91. Halcyon

The first issue of Halcyon, a quarterly about books and related fields, appeared shortly before the outbreak of World War II. It was published by A.A.M. Stols (1900-1973), a Dutch publisher who has been of major importance for the development of Dutch book production in the twentieth century. During his thirty years as a publisher he established a large publisher's list, which from the very beginning gave careful consideration to the form of the books.

Most of the texts published by him were literary works, but his list also contained publications dealing with typography, for this was his great interest. An example is the series Les livrets des bibliophiles. The introduction to the first issue of Halcyon states Stols's aim and purpose of this periodical ‘appearing in a neutral country’: it was to be an international forum for printers, publishers, paper makers, bookbinders, graphic artists and collectors of fine books and prints. The focus was not only on the contents but also on the exterior of the book. To achieve this aim he decided that every issue was to consist of a number of separate contributions, each in itself a special sample of typography in the choice of paper, typeface, design and illustrative technique, made by different printers. It is proof of his immense drive and perseverance that he accomplished his aim despite the circumstances of war. Many people contributed, in material form, such as paper or ink, as well as in immaterial form, like articles and illustrations. Among them are famous names like the graphic artist M.C. Escher, the illustrator Piet Worm, the type designer S.H. de Roos, the author Menno ter Braak, and the book historian Bonaventura Kruitwagen. Foreign artists, like the well-known wood engraver John Buckland Wright, the French author Lucien Jaïs and the Exil-author Wolfgang Cordan, also contributed to the series.  

After issue 11/12 had appeared in 1944 Halcyon met with the same fate that had befallen so many periodicals before: publication was forbidden by the Germans because of the shortage of paper. Thus the curtain fell on the ‘most beautiful typographic periodical ever made in our country’.

Literature

• C. van Dijk. Halcyon. Zutphen 1989.