Tauchnitz Edition Second Series

originally providing Classical texts for students. Later in the 19th century they became well known for their series of British and American Authors, sold only on the Continent. Tauchnitz were unique in paying royalties to the authors of these books at a time when there was no legal requirement to do so. The firm continued until some time after the War when a combination of the bombing of its warehouse and competition from the firms of Albatross (with which it briefly merged) and Penguin forced it to dissolve. But in the 1930s the firm had had its indifferently designed books redesigned by the great modernist typographer, Giovanni Mardersteig. Its interest in modern design and color-coding of books by category was taken up first by Albatross (its first books also designed by Mardersteig) and later by Penguin. Ethically and aesthetically, and in the choice of works we publish, we hope to continue the venerable Tauchnitz tradition.