünsche" (Artist's New Years Greetings). Fun!

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

To close, the iconic image of the Holland House library, bombed
out in 1940 during the Blitz. Compare with our first image.