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K - PUBLISHERS

A. Kagen   (1913-1916)
Boston, MA

Published view-cards of northeastern Massachusetts.

Kamigataya Ginza   (1920’s)
Tokyo, Japan

A publisher of picture books and postcards, founded by Yoshimura Kiyobei during the Taisho Era. They produced lithographic reproductions of famous japanese woodblock prints, especially of Yakusha Hagaki, those expressive portraits of actors. Some of these portraits were also made as real photo postcards.

Kansas Post Card Co.   (1908-)
Salina, KS

A publisher of postcards. Many of their early hand colored view-cards were manufactured in Germany.

Kardollette, Inc.   (1950’s)
New York, NY

Published continuous tone black & white view-cards of New York City. The graphics on their cards were not of high quality. These cards were printed in the United States.

Louis Kaufmann & Sons   (1911-1937)
Baltimore, MD

A publisher of regional view-cards capturing scenes from Virginia to Pennsylvania. They also printed postcards depicting Blacks and naval ships. These cards were printed both in color and in monotones through halftone lithography. Many of their images were contracted out to Curt Teich.

Kaufmann’s   1871-1946
Pittsburgh, PA

Founded by Edgar J. Kaufmann, Sr., this department store grew into a chain throughout the East coast. They were an early publisher of postcards beginning with private mailing cards in halftone lithography. In 1946 they were acquired by the May Company and subsequently changed hands and names a number of times.

August E. Kaulfuss   (1896-1909)
9 Farquhar Street, Penang, (Malaysia)

A photographer that began work in Silesia in 1876. By 1883 Kaulfuss moved emigrated from Frankfort to Peanang where he set up a studio. He published many of his views of Maylay as printed postcards in continuous tone lithography. These cards were manufactured in Germany.

A. Kayser   (1890’s)
Oakland, CA

Owner of the Oakland Journal newspaper. He published black & white pioneer cards consisting of eight sets of California scenes and one set depicting Yellowstone National Park. Additionally he published many advertising cards. Kayser is suspected of using stolen photographic images for his cards. The business was sold to Edward H. Mitchell in 1898.

Kent & Lacey   (1894-1911)
Eastbourne, England

Photographers William Hardy Kent and Seymour Lacy published their images of local views as printed postcards. These continuous toned color cards were printed in Germany.

Charles Kerry   1875-1928
308 George Street, Sydney, Australia

An important early photographer of Australia. He began his career working at the photo studio of A.H. Lamartiniere producing carte de visite portraits and some views around Sydney. His portrait work of Aborigines for the Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886 led to his appointment as the official photographer to the Governor of New South Wales in 1890. Kerry captured a number of rare views during the expeditions he was assigned to, and he is especially noted for his innovative photos of the Jenolan and Yarrangobilly caves. Kerry added a number of other photographers to his staff and by 1898 he had the largest studio in Australia. Many of his photographs were now being turned into black & white postcards printed as fine collotypes. Cards were also produced of the Great White Fleet when it arrived in Sydney in 1908. In 1913 he left this company in favor of his mining interests, though he still made two long trips to photograph the Islands of the Pacific and the Great Barrier Reef.

C. Kersten & Co.   1768-
Paramaribo, Suriname

Established in 1768 by Moravian missionary Christoph Kersten as a tailor shop. This business expanded into trading and merchandising and became an early publisher of very fine black & white and color lithographic postcards depicting local scenes and types.

Kilophot   (1914-1920)
Vienna, Austria

An important printer of fine lithographic cards in both continuous tone and halftone. Many cards were made depicting scenes from the First World War. They later printed postcards for artists of the Wiener Werkstätte such as Moriz Jung, Karl Schwetz, and Franz Susser.

Kingston Souvenir Co.   (1908-1925)
Kingston, New York

Published view-cards of the upper Hudson Valley in halftone lithography. Some of their cards have a large swastika on back in place of their normal trademark.

Fred Morgan Kirby   1887-1997
Wilkes-Barre, PA

A publisher and large retailer of postcard views of the American South and mid-Atlantic region. These cards were sold from their Five & Dimes stores which numbered 96 in 1912.

C. Kirsinger & Co.   (1909)
Santiago, Chile

Important publishers of black & white and continuous toned color viiew-cards of Chile. They also had branches in Valparaiso and Concepcion.

