J. Steinbrener

J. Steinbrener is a bookbinding and publishing company based in Schärding, Upper Austria. It was founded in 1855 by Johann Steinbrener in Winterberg, Bohemia (now Vimperk, Czech Republic), and grew into an export-oriented industrial enterprise that produced prayer books, calendars and fine bindings for markets across the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and beyond. After the Second World War the family was expelled from Czechoslovakia and re-established the business in Schärding, Austria, from 1946 onwards. Today the company operates as a specialist workshop for book gold edges (all kinds of edge decoration) and leather special bindings. Its core output includes full-leather bindings for non-fiction works in all fields of knowledge, with artistic cover gilding and three-sided gold edges. The firm also runs its own publishing department, producing pocket prayer books in various bindings; its title "Preiset den Herrn" is bought especially for confirmations. A sales shop offers finished stationery from its own production as well as personalised custom-made items. The company remains family-owned and is now in its sixth generation of Steinbrener family ownership. It is one of the oldest continuously operating bookbinding businesses in Austria and is known for combining traditional hand craftsmanship with modern automated production for gold and colour edges.

J. Steinbrener was founded in 1855 by Johann Steinbrener (17 July 1835 – 1909) in Winterberg, Bohemia (now Vimperk, Czech Republic). He opened his book printing workshop with a small shop in the house "Zum Elefanten" (No. 3) on the lane leading from the market square down to the Volyňka river. After a major fire in 1861 he rebuilt the house and acquired neighbouring properties (Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5 and others), expanding his printing operation. He bought machines and in 1872 built a new factory on the bank of the Volyňka. Over time Steinbrener became wealthy and engaged strongly in his hometown, taking on public functions, building houses for his employees, founding a social institution for children and a home for pensioners. His books won multiple awards at exhibitions and fairs. He participated in the 1873 World Exhibition in Vienna, where he established contacts to America. By around 1900 the publishing house issued more than 500 editions in German, Hungarian, Czech, Polish, Italian, French, English, Croatian, Slovenian and Slovak, distributed throughout all crown lands of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, in Germany, Italy, England, Ireland, Switzerland, Russia, and North and South America. The book and art printing works, with 15 large machines, printed not only prayer books but also 800,000 popular calendars in all languages of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. For the production of prayer book covers there was a bookbinding goods factory with 400 workers, a painting and decoration studio, a bronze goods factory with gold beating, a studio for bone and ivory work, a celluloid and mother-of-pearl grinding shop, and a large embossing establishment. The Steinbrener patriotic popular calendars were widely circulated in all crown lands of the Dual Monarchy and around 1900 formed an important branch of popular literature. The "Soldatenfreund" (Soldier's Friend) appeared annually in 100,000 copies in German, Hungarian, Czech and Polish. The founder Johann Steinbrener received multiple honours, and a street in Winterberg was named after him. A memorial plaque was erected on house No. 3 in 1935 for his 100th birthday, renewed in 1992 in Czech and German. The family business was successfully passed on through the generations. His sons Johann (born 1863) and Ruprecht (born 1866) became partners from 1905 and were even appointed k.u.k. court book printers. After the end of the Second World War the owners and their families were expelled from Czechoslovakia and settled in Austria, where from 1946 they rebuilt the company step by step in Schärding. Since 1931 the Steinbrener family has also owned Schloss Katzenberg (Kirchdorf am Inn). Today the company operates as a specialist business for the production of book gold edges (all kinds of edge decoration) and leather special bindings. These primarily involve the production of full-leather bindings for non-fiction works in all fields of knowledge with artistic cover gilding and three-sided gold edges. The in-house publishing department produces pocket prayer books in various bindings; the book "Preiset den Herrn" is bought especially for confirmations.

• 1992

  The memorial plaque is renewed in Czech and German.

• 1946

  After expulsion from Czechoslovakia, the family rebuilds the company in Schärding, Austria.

• 1935

  A memorial plaque is erected on house No. 3 for the founder's 100th birthday.

• 1931

  The Steinbrener family acquires Schloss Katzenberg (Kirchdorf am Inn).

• 1905

  Sons Johann and Ruprecht become partners; they are later appointed k.u.k. court book printers.

• 1873

  Steinbrener participates in the World Exhibition in Vienna, establishing contacts to America.

• 1872

  A new factory is built on the bank of the Volyňka river.

• 1861

  After a major fire, Steinbrener rebuilds his house and expands his printing operation.

• 1855

  Johann Steinbrener founds the company in Winterberg, Bohemia.

Specialist bookbinding workshop and publisher combining traditional hand craftsmanship with modern automated production for gold and colour edges and fine leather bindings.

• Full-leather book bindings

  Handcrafted full-leather bindings for non-fiction works with artistic cover gilding and three-sided gold edges.

• Gold and colour edge decoration

  All kinds of edge decoration, once made by hand, now produced on a fully automatic machine.

• Pocket prayer books

  Prayer books in various bindings produced by the in-house publishing department; "Preiset den Herrn" is bought especially for confirmations.

• Stationery

  Finished stationery from own production and personalised custom-made items sold in the company's shop.

1. 1Homesteinbrener.at
2. 2J. Steinbrenerwikidata.org
3. 3J. Steinbrenerde.wikipedia.org