Martin P
Titanium
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2004
"50 Jahre Friedrich Deckel" is a book published in 1953, and I heard it mentioned on this forum at some time.
I have now found one of those books and thought to describe it briefly here for those who dont know it.
Its got 148 pages and a fabric binder. It basicly describes the life and times of the Deckel company and its founder. It is interesting to read about how things came about. Focus is clearly on the camera shutter evolvement, which is the root of the company ("was" actually), and its a complicated subject. Only then in the next step the evolvement of the machine tool side occured and is described in the book. Some machines are mentioned I never heard of, e.g. a desk top modell of the engraver called G0, built until 1943. The FP was built from 1918 to 1932, it was followed by the FP1, which is more familiar to us.
In the third part of the book the Deckel involvement into Diesel injection pumps is covered, which I had never heard of.
The book has numerous color pictures, but is certainly not a picture book.
The writing is typical 1950s style and does seem antiquated now. The writing tries to be witty at times. Attempts at super correct almost pedantic repectability are mixed with attempts at humor and a somewhat casual tone of voice. Doesnt always work.
The years 1914 to 18 and 39 to 45 are skippd over lightly. Seems nothing was produced between 39 and 45, I wonder what they did in those times. The dead and missing of the war are listed in the book.
The book is clearly for employees and customers on occasion of the anniversary, and therefore not a historic account.
As such it is OK, and today it still manages to give a feeling for the company spirit and its product philosophy at that time.
I suspect the book was never sold, it has no identification number, no mention of the numbers printed either.
The book starts with a quote from Friedrich Wilhelm Deckel:
"We live for a certain purpose - work. Work is a qualitative and not a quantitative problem. Otherwise there is no progress."
Those were the times.
Mr. Deckel died on July 10th, 1948.
I have now found one of those books and thought to describe it briefly here for those who dont know it.
Its got 148 pages and a fabric binder. It basicly describes the life and times of the Deckel company and its founder. It is interesting to read about how things came about. Focus is clearly on the camera shutter evolvement, which is the root of the company ("was" actually), and its a complicated subject. Only then in the next step the evolvement of the machine tool side occured and is described in the book. Some machines are mentioned I never heard of, e.g. a desk top modell of the engraver called G0, built until 1943. The FP was built from 1918 to 1932, it was followed by the FP1, which is more familiar to us.
In the third part of the book the Deckel involvement into Diesel injection pumps is covered, which I had never heard of.
The book has numerous color pictures, but is certainly not a picture book.
The writing is typical 1950s style and does seem antiquated now. The writing tries to be witty at times. Attempts at super correct almost pedantic repectability are mixed with attempts at humor and a somewhat casual tone of voice. Doesnt always work.
The years 1914 to 18 and 39 to 45 are skippd over lightly. Seems nothing was produced between 39 and 45, I wonder what they did in those times. The dead and missing of the war are listed in the book.
The book is clearly for employees and customers on occasion of the anniversary, and therefore not a historic account.
As such it is OK, and today it still manages to give a feeling for the company spirit and its product philosophy at that time.
I suspect the book was never sold, it has no identification number, no mention of the numbers printed either.
The book starts with a quote from Friedrich Wilhelm Deckel:
"We live for a certain purpose - work. Work is a qualitative and not a quantitative problem. Otherwise there is no progress."
Those were the times.
Mr. Deckel died on July 10th, 1948.