Kiser Photo Co.    1901-late 1920’s
Portland, OR

Fred H. Kiser is considered one of the most important photographers of the Pacific Northwest. Fred and his brother Oscar ran Kizer Brothers Photographers until Oscar’s death in 1905. Fred then moved to Glacier National Park for six years after being hired by the Great Northern Railway as an official photographer. Many of the photos taken here were turned into lithographically printed postcards. Kiser coined the phrase See America First in 1906 as part of the railroad’s publicity campaign. He founded the Scenic America Publishing Co. in 1914. Kiser was the first to create hand colored photos of Crater Lake, and became concessionaire there in 1921. Many of his photographs were turned into real photo postcards by the Sawyer Company. His business failed during the early years of the Great Depression and he moved to Los Angeles.

Jadu Kissen   (1910-1920’s)
Delhi, India

A photographer of views and types of India. He turned many of his images into black & white, monotone, and color halftone lithographic postcards. Kissen is best known for his Archeological series that captured archaic landmarks.

L. Klement   (1902-1916)
Frankfort, Germany

A publisher of art cards and view-cards including early Gruss aus. Many of these were printed as hand colored collotypes and in monotones.

Knackstedt & Nather   (1900-1907)
Hamburg, Germany and Nancy, France

An important printer of black & white, monochrome, and color postcards through the lichtdruck process. Many of their view-cards have elaborate drawn borders. They published cards depicting scenes in both Europe and America. They also produced printed stereo-view cards. The Rotograph Company used them to print many of their cards.

The Knapp Co.   1888-1929
New York, NY

Joseph F. Knapp started as an apprentice at the lithographers Savony & Major and by 1854 he had become a partner. The firm was renamed Savony, Major and Knapp, engravers, manufacturers, and lithographers three years later but by 1864 it was just Major & Knapp. As Joseph F. Knapp became more interested in the insurance business (he was a director of the Metropolitan Insurance Co.) his son Joseph Palmer took over more of the printing and by 1888 it became know as the Knapp Company. After his father’s death in 1891 Joseph P. Knapp took control of the business and a year later consolidated a Trust with the major lithographers of Donaldson Brothers of New York, F. Hepponheimer’s Sons of Jersey City, George Harris & Sons of Philadelphia, and the smaller New York printers of G. H. Buek & Co., Schumacker & Ettlinger, Witsch & Schmitt, and Lindner, Eddy & Clauss. Knapp became the first President of the new American Lithographic Company and they soon began expanding into publishing magazines, and a newspaper. His old Knapp Co. became the art publishing branch of the new firm in 1900 producing many posters, prints, and postcards. In 1929 they merged with U.S. Printing & Lithography to become Consolidated Graphics.

Knight Brothers, Ltd.   (1904-1908)
London, England

A publisher of chromolithographed and hand colored real photo postcards. Their cards were produced in series that included Truelove River, Mirror, Beautiful Britain, Royal Navy, Sweet Old Stories, Spirit of the Past, London Theatres, Tiny Mothers (children with dolls), British Views, Horses, Railway, Cavalry, and Greetings.

Knorr & Hirth   (1862-)
Munich, Bavaria

A large publishing house that began printing halftone lithographic postcards when they became popular.

Knott’s Berry Farm   1940-
Buena Park, CA

Walter Knott opened a roadside produce stand along State Route 139 in the 1920’s to sell the berries from his farm, which would latter included an unusual hybrid that he called the boysenberry. To help make ends meet in the Great Depression he and his wife established an eatery where boysenberry pie was a staple. As Route 139 became heavily trafficked and news spread of this wonderful pie, he had to find a way to placate the crowds now waiting to be seated. Walter gathered abandoned buildings from nearby ghost towns and by 1940 he had created a new one on his property for his customer�s amusement. Rides were later added to the ghost town and the site grew into a tourist destination known as Knott’s Berry Farm. As it became a regular business they began to publish many postcards of the attractions. By 1968 it had grown so large they added on an admission fee. In 1995 the jelly and jam portion of their business was sold off to ConAgra, and in 1997 Cedar Fair purchased the amusement park destroying many of the older rides to fit in modern thrill rides.

