Ackermann & Co.

Lithographer, publisher. Rudolph Ackermann, born in Saxony; to London 1787; 1792, set up in business as a coachmaker at 7 Little Russell Street, Covent Garden, having already published the first of many books of carriage designs; 1796, moved to 96 Strand where he ran a drawing school for ten years, publishing drawing books; 1797, to 101 Strand (known, from 1798, as "The Repository of Arts") where he sold old master paintings and artists' supplies as well as prints (see 1871,1209.5668 for an advertisement). 220 Strand given as his address in a print published 1803. "The Microcosm of London" (1808-10) and the monthly "Repository of Arts" (1809-29) established his reputation for fine colour plate books. 1809 naturalised. 1816, began to publish lithographs. Always maintained links with Germany, and in the 1820s also opened outlets in Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Argentina, and Peru. 1832, handed over to his second son George (q.v.) and his younger brothers who traded as Ackermann & Co.at 106 The Strand until 1861 (although the brothers' partnership dissolved in 1855); the print business which Ackermann had established for his eldest son Rudolph at 191 Regent Street (later in Bond Street) survived as Arthur Ackermann & Son. In the 1930s it opened branches in America, eg at 408 South Michigan Avenue Chicago. In 1991 the firm closed, and re-opened again in 1992 as Arthur Ackermann and Peter Johnson Ltd.