Albatross was founded in 1932 by John Holroyd-Reece, Max Christian Wegner and Kurt Enoch.[1][2] The name was chosen because albatross is the same word in many European languages. Based on the example of Tauchnitz, a Leipzig publishing firm that had been producing inexpensive and paper-bound English-language reprints for the continental market, Albatross set out to streamline and modernize the paperback format.
The books in the series were produced with a layout designed by Giovanni Mardersteig, then art director at the Mondadori Italian publishing house,[3] including a new standard size, 181 x 111 mm, which approximated the aesthetically pleasing proportions known as the Golden Ratio.[4] They used new sans-serif fonts developed by Stanley Morison among others, and were color-coded by genre, with green for travel, orange for fiction, and so on.[5] The series was so successful that Albatross soon purchased Tauchnitz, giving itself an instant 100-year heritage.[6]
Albatross Books launched two book series, the Albatross Crime Club and the Albatross Mystery Club.[7]
The outbreak of World War II brought the Albatross experiment to a halt, but by then Allen Lane had adopted many of Albatross' ideas, including the standard size, the idea of covers using typography and logo but no illustrations, and the use of color coding by type of content, for Penguin Books. Lane later hired Kurt Enoch, co-founder of Albatross Books, to manage Penguin's American branch.
The Albatross series inspired similar series in other countries as well, such as the Salamander series (Querido) in the Netherlands.
Referencesedit
^Fallowell, Duncan (2017-05-13). "The books the Nazis didn't burn". review. The Spectator. Retrieved 2019-12-17. The German-registered Albatross Press was a significant 20th-century publisher; so why have we barely heard of it?
^Troy, Michele K. (2011). "Behind the Scenes at the Albatross Press: A Modern Press for Modern Times". In Spiers, J. (ed.). The Culture of the Publisher's Series, Volume One. London: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 202. doi:10.1057/9780230299368. ISBN978-0-230-29936-8. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
^Grace Lees-Maffei, ed., Iconic Designs: 50 Stories about 50 Things, Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 2017, p. 77. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
^ Rego Barry, Rebecca (2017-04-03). "The Surprising History of Penguin Predecessor, the Albatross Press". Fine Books & Collections. Chapel Hill, NC: OP Media, LLC. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
^ "jojoal" (2017-06-13). "Aldous Huxley in Tauchnitz and Albatross – Part 2". Paperback Revolution. (blog). Retrieved 2019-12-17.
^ "Albatross". Tauchnitz Editions. (blog). 13 June 2017. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
Further readingedit
Lise Jaillant, Cheap Modernism: Expanding Markets, Publishers' Series and the Avant-Garde, Edinburgh University Press, 2017.
Alistair McCleery, "Tauchnitz and Albatross: A 'Community of Interests' in English-Language Paperback Publishing, 1934–51", in: The Library, Volume 7, Issue 3, 1 September 2006, pp. 297–316.
Nicole Matthews and Nickianne Moody, eds., Judging a Book by Its Cover: Fans, Publishers, Designers, and the Marketing of Fiction. Aldershot, Hampshire, Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2007.
Michele K. Troy, "Behind the Scenes at the Albatross Press: A Modern Press for Modern Times", in: John Spiers, ed., The Culture of the Publisher’s Series, Volume One: Authors, Publishers and Taste, Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.
Michele K. Troy, Bird: The Albatross Press and the Third Reich. Yale University Press, 2017.
External linksedit
Albatross Modern Continental Library - Book Series Checklist, publishinghistory.com.
Strange Bird: The Albatross Press and the Third Reich – Michele K. Troy discusses the Albatross Press and Kurt Enoch at the Library of Congress.
