THE EPHEMERA OF BUSINESS

Commercial lithography in Wisconsin centered around Milwaukee area where it began in 1852 when Henry Seifert established a plant. Seifert would soon be joined by the Guglers and Jacob Knauber, as the early lithographers of Milwaukee . Jacob Knauber (1846-1905) headed the firm of J. Knauber Lithographing Company from 1867 until his death. Knauber was born in Heidelburg Germany in 1846 and died in Milwaukee in 1905. He became a lithographer and engraver in Milwaukee heading his own firm J. Knauber Lithographing Company from 1867 until his death. He was apprenticed to a lithographer in St Louis at the age of 15. The firm would be incorporated in 1888. Knauber had three sons who also worked at the firm, Arthur, Walter and Richard.

Similar to the UK billheads advertising the royal warrants, many US billheads advertised the number and type of exposition medals the company won. Exposition officials rewarded participants and exhibit winners with elaborately engraved commemorative certificates, diplomas, or award medals. These exposition award medals were big and beautifully designed works of art, like art medals. They were executed upon a design prepared under the Departments of Fine Art. Award medals are often inscribed to recipients, in effect creating a unique medal. The medals were made many times of bronze metal. These award medals were a big deal. They were chosen from hundreds and many times thousands of US and foreign exhibitors. Medal award winners took pride and general satisfaction in their awards. They often printed a copy of their medal on their flyers and advertising media if they had a commercial product. Check out www .expomedals.com for more information. I have placed some examples below.