Literary El Paso

Carl Hertzog

8 Carl Hertzog Internationally known book designer and typographer Jean Carl Hertzog (1902-1984) was born in Lyons, France, while his father was touring as a concert musician. He was raised in Pittsburgh after the death of his father. Tom Lea wrote of Hertzog, “When he was eight years old, he stuck his nose in the neighborhood print shop and smelled that printer’s ink and it got him just like linseed oil got me when I was young.” By the time Hertzog graduated from high school in 1919, he was qualified as a journeyman typesetter. He attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology School of Printing and Publishing, but lack of money caused him to leave after a year. While there, he worked under Porter Garnett, the founder of the noted Laboratory Press. In 1923, he came to El Paso to work for the W. S. McMath Company as a layout man. As shop foreman, he produced the books La Lepara Nacional by Gonzolo de La Para and Just Me and Other Poems by Owen White. In 1934, he opened his own printing shop, still producing commercial publications, although his interest in fine printing continued. He met artist Tom Lea in 1937 and asked him to provide the drawings for the ads for the Paso Del Norte Hotel. Their collaboration over the years resulted in the books The Notebook of Nancy Lea (1937); Randado (1941); Grizzly from the Coral Sea (1944); Peleliu Landing (1945); A Calendar of Twelve Travelers Through the Pass of the North (1946); and the two volume The King Ranch (1957), including what is called “the saddle blanket edition,” which was produced in a limited edition and a trade edition published by Little, Brown. The King Ranch was named one of the Fifty Books of the Year for 1957. He also worked with such writers as J. Frank Dobie and J. Evetts Haley. Hertzog and Dale Resler partnered in a printing business from 1944-1947, then Hertzog freelanced for clients such as Houston Harte, the San Antonio publisher. In 1949, he became an instructor in the Department of English and started the college print shop at theTexas College of Mines and Metallurgy, now the University of Texas at El Paso. He established Texas Western Press in 1952 to reflect the initial name change of the college to Texas Western College. Texas Western Press’ first book was The Spanish Heritage of the Southwest by Francis Fugate, illustrated by artist José Cisneros who also illustrated several other books including Riders Across 9 the Centuries for Texas Western Press. While at Texas Western Press Hertzog designed such notable books as Bells Over Texas by Bessie Lee Fitzhugh; Forgotten Legions by Val Lehman; Pass of the North by C. L. Sonnichsen; and Morelos of Mexico by W. H. Timmons; as well as two books for Alfred A. Knopf, including the classic Goodbye to A River by John Graves (1960). He received many awards, four of which came from the Texas Institute of Letters. His distinctive colophon graced books that still represent the most exacting standards, creativity, and attention to detail.The prestigious Carl Hertzog Award for Excellence in Book Design and the Hertzog Lectures, sponsored by the Friends of the University Library at the University of Texas at El Paso, continue to honor the work of this “Printer at the Pass.”H Memo to Bob Wills (Editor’s Note: The King Ranch book project was originally scheduled to take a year, but took five years to complete.The following two letters in the voluminous correspondence from that project illustrate the difficulties in hand set type, humidity and paper and show Hertzog’s meticulous attention to detail.) Carl Hertzog 500 Wellesley Road El Paso, Texas January 16, 1956 Regarding the question asked you: “Why does the type have to be made in San Francisco?” The type used for the text is called “Centaur” which is an appropriate name in connection with our story. This is one of the best Roman type styles ever designed but it is not in general use, and therefore, is distinctive as well as strong, well-designed, readable. 10 This type was recommended by Tom Lea and approved by the Klebergs. Other type styles were presented in sample pages set to fit the scheme of the book but were rejected. Centaur type is cast exclusively by Mackenzie & Harris of San Francisco. The mats (moulds) are made...