Insights: The Rare Albatross Paperbacks, at collectingchristie.com
January 11, 2024
albatross, books, german, publishing, house, based, hamburg, that, produced, first, modern, mass, market, paperback, books, founded1932founderjohn, holroyd, reece, christian, wegner, kurt, enochcountry, origingermanyheadquarters, locationhamburgfiction, genres. Albatross Books was a German publishing house based in Hamburg that produced the first modern mass market paperback books Albatross BooksFounded1932FounderJohn Holroyd Reece Max Christian Wegner and Kurt EnochCountry of originGermanyHeadquarters locationHamburgFiction genresMass market paperbacksImprintsTauchnitzAlbatross was founded in 1932 by John Holroyd Reece Max Christian Wegner and Kurt Enoch 1 2 The name was chosen because albatross is the same word in many European languages Based on the example of Tauchnitz a Leipzig publishing firm that had been producing inexpensive and paper bound English language reprints for the continental market Albatross set out to streamline and modernize the paperback format The books in the series were produced with a layout designed by Giovanni Mardersteig then art director at the Mondadori Italian publishing house 3 including a new standard size 181 x 111 mm which approximated the aesthetically pleasing proportions known as the Golden Ratio 4 They used new sans serif fonts developed by Stanley Morison among others and were color coded by genre with green for travel orange for fiction and so on 5 The series was so successful that Albatross soon purchased Tauchnitz giving itself an instant 100 year heritage 6 Albatross Books launched two book series the Albatross Crime Club and the Albatross Mystery Club 7 The outbreak of World War II brought the Albatross experiment to a halt but by then Allen Lane had adopted many of Albatross ideas including the standard size the idea of covers using typography and logo but no illustrations and the use of color coding by type of content for Penguin Books Lane later hired Kurt Enoch co founder of Albatross Books to manage Penguin s American branch The Albatross series inspired similar series in other countries as well such as the Salamander series Querido in the Netherlands References edit Fallowell Duncan 2017 05 13 The books the Nazis didn t burn review The Spectator Retrieved 2019 12 17 The German registered Albatross Press was a significant 20th century publisher so why have we barely heard of it Troy Michele K 2011 Behind the Scenes at the Albatross Press A Modern Press for Modern Times In Spiers J ed The Culture of the Publisher s Series Volume One London Palgrave Macmillan p 202 doi 10 1057 9780230299368 ISBN 978 0 230 29936 8 Retrieved 2019 12 17 Grace Lees Maffei ed Iconic Designs 50 Stories about 50 Things Bloomsbury Visual Arts 2017 p 77 Retrieved 30 January 2022 Troy Michele K Wilson Nicola ed Albatross Modernist Archives Publishing Project Retrieved 2019 12 17 Rego Barry Rebecca 2017 04 03 The Surprising History of Penguin Predecessor the Albatross Press Fine Books amp Collections Chapel Hill NC OP Media LLC Retrieved 2019 12 17 jojoal 2017 06 13 Aldous Huxley in Tauchnitz and Albatross Part 2 Paperback Revolution blog Retrieved 2019 12 17 Albatross Tauchnitz Editions blog 13 June 2017 Retrieved 2019 12 17 Further reading editLise Jaillant Cheap Modernism Expanding Markets Publishers Series and the Avant Garde Edinburgh University Press 2017 Alistair McCleery Tauchnitz and Albatross A Community of Interests in English Language Paperback Publishing 1934 51 in The Library Volume 7 Issue 3 1 September 2006 pp 297 316 Nicole Matthews and Nickianne Moody eds Judging a Book by Its Cover Fans Publishers Designers and the Marketing of Fiction Aldershot Hampshire Ashgate Publishing Limited 2007 Michele K Troy Behind the Scenes at the Albatross Press A Modern Press for Modern Times in John Spiers ed The Culture of the Publisher s Series Volume One Authors Publishers and Taste Palgrave Macmillan 2011 Michele K Troy Bird The Albatross Press and the Third Reich Yale University Press 2017 External links editAlbatross Modern Continental Library Book Series Checklist publishinghistory com Strange Bird The Albatross Press and the Third Reich Michele K Troy discusses the Albatross Press and Kurt Enoch at the Library of Congress Insights The Rare Albatross Paperbacks at collectingchristie com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Albatross Books amp oldid 1149848402, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
