1858 Weber Bird's-Eye of of the Holy Land / Israel / Palestine

Johann Jacob Weber (April 3, 1803 - March 1880) was a Swiss book publisher active in Leipzig. Weber was born in Basel apprenticed under bookseller Emanuel Thurneysen. Following his apprenticeship he went on to work with J. J. Pachoud in Genevia, Firmin Didot in Paris, and Breitkopf and Hartel in Leipzing, and Herderian in Freiburg. In 1830 he took work in the Leipzig branch of the Parisian publishing firm of Ange Pere. Four years later, in 1834 he founded his own firm, J. J. Weber, which employed modern printing techniques and was known for sophisticated forward-thinking design work. In 1843 Weber founded the illustrated newspaper Illustrierte Zeitung. The Illustrierte Zeitung was a revolutionary publication for Germany and rekindled a general interest in German printmaking. As a person Weber was said to be of an unpretentious and modest nature who was passionate for his profession. His sons Hermann, John and Felix W. took over the management of the businesses, which continued to be passed down in the family. The firm of J. J. Weber remained active well into the 20th century. More by this mapmaker...

Eduard Kretzschmar (March 21, 1806 – July7, 1858) was a German woodcut engraver and illustrator active in Leierpzig during the first half of the 19th century. Kretzschmar was born of a poor family, but exhibiting a passion for engraving, attracted the attention of bookseller Friedrich Brockhaus, who sponsored his xylography apprenticeship under Berlin engraver Friedrich Unzelmann. Under Unzelmann produced numerous woodcuts of important government, arts, business, and military personages. In 1848 he returned to Liepzig where he took work with Johann Jacob Weber at the Illustrierte Zeitung preparing woodcut portraits and architectural engravings. In 1858, fifty-two years old and in the full flower of his career, he became suddenly ill and after a short time, died. Learn More...