Stempel

Frankfurt typefoundry, opened in 1895 by David Stempel. In 1900 Stempel gained the exclusive right to manufacture matrices for Linotype GmbH, the European arm of Mergenthaler Linotype. Over the years, Linotype gradually obtained a majority interest. Walter Cunz, who headed the foundry from the end of World War II until the late 1960s built the library into a position of world leadership, with the help of such brilliant type designers as Hermann Zapf. He acquired an interest in Haas, as well as the library from Klingspor and some faces from Weber. The company diversified into filmsetting only in 1977, much later than the rest of the industry. The last Linotype matrices were made in 1983. In early 1985 Stempel was fully absorbed into Linotype GmbH, becoming its font department.