In 1983 the H. Berthold AG celebrated its 125th anniversary. The “Berthold Journal” dedicated one total issue to this occasion.
The preface says:
“125 years with Berthold, 125 years living with type. This is experience with Typograph and ist laws, Innovation, Investments, Progress. Cooperation with typesetters, printers, advertising people, artists, writers, and Publishers. In fact with all those whose business in one way or the other is visual communication. 125 years of Berthold. A story worth recounting to good friends. In retrospection. And in anticipation of what is ahead. Supplemented by comments, analyses, experience and ideas. And by other people’s opinion.”
In his article about type, his “brittle mistress”, Günter Gerhard Lange talks about the development of H. Berthold AG, through the acquisition of many companies in the Thirties, from a brass line factory to the world’s largest type foundry. He talks about Berthold’s “thorny path” when they, as the first foundry in Europe, took up photo typesetting, a way of font production which in 1978 finally replaced the traditional work of foundries and brass line factories. According to GGL, the “Berthold Font Quality” is given highest priority, particularly in valuable historic fonts, such as Bodoni Old Face.
