D Stempel AG
Encyclopedia
D. Stempel AG was a German
typographic foundry
founded by David Stempel (1869–1927), in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
. Many important font
designers worked for the Stempel foundry, including Hans Bohn
, Warren Chappell
, F. H. Ehmcke, Friedrich Heinrichsen, Hanns Th. Hoyer, F. W. Kleukens, Erich Meyer, Hans Möhring, Hiero Rhode, Wilhelm Schwerdtner, Herbert Thannhaeuser, Martin Wilke, Rudolf Wolf, Victor Hammer
, Hermann Zapf
, and Gudrun Zapf von Hesse. With the introduction of Memphis in 1929, the foundry was the first to cast modern slab serif typefaces.
From 1900 to 1983, Stempel had an exclusive relationship with Mergenthaler Linotype Company, as one of just a few producers of matrices for the Linotype machine
worldwide and the only one in Europe. Starting in 1925, Stempel types were distributed in the United States by Continental Type Founders Association
. Linotype AG became the majority stockholder in 1941. In 1977 Stempel begins manufacturing Phototypesetting equipment
.
In 1985, Linotype AG purchased Stempel's type department. Stempel closed down in 1986, donating all of its type and equipment to the Darmstadt University of Technology
. Schriften-Service D. Stempel GmbH has possession of the matrices of Stempel, Haas
, Klingspor Bros., Deberny & Peignot
, Berthold, C.E. Webber, Fonderie Olive
, and the Nebiolo foundry
and continues to cast their types today.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
typographic foundry
Type foundry
A type foundry is a company that designs or distributes typefaces. Originally, type foundries manufactured and sold metal and wood typefaces and matrices for line-casting machines like the Linotype and Monotype machines designed to be printed on letterpress printers...
founded by David Stempel (1869–1927), in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Many important font
Font
In typography, a font is traditionally defined as a quantity of sorts composing a complete character set of a single size and style of a particular typeface...
designers worked for the Stempel foundry, including Hans Bohn
Hans Bohn
Hans Bohn was a German graphic artist and typographer. He developed the fonts Orplid, Mondial, Allegro, and the heavier weight of Kuenstler Script....
, Warren Chappell
Warren Chappell
Warren Chappell was an American illustrator, book and type designer, and author.-Education:...
, F. H. Ehmcke, Friedrich Heinrichsen, Hanns Th. Hoyer, F. W. Kleukens, Erich Meyer, Hans Möhring, Hiero Rhode, Wilhelm Schwerdtner, Herbert Thannhaeuser, Martin Wilke, Rudolf Wolf, Victor Hammer
Victor Hammer
Victor Karl Hammer , was an Austrian-born American painter, sculptor, printer, and typographer.-Early life and education:Hammer was born in Vienna, Austria to Karl and Maria Hammer...
, Hermann Zapf
Hermann Zapf
Hermann Zapf is a German typeface designer who lives in Darmstadt, Germany. He is married to calligrapher and typeface designer Gudrun Zapf von Hesse....
, and Gudrun Zapf von Hesse. With the introduction of Memphis in 1929, the foundry was the first to cast modern slab serif typefaces.
From 1900 to 1983, Stempel had an exclusive relationship with Mergenthaler Linotype Company, as one of just a few producers of matrices for the Linotype machine
Linotype machine
The Linotype typesetting machine is a "line casting" machine used in printing. The name of the machine comes from the fact that it produces an entire line of metal type at once, hence a line-o'-type, a significant improvement over manual typesetting....
worldwide and the only one in Europe. Starting in 1925, Stempel types were distributed in the United States by Continental Type Founders Association
Continental Type Founders Association
Continental Type Founders Association was founded by Melbert Brinckerhoff Cary Jr. in 1925 to distribute foundry type imported from European foundries. The influence of more modern European type design was thus felt in the United States for the first time, and American foundries responded by...
. Linotype AG became the majority stockholder in 1941. In 1977 Stempel begins manufacturing Phototypesetting equipment
Phototypesetting
Phototypesetting was a method of setting type, rendered obsolete with the popularity of the personal computer and desktop publishing software, that uses a photographic process to generate columns of type on a scroll of photographic paper...
.
In 1985, Linotype AG purchased Stempel's type department. Stempel closed down in 1986, donating all of its type and equipment to the Darmstadt University of Technology
Darmstadt University of Technology
The Technische Universität Darmstadt, abbreviated TU Darmstadt, is a university in the city of Darmstadt, Germany...
. Schriften-Service D. Stempel GmbH has possession of the matrices of Stempel, Haas
Haas Type Foundry
Haas Type Foundry was a Swiss manufacturer of foundry type. First the factory was located in Basel, in the 1920's they relocated to Münchenstein.-History:...
, Klingspor Bros., Deberny & Peignot
Deberny & Peignot
Deberny & Peignot was a French type foundry, created by the 1923 merger of Peignot foundry and the Laurent & Deberny foundry. It was bought by the Haas Type Foundry of Switzerland in 1972, which in turn was merged into D...
, Berthold, C.E. Webber, Fonderie Olive
Fonderie Olive
The Fonderie Olive, in English, Olive Foundry, was a small but high profile type foundry located in Marseilles, France. It is best known for the work of the typeface designer Roger Excoffon...
, and the Nebiolo foundry
Nebiolo Printech
Nebiolo Printech S.p.A. is a manufacturer of printing presses and paper and formerly a type foundry. Nebiolo & Co. was created when Giovanni Nebiolo bought out the type foundry of G. Narizzano in Turin, Italy in 1852. In 1908 the company merged with the Urania Company and operated under the name...
and continues to cast their types today.
Mergers and Acquisitions
- 1915: D. Stempel takes over the type foundry Roos & Junge, Offenbach (established in 1886).
- 1917: D. Stempel acquires a majority share of the type foundry Klingspor Bros., Offenbach.
- 1918: D. Stempel takes over the type foundry Heinrich Hoffmeister, Leipzig (established in 1898).
- 1919: D. Stempel acquires the type division of W. Drugulin, Leipzig (established in 1800) and a share of the type foundry Brötz & Glock, Frankfurt (established in 1892).
- 1927: D. Stempel acquires a shareholding in the Haas Type FoundryHaas Type FoundryHaas Type Foundry was a Swiss manufacturer of foundry type. First the factory was located in Basel, in the 1920's they relocated to Münchenstein.-History:...
in Basel/Münchenstein (established in 1790) and the two foundries begin to share matrices. - 1933: D. Stempel acquires a shareholding in the type foundry Benjamin Krebs (Successors), Frankfurt (established in 1816).
- 1956: D. Stempel AG acquires full ownership of the type foundry Klingspor Bros., Offenbach (established in 1906).
- 1963: Linotype takes over the type foundry Genzsch + Heyse, Hamburg (established 1833).
- 1970: Stempel takes over part of the type collection of C.E. Weber (Stuttgart, est. 1927).
- 1972: The Haas'sche type foundry in Basel/Münchenstein takes over the type foundry Deberny & PeignotDeberny & PeignotDeberny & Peignot was a French type foundry, created by the 1923 merger of Peignot foundry and the Laurent & Deberny foundry. It was bought by the Haas Type Foundry of Switzerland in 1972, which in turn was merged into D...
, Paris. - 1978: The Haas'sche type foundry takes over Fonderie OliveFonderie OliveThe Fonderie Olive, in English, Olive Foundry, was a small but high profile type foundry located in Marseilles, France. It is best known for the work of the typeface designer Roger Excoffon...
, Marseille (established in 1836).