Kurt Tillessen

Biography

Book covers, jackets, ex-libris, logos. Born 1899. Living in Berlin in mid 1930s. 1950-51: commissions from the City of Düsseldorf. In his lifetime he designed for numerous major publishers including S. Fischer, Klinkhardt & Biermann, Piper, Ullstein. Died 23 February 1952 in Berlin.

Writings about

  • Richard Braungart, ‘Kurt Tillessen’, Exlibris, 1939, pp. 25-7
  • Franz Hermann Wills, ‘Die Fischwirtschaft wirbt’, Graphik, 1951, pp. 453-5
    • E. Hölscher, ‘Advertising art in post-war Germany’, Graphis 34, 1951, pp. 58-79, esp. pp. 71, 72, 78, 79
  • Gerda Finsterer-Stuber, Marken und Signete, Stuttgart: Julius Hoffmann, 1957
  • Pfäfflin, 1986.
    • H.K. Frenzel, ‘Commercial art in Hamburg’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., v. 8, 1928, pp. 2-34
  • Werner Suhr, ‘Kurt Tillessen’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., July 1935, pp. 18-23
  • E. Hölscher, ‘Kurt Tillessen. Publisher’s bindings and Ex-libris’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Jan. 1937, pp. 18-25
  • ‘Kurt Tillessen’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Aug. 1932, pp. 24-6
  • Eberhard Hölscher, ‘The meaning of ex-libris’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Aug. 1936, pp. 48-53
    • Franz Hermann Wills, ‘Berlin’s advertising art’, Archiv für Druck und Papier, 1955-65; then Archiv für Drucktechnik, 1965-7; then Druck, 1968-73. , 1957, v. 2, pp. 183-92 (esp. p. 188)

Exhibitions

  • Kunstantiquariat Wasmuth, Berlin, 1952 (memorial exh .)