Date of use : 1921 Czechoslovakia
Wilhelm Winkler & NPG: Photography in Early 1900s
Wilhelm Winkler was a photographer active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He operated in the town of Wallern, now known as Volary, in the Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. Wilhelm Winkler's photography studio offered popular portrait and studio photography services in the region during that time. Winkler's work consisted primarily of studio portraits of individuals and families. These photographs reflect the techniques and aesthetic sensibilities of his era and provide significant insights into the social and cultural life of the region. Today, Wilhelm Winkler's photographs are valuable resources for historical and cultural studies.
Neues Photographisches Gesellschaft (NPG) was a significant photography company operating in Germany in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The company was founded in 1894 by Arthur Schwarz (1862-1944) in Berlin and quickly became one of the world's largest photographic production and publishing firms. NPG was established in 1894 and grew rapidly. The company became known for producing high-quality photographic prints and postcards.
NPG pioneered many innovations in photographic printing technologies, particularly in bromide printing and photochrome printing techniques. These techniques allowed for sharper and more durable prints. NPG had a significant market share not only in Germany but also worldwide. Their products were in demand across Europe, America, and Asia. Neues Photographisches Gesellschaft went bankrupt in 1921 due to the economic hardships and disruptions caused by World War I. Later, they were taken over by the Mimosa company and continued their activities until 1948.
📜✍️
REVERSE SIDE - HANDWRITTEN MESSAGE & NPG PRINTING (TRANSLATION)
German → English
📝 Handwritten message (original German):
"Lieber Freund!
Sende mir bald einige Abzüge von den Aufnahmen, die wir zusammen gemacht haben. Besonders die von der Gruppenaufnahme würde mich sehr freuen. Ich brauche sie für mein Familienalbum.
Auch möchte ich dich fragen, ob du mir noch 50 Stück Visitenkarten von meinem letzten Portrait machen kannst. Die Qualität war ausgezeichnet.
Hoffentlich geht es dir gut. Grüsse deine Familie von mir.
Dein [signature]"
Sende mir bald einige Abzüge von den Aufnahmen, die wir zusammen gemacht haben. Besonders die von der Gruppenaufnahme würde mich sehr freuen. Ich brauche sie für mein Familienalbum.
Auch möchte ich dich fragen, ob du mir noch 50 Stück Visitenkarten von meinem letzten Portrait machen kannst. Die Qualität war ausgezeichnet.
Hoffentlich geht es dir gut. Grüsse deine Familie von mir.
Dein [signature]"
📖 English translation:
"Dear friend!
Send me soon some prints of the photographs we took together. I would be especially pleased with the group photo. I need them for my family album.
I would also like to ask you if you could make me 50 more visiting cards from my last portrait. The quality was excellent.
Hopefully you are doing well. Give my regards to your family.
Yours, [signature]"
🏷️ Printed NPG backing (original German):
"Neues Photographisches Gesellschaft A.-G.
Berlin SO 36, Dresdner Str. 1
Filiale: Dresden, Prager Str. 16
Bromid-Vergrößerungen
Photochromie"
Berlin SO 36, Dresdner Str. 1
Filiale: Dresden, Prager Str. 16
Bromid-Vergrößerungen
Photochromie"
📖 English translation:
"New Photographic Society, Inc.
Berlin SO 36, Dresdner Straße 1
Branch: Dresden, Prager Straße 16
Bromide Enlargements
Photochrome"
🔬 Technical Notes: Bromide enlargements offered sharper, more durable prints. Photochrome was a colorized printing technique. NPG went bankrupt in 1921 after WWI, later taken over by Mimosa until 1948.
Record Information
Title: Wilhelm Winkler & NPG: Photography in Early 1900s
Category: Photographic Studio History / Printing Technology
Subcategory: Portrait Photography / Early 20th Century Publishing
Country: Czechoslovakia (Studio: Volary) ↔ Germany (NPG: Berlin/Dresden)
🗺️ Show Route
City: Volary (Wallern) / Berlin / Dresden
Date: c. 1921
Photographer: Wilhelm Winkler, active in Volary, Bohemia
Company: Neues Photographisches Gesellschaft (NPG), founded 1894 by Arthur Schwarz, Berlin
Object Type: Studio portrait photograph with handwritten message and printed backing
Trade Route 🏭🚂🐴 (Estimated Route): NPG (Berlin/Dresden) → Volary, Czechoslovakia (Photographic paper supply)
Estimated Transport Time: 3-5 days (railway + local horse-drawn cart)
Printing Techniques: Bromide printing / Photochrome techniques
Language: German
Material: Photographic paper with printed backing
Dimensions: Standard cabinet card / postcard format
Collection Theme: Central European studio photography, German photographic publishing, early 20th century printing technology
Archival Significance: This item documents the intersection of local studio photography in Bohemia with NPG's publishing operations in Berlin. The handwritten message reveals a personal friendship and a request for additional prints and visiting cards. The NPG backing provides insight into commercial networks that distributed photographic supplies across Europe.
Research Note:
This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.
This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
For academic reference, please refer to How to Cite This Archive.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
For academic reference, please refer to How to Cite This Archive.
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