S.H. Knox & Co.   1884-1911
Buffalo, NY

Seymore Horrace Knox went into partnership with his cousin Frank Woolworth to open his first five & dime store in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1884. He continued to open more stores until he became the second largest chain in the United States. Knox is noted for opening the first five & dime in an urban setting, Detroit. As interest in postcards grew Knox not only became a major distributor of cards through his stores but a publisher as well. In 1911 his stores were incorporated into the F.W. Woolworth & Co. chain.

Hubert Kobler   (1908-1918)
Munich, Bavaria

Published lithographic artist signed cards on a variety of subjects including animals, military subjects, biblical stories, and views of Palestine.

Koch & Bitriol   (1900-1905)
Dresden, Saxony

Publishers of artist signed greeting cards in chromolithography as well as black & white view-cards, some of which were hand colored. Many of these cards were issued in series. They also produced many cards of actors and actresses. Adelbert Bitriol, who took the photographs for this company published postcards solely under his own name until at least 1908.

Louis Koch   (1890-1900)
Halberstadt, Germany

A photographer who began publishing black & white printed view-cards of Europe and Palestine from his work. Some of his more unique cards combine traditional chromolithography with photo reproduced collotypes. After moving to Bremen Koch became known for his images of ocean liners.

Paul C. Koeber Co. (PCK)   1900-1923
85 Franklin Street. New York, NY and Kirchheim, Germany

Published national view-cards and illustrations in chromolithography and in black & white. Much of their color work has a dark heavy feel to it because of the many thick layers of ink they used. In their later years they published postcards using halftones.

Joseph Koehler   1892-1911
150 Park Row, New York, NY

Founded as a printing firm, they later began publishing view-cards in both continuous tone and halftone lithography as well as real photo cards. They have been well known for their early hold to light cards, mechanicals, and exposition cards, ever since publishing an unofficial card set of the 1893 Columbian Exposition. All their postcards were printed in Berlin, Germany.

While most companies gave up the more expensive chromolithographic printing method in favor of the cheaper halftone process, Koehler had been a pioneer in halftone technology and returned to producing chromolithographs. These pieces have a very distinct style to them and are what Koehler is now best remembered for.

Koelling & Klappenbach   (1880’s-1906)
Chicago, IL

Publishers who began producing continuous tone postcards that were manufactured in Germany.

Herman Kohle   (1897)
New Brunswick, NJ

Published 16 different views of New York City and State as early Souvenir cards in halftone lithography with muted colors. Despite the small size of the image, the cards were printed too large to qualify for the penny rate under the new Private Mailing Card regulations of 1898. Because of this many cards were trimmed down often removing the publishers name, but they can be identified by their distinct linear border surrounding the picture. These cards were latter reissued with Christmas and New Year greetings printed on them in German and seperate set was made with Beardsley Shredded Codfish advertisements on their backs.

Hubert Kohler   (1901-1909)
Munich, Bavaria

An early publisher of high quality artist signed chromolithographic postcards. Many of these cards utilized metallic inks in their imagery. They produced many cards with scenes from fairy tales.

Kohn Brothers   (1901-1928)
Vienna, Austria

Important publishers of continuous tone and halftone lithographic postcards in black & white and color on a variety of subject matter. They produced many artist signed cards from such notables as Raphael Kirchner and Mela Koehler. Their cards are often only marked B.K.W.I.

Kokkei Shimbun   (1907-1909)
Tokyo, Japan

This satirical magazine published 30 color cut out postcards as inserts to 26 issues. They have cartoon jokes in the stamp box relating to the image on the front. Many of the images found on these unusual cards are very strange without an understandable narritive. Some cards have violent or erotic overtones while others just seem decorative.

Kolb Brothers Studio   1903-1976
Grand Canyon, AZ

Photographers of the Grand Canyon. They published many real photo and printed postcards from their work, including portraits of famous people posed at the canyon rim. They were known for seeking out unique vantage points to shoot from well beyond the range of the average visitor.

G. Kolff & Co.   (1852-1922)
Batavia (Jakarta), Java

Gualtherus Johannes Kolff moved to the Netherland Indies in 1850 and opened a bookshop at Batavia two years later. Soon after he began publishing various lithographic produts eventually including postcards. These cards included chromolithographic and monochrome images of local views and types. These cards gained a wide audience and Kolff later opened offices in Bandung and in Amsterdam.

