Topic: Leerdam catalogues online

[Jay]

For readers who are interested in Dutch Glass factories, we announce the first factory documents to be published on our website.

We have already posted the 1917 catalogue of designs by KPC de Bazel, and the important 1932 catalogue 'GL', and we'll be adding several very important documents over the coming weeks.

If anybody is interested in exchanging material about Leerdam and Maastricht then we are now in a position to offer swaps from our almost complete collection.

www.hogelandshoeve.nl

[langhaugh]

Thank you for what must be a labour of love. A great resource which I hadn't come across before. I'll be using it.

David

[Lustrousstone]

Seconded, thank you Jay and Han. There is some lovely engraving in one of the catalogues

[Jay]

Thanks both.

And I have to agree that the 1917 and 1918 catalogues for de Bazel and de Lorm are particularly beautifully engraved.
This is the beginning of the 'industrial art' period in Holland ('kunstnijverheid'). The creative forces in the glass factory comprised people who had trained in typography, graphics and architecture, as well as in glass design.

This first attempt at 'designer glass' shows most strongly the 'arts and crafts' ethic with the 'hand-printed' feel of the covers.
The paper is thin and fine, the sort of thing you might find in book of original engravings, and the quality of the plates is honoured by the quality of the printing.
The customer almost has the feeling that the catalogue comes from a small art exhibition, rather than an industrial producer.

When Leerdam's most-famous son, AD Copier came into his first real job at the factory (1919) this was the 'state of mind' as well as 'state of the art'.

[Sue C]

Well done Jay and Han ! i will make great use of this, when are you going to write a book ? 

[Lustrousstone]

I agree Jay, but I actually meant the engraved glass - can't remember which catalogue it was now

[Jay]

The website IS the book! ;-)
(We don't believe in 'holding back'!)

It's not commercially viable for publishing in English (?) and the Dutch publishers who tried have mostly lost money! (Not enough people in the country)

As you say, it's a labour of love, and therefore we hope to build a bit more 'international reputation' for this material.

At the moment we get very little attention from the 'mainstream' glass sites/collectors, so if there's anybody who would like to exchange links... we'd like to extend our network!

[David E]

No problem: links now on GlassyEye.com

Thanks for an excellent resource!  :hiclp:

[Pip]

Jay, sadly my webmaster doesn't allow reciprocal links (non-reciprocal only) however I would be more than happy to make a small financial contribution to help towards your project if you would accept it?

[Jay]

Sorry I didn't notice such a generous reply!

I'm not able to accept donations, but I hope that it will encourage the museum (Nationaal Glas Museum) to hurry up with publishing its (more complete) collection and finally putting an end to the secrecy!