Grete Gross (nicknamed Gre-Gro)

[zubipen]

Who has any information about an industrial designer of the 20´s nicknamed Gre-Gro, who designed the Montblanc logo and brand image. That´s true? Any other works she made?

[karmakoda]

http://www.montblanc-pens.com/history.html

 

Most readers here will be familiar with the reference above, but some may find it interesting.

Glad you introduced me to this designer. The MontBlanc snow cap is one of my favorite logos ever.

Thanks

Greg

[zubipen]

any new info

[karmakoda]

Not much new stuff.

Found the article below, and there is a book, called "Irrestistible Empire-America's Advance Through 20th Century Europe" by Victoria de Grazia, that mentions the designer. Her influence in advertising is obviously impressive.

I cannot set up a link to this article for some reason, and I have no idea what publication it is part of. The original page has been deleted, or "expired".

 

 

 

In the early 1920s a new marketing department was established by Montblanc under the direction of Grete Gross a prominent artist and designer from the Baltic region who went by the nickname Gre-Gro. With swept back black hair she was a tall imposing figure and had a self-assured demeanor. She was greatly responsible for the Montblanc stratospheric launch to world fame through her ingenious advertising. Her design and creativity borrowed heavily from the then popular Bauhaus art style. Grete Gross created a new image for Montblanc with exciting posters, advertising literature, special displays for stores and shop windows.

 

The goal of this new advertising was to create something entirely different than any other company, a new image that would make a strong impression on the public. Grete Gross was even responsible for the special design typography for the Montblanc name which has influenced their advertising to this day.

 

The most important of international trade events was the 1922 Leipzig Trade Fair and Montblanc wanted to present something novel showing great technological improvements. At this time in the 1920s Montblanc had more writing instrument products than ever before and the Leipzig Fair was a superb occasion to present this broad selection of products. During the period 1910-1924 a wide variety of Montblanc and Rouge et Noir-pens were produced. Soon the Montblanc name became so popular that the Rouge et Noir was discontinued in 1921. However the Montblanc Italian factory continued to produce Rouge et Noir until 1923.

 

This “Doppeldecker” aircraft was designed by Grete Gross as part of this aggressive advertising campaign to capture the public attention. The MONTBLANC “Doppeldecker” biplane was flown over the crowds of visitors attending the Leipzig Fair and created quite a sensation. This was an event that attracted great crowds of people to see the exhibits of manufactures in many areas of industry from household to industrial products. Another company that also used this LVG aircraft for aerial advertising using illuminated under wing letters was the famous Trumpf chocolate manufacturer.

 

Besides the sensational “Doppeldecker” Montblanc created a team of seven luxury Steyr touring automobiles decorated with a giant Montblanc pen on the roof and the star logo on the hub caps. These Montblanc vehicles and the biplane would create quite a sensation wherever they traveled.

 

The LVG C VI was built by the Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft mbH of Berlin-Johannisthal as a high altitude observation aircraft. Powered by a powerful 240 hp Benz BzIVu. engine this allowed the aircraft to climb to great altitude. A conversion as early as 1919 enclosed the large rear two-passenger compartment making this a light “Limousine” for inter-city travel. Curiously, passengers preferred the open cockpit experience so not too many enclosed cabin LVG were produced. Soon the LVG was the aircraft preferred by DLR or Deutsche Luftreederei, the largest of the many German companies formed in the immediate post-war period providing mail and passenger transport service. Today the forerunner of DLR is known as Lufthansa Airlines.

 

see link below for 1924 Steyr automobile. Doppeldecker is a bi-plane.

http://www.svvs.org/links5/1924_Steyr_Type_5.jpg

[zubipen]

Really great information. Thank you very much.

[trojan_four]

Super story - cheers.

[zubipen]

That information about the design of the typography which survives until this day is amazing.

[karmakoda]

Really great information. Thank you very much.

You are welcome. I sent a note to a friend in Germany to find out more.

Glad you reminded me about this. My son is in a design institute and traveling to Hamburg in a few weeks. He is interested in the Bauhaus and will also look out for Grete.

Grete Gross may have worked with a big advertising firm run by Hermann Ullstein, but I cannot find confirmation. The Ullstein group was a media empire, but the family was forced off the board, the network confiscated and renamed when Hitler took power. The company history was re-written back to 1933 and many records of designers were destroyed. Curious to know how Grete did in the '30s and '40s. It could be a sad story.

