Trautz, Georges ( 1808-1879 )
A German bookbinder who emigrated to Paris in 1830
and entered the employ of Antoine Bauzonnet.
Bindings produced in Bauzonnet-s workshop before
1848 were signed Bauzonnet-Trautz. It was possibly
in this year that Trautz assumed control of the
bindery, changed the name to Trautz-Bauzonnet, and
rapidly became one of the leading bookbinders of
19th century France. Many of the books. which are
exceptionally well bound, are in the style of JOSEPH THOUVENIN .
The forwarding is good, the tooling delicate, and
the materials excellent. Many of Trautz's tools
were modelled on the work of previous binders, and
he was highly successful in incorporating the
styles of such bookbinders (or gilders) as Le
Gascon, Padeloup, and Derome. In fact, he was one
of the most important of theRETROSPECTIVE BINDERS
. Trautz always varied his designs, so that no two
bindings were alike. In addition. aside from being
an excellent craftsman in gold tooling, he was an
expert in the art of inlaying. See: PLATES VI ,
VII , VIII . (94 ,
140 )