THE PRINTING COMPANY HISTORY FROM 1851 TO THE PRESENT DAY THE PRINTING COMPANY HISTORY FROM 1851 TO THE PRESENT DAY CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION Habent sua fata libelli. The Latin saying was born before Gutenberg. However, it is not only books that have their own fate, but also printing workshops. The 165 years of life of our printing company also speaks about it in the following pages. I have worked for this prestigious The company previously operated only institution for 24 years, the history of which in Hungary but now it delivers its products was synonymous with the development of to many countries of the world because the state administration, professionalism of the competitive technology and unique and the latest technologies. I am proud security elements we can offer, not to that the first Hungarian stamp printed in mention the innovative work culture, which, our country and a number of important as you will see in the book, look back over documents were produced here, and now, a hundred years. in addition to many novelties that were unimaginable at that time, the product I am pleased and proud to commend to portfolio designed in the early 1900s your attention the history of our company, is complete once again. We are able to because it demonstrates how you can keep produce passports, the most up-to-date up with the rapidly developing world, while electronic identity cards, and billions of preserving respect for and commitment tax stamps as well as deliver hundreds to art and the changed Gutenberg Galaxy of millions of other security forms. as well. Dr Ákos Erdős, Chairman November 2016 THE BEGINNING The legal predecessors of ANY Security Printing Company were established to satisfy the administrative needs of the Habsburg Empire and then the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. The centuries-old history of the printing and notices, as well as the newspapers of the K.u.K. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei. house began in the mid-19th century, when of Serbian Vojvodina and Banat of Temes. After the Compromise of 1870, the printing the branches of the Viennese State Printing The printing house began to operate house was moved to Buda in order to satisfy House, the Kaiserlich-Königliche Hof- und at the beginning of 1851, largely with similar needs in Hungary. The transfer of Staatsdruckerei were established, one after the machines and skilled staff provided the machinery and equipment from Timisoara the other, by a resolution of the Imperial by the parent company. The first head of was carried out under the direction of Ministry of Finance on 9 June 1850, the Timisoara branch printing was Vazul Zawadowsky, who remained the manager including the Timisoara Subsidiary, in Zawadowsky, who was entrusted with of the printing house thereafter as well. order to produce the administrative forms management by Alois Aurer, director 5 Map of Greater Hungary, 1895, 1897 (on the next page) 8 Alois Auer The Kaiserlich-Königlichen Hof- und Staatsdruckerei was founded in 1801 in Vienna. The printing company became decisive in 1841 when its direction was entrusted to Alois Auer, a printer with excellent professional education, a creative mind and unparalleled working ability, who was also recognised by the government for his accomplishments. Around 1850, the company was already mentioned among the world’s first reproduction workshops with Security printing more than 800 employees at the time. During the development of the printing The protection against counterfeiting required house, Auer had the fonts remoulded the newest tools in each case meeting according to the font size system developed the technical standards of the particular by him, adapting to the needs of the multi- age. Moreover, it was important confidential ethnic state, significantly increased the number work for designers and printers, which they of type families and modernised printing, too. performed with an innovative knowledge. He also introduced a series of new procedures: In addition to paper with specific characteristics, chemitype, chalcography, siderography, special printing processes were also used galvanography, photography, heliography, for the production of securities and documents and various methods of lithography. besides the different modes of the more widespread intaglio printing, letterpress printing and lithography. Nature printing or physiotypy developed and patented by Alois Auer (No. 7698, 1852, 10, 12), the director of the Viennese State Printing House was considered an interesting and special process even in Hungarian context. During the process, objects from nature were pressed into a soft lead plate using a copper plate. The lead impression contained even the finest pattern of the original object. If a greater number of copies were needed, galvanic copies were made from the impression. Gutta-percha copies were made from pressure sensitive objects, and then the copies were pressed and made suitable for galvanising by coating with a silver-containing solution. The method was also used for the production of the first Hungarian fee stamp series. The unique pattern of the venation of leaves of the background print of the stamp pictures was taken from real leaves using the nature- printing process. The background of the stamps was printed by letterpress printing from the stereotype produced using the galvanic copies made from them. The Kreutzer and forint denominations were made with different pattern of venation. The middle graphic engraving different by denominations was put on the stamp sheet by intaglio printing. Watermarked paper was used for printing. Austrian and Hungarian made fee stamps with Nature printing various nature printing background prints (on the next page) 9 THE CADASTRAL LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING HOUSE INSTITUTE AND THE STATE PRINTING HOUSE Department 10 of the Ministry of Finance called “Permanent Cadastral Surveying Works” began its work on 17 February 1867. It was responsible for copying maps, as well as for the management of the creation of the land tax register. The ministerial document No. 1868/50618, the Hungarian government considered it started its operations at Nándor (today on the foundation of a Hungarian printing necessary to produce its administrative and Kapisztrán) Square, in the Buda Castle, plant, was issued on 25 September 1868. financial forms in its own state printing house. in the government district. The manager Land surveyor engineer Norbert Bauer The institution was established by was Vazul Zawadowski, who was helped was in charge of the management of the decree of the Ministry of Finance by a supervisor, a clerk and an attendant the Hungarian Royal Cadastral No. 68.825 on 12 January 1869, following as state officials and 41 typographers. Lithographic orienting House Institute the Viennese model and using the equipment The budget allocated an extraordinary fund housed in the Buda Castle, in which and the fonts of the Timisoara branch, under for the reconstruction of the building and 16 state employees and 3 cartographers the supervision of the Ministry of Finance. the modernisation of the printing house were employed. From the very beginning, The Hungarian Royal State Printing House between 1869 and 1871. Map of Budapest THE HUNGARIAN ROYAL STATE PRINTING HOUSE The merger of the printing houses and the launch of the operation of the higher-capacity State Printing House did not wait long, since, in compliance with the Compromise principles, the Ministry of Finance wanted to draw into its competence the issue of fee stamps as well. Norbert Bauer, director of the Cadastral in Vienna in July 1869, and the chemist designed the first postage stamps Lithographic Printing House discussed József Harrer was trained for and forms with impressed stamps the transfer of the machines necessary the technology of stamp production. manufactured in Hungary, was also for stamp production at Staatsdruckerei Engraver János Uchrein, who later employed at that time. Illustration pictures for elementary education Government orders sometimes provided an opportunity for representative publications that were valuable even in terms of book art. For example, in 1878, the volume entitled “Illustration Pictures for First-Year Elementary Education” with huge colourful lithographs was produced on instructions from the Ministry of Education as a school aid, with the participation of famous painters of the time: Mór Than, János Greguss and others The merger of the Cadastral Lithographic here. The State Printing House dealt with Printing House into the State Printing all of the printing processes, so the staff House was ordered on 9 March 1870 by working here had to be proficient in all the Minister of Finance in his document areas of the printing profession. Norbert “with immediate effect”. However, it Bauer was appointed acting director, while actually took place on 1 May; the document Zawadowski, who resettled from Timisoara also granted permission to the Company to to Buda, took part in management as a chief improve its equipment and to recruit and foreman from 29 March 1872. Imre Péchy became known beyond the borders of the country primarily for his mapping studies, train personnel. The State Printing House gained professional relief maps and in recognition of his work. He The State Printing House announced recognition and reputation at home and was elected member of the Paris Académie a competition for 20 technical jobs. abroad during the quarter of a century long Nationale and was awarded the Order of Iron The State Printing House, expanded management of Imre