Sandor Singer and Jozsef Wolfner founded Singer and Wolfner Book Publisher and Bookstore in 1885. It was one of the largest and most successful of Hungarian publishers.
Contents
History
During the decades following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, and as a result of economic developments, limited liability publishing companies began to be formed. These became the business model for book and paper publishing in Hungary due to easier access to larger investment capital than the existing smaller businesses. The Singer and Wolfner publishing company was formed in 1885. Its founding members were Sandor Singer, and Jozsef Wolfner, who assumed the role of CEO. They changed their firm into the form of a limited liability company in 1923. Starting in 1943 it began to function as Uj idoek Irodalmi Intézet Részvénytarsasag (New Times Literary Institute Ltd. Liability Co.) based on the model of the German Engelhorn example.
Their Work
The success of the company was due primarily to its concentration on child- and youth-literature, as well as their focus on the literary preferences of the middle classes and their production of cheap and popular books in large quantities. They developed the Egyetemes Regénytar (University Novel Collection) as the result of their recognition of the reading public’s desire for literature that entertained. During these times, in addition to the development of old writers, many new talents were cultivated. As a result, Singer and Wolfner became the publisher of young writers, for example Ferenc Herczeg, Géza Gárdonyi, Sandor Brody, Zoltan Ambrus, Ignotus and Viktor Rakosi. The firm published a significant portion of the works of the emerging young authors in the 1890s.
The Arts
Singer and Wolfner regarded as expressly important the value of the fine arts in publishing and for this reason emphasized well-prepared illustrations for carefully arranged articles. Some title pages and illustrations gave some publications practically an artistic value. After the death of Jozsef Wolfner in 1932, his son, István Farkas, took over the reins of the publishing house. In addition to his work in the company, he painted as well and as a result, the artistic aspect of publishing assumed an increasingly important role. Most of the covers, title pages and ex libris decorations were planned and drawn for the firm by Hellmann Mosonyi-Pfeiffer.
The business
Around the beginning of the Twentieth century, modern and high-class bookstores began to appear in Hungary. When Singer and Wolfner’s bookstore opened on the Andrassy road, the firm had been in business for almost 26 years and established itself as a major force in publishing. As a result, it had a significant advantage over the newly established stores. Singer and Wolfner publishers had moved to 16 Andrassy Rd. in 1912. The store was on the main floor which, according to contemporary sources, was the most beautiful and modern one anywhere in the (Austro-Hungarian) Monarchy.
The editorial offices, located above the bookstore, was where the popular weekly magazines, En Ujsagom (My Newspaper) and Magyar Lanyok (Hungarian Girls) were published. The interior of the business, the furniture, the giant bronze chandeliers, the painting, the displays and the facades were planned by Géza Maróti, a sculptor. The woodwork was the work of Joseph Kiss, a carpenter. The storage shelves stretched from floor to ceiling and the many outstanding creations were surprisingly well organized and easily observable.
Publications
Periodicals
Hungarian girls and My Newspaper
Two weekly papers started up for children and youths:
Things of Interest
Joseph Wolfner was called ‘uncle Pepi’ in literary circles. He was an ecellent tarot player, which he proved, too, at card parties at Kálmán Mikszáth’s.