Just to add that so many letters are written differently in German, so researching on an "American English" keyboard is difficult. For instance "ss" together is represented by a symbol/letter on the German keyboard.

Edited June 4, 2010 by karmakoda

[zubipen]

You are welcome. I sent a note to a friend in Germany to find out more.

Glad you reminded me about this. My son is in a design institute and traveling to Hamburg in a few weeks. He is interested in the Bauhaus and will also look out for Grete.

Grete Gross may have worked with a big advertising firm run by Hermann Ullstein, but I cannot find confirmation. The Ullstein group was a media empire, but the family was forced off the board, the network confiscated and renamed when Hitler took power. The company history was re-written back to 1933 and many records of designers were destroyed. Curious to know how Grete did in the '30s and '40s. It could be a sad story.

Just to add that so many letters are written differently in German, so researching on an "American English" keyboard is difficult. For instance "ss" together is represented by a symbol/letter on the German keyboard.

 

 

Thanks. You deliver very interesting information. I will wait eagerly for more information about Gre-Gro. Let´s give her the place she deserves.

[zubipen]

Someone has new information about Gre-Gro?

[menoeceus]

There are two books about Montblanc that are certainly relevant. One is the Montblanc Diary & Collector's Guide by Jens Rösler, a grandson of the company founder. Another is a history ("chronicle") of the company written by Kurt Grobecker (1988). I am a professional translator, and I worked for MB and its various ad and PR agencies in those days. I translated both these books into English for hardcover publication. The Guide is only available in English (German text is a loose insert). The History was originally available in both languages. I'm not sure about that now. I see a couple of English copies for sale on Amazon for about $100. The Guide is for sale there too, for a $450. Anyway, there is information about Grete Gross in those books. I will have a look in my copies and see what there is, if there is still interest in this topic.

[orfew]

I, for one, would be interested in any additional information.

[zubipen]

There are two books about Montblanc that are certainly relevant. One is the Montblanc Diary & Collector's Guide by Jens Rösler, a grandson of the company founder. Another is a history ("chronicle") of the company written by Kurt Grobecker (1988). I am a professional translator, and I worked for MB and its various ad and PR agencies in those days. I translated both these books into English for hardcover publication. The Guide is only available in English (German text is a loose insert). The History was originally available in both languages. I'm not sure about that now. I see a couple of English copies for sale on Amazon for about $100. The Guide is for sale there too, for a $450. Anyway, there is information about Grete Gross in those books. I will have a look in my copies and see what there is, if there is still interest in this topic.

Yes Please. Some new information would be fantastic.

[menoeceus]

Here is what I have found out so far about Gre-Gro:

 

 

[orfew]

Here is what I have found out so far about Gre-Gro:

 

 

MB_GreGro_001 (Large).jpgMB_GreGro_002 (Large).jpgMB_GreGro_003 (Large).jpgMB_GreGro_004 (Large).jpgMB_GreGro_005 (Large).jpg

Many thanks for this. It made for very interesting reading. It makes me want to find one of those vintage advertising posters.

[Ed44]

Quite fascinating. Thanks for sharing.

[zubipen]

Fantástico information. Many thanks

[menoeceus]

Re: Finding original posters should be pretty difficult. The war took much of the company's records. Its offices burned and most everything was destroyed. That happened in all the major cities. But I wonder if there might be reproductions. The company maintains a museum at its headquarters in Hamburg. I would recommend visiting there if you're going to Germany. I haven't been back in many years, but I am finally going this summer.

[zubipen]

Re: Finding original posters should be pretty difficult. The war took much of the company's records. Its offices burned and most everything was destroyed. That happened in all the major cities. But I wonder if there might be reproductions. The company maintains a museum at its headquarters in Hamburg. I would recommend visiting there if you're going to Germany. I haven't been back in many years, but I am finally going this summer.

Very good luck in your trip. You may be our "man in Montblanc" I will be waiting for your reports and photographs!!!!!

[orfew]

Re: Finding original posters should be pretty difficult. The war took much of the company's records. Its offices burned and most everything was destroyed. That happened in all the major cities. But I wonder if there might be reproductions. The company maintains a museum at its headquarters in Hamburg. I would recommend visiting there if you're going to Germany. I haven't been back in many years, but I am finally going this summer.

Thanks for the tip. I may need to settle for a reproduction. I really like the art on these early posters.