J. M. Bundscho, Advertising Typographers & Design, was a large trade typesetting
company in Chicago. Rick vonHolt sent me these pictures of Bundscho which were
taken in 1928.
Rick says, "I obtained these from the late Cliff Helbert, who used to be the Dean
of the Journalism Department ar Marquette University in Milwaukee and was an
amateur letterpress printer as well.
"There is a calendar in one of the photos that indicates that the day that the shot was taken was December 19, 1928. I assume that these were all taken for some sort of promotional purposes. I have no information about the photos other than the images themselves, but I will attempt to interject some commentary here. I actually did work with several of the leading typography shops in San Francisco in the 1970s, and I'll just make some comments / observations about this group of pictures."
"There is a calendar in one of the photos that indicates that the day that the shot was taken was December 19, 1928. I assume that these were all taken for some sort of promotional purposes. I have no information about the photos other than the images themselves, but I will attempt to interject some commentary here. I actually did work with several of the leading typography shops in San Francisco in the 1970s, and I'll just make some comments / observations about this group of pictures."
Outside of the building in 1928. Bundscho appears to have occupied the third floor because
their lettering can be seen on those windows. I am actually shocked that this looks like such a
crappy neighborhood in 1928! Look at the crap along the sidewalk and in the alleyway. It
doesn't look as though anyone is occupying the main street level space. My guess is that
much of the company was actually located on the lower levels of this building.
Hallway leading to the reception area.
Reception area. Note the seated guy is wearing spats!
View from operator/receptionist's side of the window. Before I go on, note the total lack
of pictures or decoration in all of these spaces. Really drab and somewhat depressing
looking.
Office space
Lettering artist at work. Note the bare lightbulb.
Executive office. The only one with a framed picture!
Executive conference room
Clerical office
Coat room. I love the fedoras and overcoats.
Men's restroom. Note the extension cord on the floor. I assume it was for the
floodlights for this picture.
It looks as though they are either proofing or marking up copy and layouts.
Looks like locked-up forms ready to ship. These could have been sent directly to
printers or perhaps were sent out to have stereos cast? [maybe electros?]
Another look at this area, and there is that calendar that establishes the date.
Hand-composition area with proof press.
Make-up area.
Looks like the distribution area. Old forms have been placed there according to
their face.
Saws and trimmers. Looks as if this area was enclosed to keep the noise and dust
out of the other areas.
Looks like a make-up area.
Other side of the windows from the previous photo.
Monotype casters.
Monotype keyboards and matrices.
Printing department.
Delivery desk. Note tubes for proofs and labels, etc., and the delivery boys ready to
run things to the ad agencies and printers.
A paper cutter.
Cut storage area (also see next photo).
Retrieving a cut to be used for an ad.
Remelting furnace.
Proofreader (?).
Doing lock-up.
Hand composition.
Taking information over the telephone.
Sawing.
No clue!
Sticking type.