J.C. Konig & Ebhardt, AG   (1914-1998)
Hannover, Germany

An important publisher of printed products including postcards. They printed banknotes for the Reichsbank between 1918 and 1923. In 1998 they were purchased by Printcom.

Koppel Color Cards   1960’s
Hawthorne, NJ

A major publisher and printer of photochrome postcards.

Kopper Kard Co.   1950’s-
Salt Lake City, UT

An engraving and embossing company. They are best known for their postcards made from copper dug out of the nearby open pit mine at Bingham Canyon. While these Kopper Kards are described as being engraved, the copper is actually only embossed and then folded over a paper card stock backing. They produced many images with Western themes but a whole range of other topics were captured on these cards as well. Since these cards were largely purchased for souvenirs rather than mailing, most are now difficult to date.

Kornsand & Co.   1893-
Frankfort, Germany

These book publishers were founded as Wusten and Kornsand in 1891, changing their name two years later. They later began to published postcards and continued through the First World War.

H. O. Korton   (1909-1919)
87 Frankfort Street, New York, NY

A publisher of a large number of view-cards depicting Long Island, New York. Many of these cards were hand colored.

Kosmos   (1890’s)
Budapest, Hungry

A publisher who created a variety of chromolithographic postcards with a limited pallet. They are known to have produced some hold to light cards and some very early view-cards of New York City. Kosmos also had an office in Munich where their cards may have been printed. Some cards may have also been produced in conjunction with Emil Storch in Vienna.

Kraemer Art Co.   (1908-1953)
Cincinnati, OH and Berlin, Germany

A publisher of sheet music, panoramic prints, and postcards. They produced view-cards in black & white, monochromes, and hand colored with a very discernible RGB pallet. Their cards were printed in Berlin, Germany.

Kraus Manufacturing Co.   (1912-1930)
220 W 42nd Street, New York, NY

A publisher of halftone lithographic view-cards and many cards related to the theater including vaudeville acts. These cards were printed in black & white, monotones, and some with color rolls. They are not of the best quality.

C. F. Theodore Kreh   1897-1898
New York, NY

Published 26 chromolithographic Souvenir cards of New York City in simple designs. Many of these images were latter reissued as private mailing cards.

S. H. Kress & Co.   1896-1981
Nanticoke, PA

A publisher and large distributor of postcards through their national chain of Five & Dime stores. They were purchased by Genesco in 1964 who slowly began shutting the business down.

E. C. Kropp Co.   1907-1956
Milwaukee, WI

A publisher and printer that began producing chromolithographic souvenir cards and private mailing cards in 1898 under the name Kropp. These cards were of much higher quality than those that would printed under the E.C. Kropp name.

They became the E.C. Kropp Company in 1907 and produced large numbers of national view-cards and other subjects. There latter linen cards had a noticibly fine grain. Sold to L.L. Cook in 1956 and they are now part of the GAF Corp. U.S.

Kummerley & Frey   1890’s-
Berne, Switzerland

This cartographic publisher founded by Hermann Kummerley has become renown for their well printed maps. But they also produced a number of fine lithographic postcards.

Kunzli Brothers & Co.   (1898-)
Zurich, Switzerland

Printers Carl and Max Kunzli are known for the high quality chromolithographs they produced. They published art cards, view-cards including early Gruss aus, hold to light cards, and greetings. They are well known for the series of dressed cats they printed for Alfred Mainzer.

The Kunzli Brothers also went into partnership with printers in other Countries to produce postcards. Kunzli Freres or just K.F. in Paris became an important printer of lithographic artist signed cards covering many subjects. Many of these postcards were published in series. They are noted for a set depicting the Russo-Japanese War after the fact, and the glamour cards of Angelo Asti. Another related establishment, Kunzli Hermanos y Cia, was set up in Barcelona, Spain in 1914.

Josef Kuss    (1932-1972)
Mariazell, Austria

A photographer who published many real photo view-cards of local scenes. Many of these images have strong bold compositions. His shop later became known as Foto Kuss.

Kutzner & Berger   (1898-1900)
Berlin, Germany

Published a variety of fine cards from international views to maritime scenes in chromolithography. Produced many artist signed cards by Willy Stower depicting the German Navy.

Adolfo Kwasny   (1907-1908)
Punta Arenas, Chile

A publisher of black & white and dutone view-cards.