Fr. Karafiat, Brünn

Fr. Karafiat and G. & R. Karafiat — On the Occasion of the 75th Anniversary

Franz Karafiat, bookseller (retail and publishing), printing house owner, and property owner, was born on November 19, 1817, in Brünn. In 1833 he began his apprenticeship at the bookshop of Franz Gastl in Brünn, where he remained until Easter 1840. From there he worked at the prominent bookselling firm of Tendler and Schäfer in Vienna until June 1, 1844, after which he managed the Ambros bookshop in Passau as an obligated manager until September 20, 1845. From October 1, 1845, to the end of August 1846, he worked in Steinamanger for the firm Kaulfuß, Prandl & Co. of Vienna. On September 1, 1846, he entered the Kilian bookshop in Ödenburg as a silent partner and manager, and took it over on his own account in January 1848. Due to the unfavorable circumstances of the ongoing conflicts, he was forced to sell this business in April 1849 and left Ödenburg. He had to start over from scratch. Neither in Vienna nor elsewhere could he find a position as an assistant from May through June, and he had to live off his savings. Finally, in August he obtained a temporary position at Mayer & Co., and in November one at Braumüller in Vienna. At Christmas 1849 he answered a call from his former employer Franz Gastl in Brünn, where he arrived on January 3, 1850, and remained until March 17, 1853. By ministerial decree dated March 17, 1853, he was granted a bookselling license for Brünn.

On May 15, 1853, he opened his bookshop under the name "Fr. Karafiat" — at the corner of what was then Sattlergasse, now Ferdinandsgasse 17 — which, despite various difficulties, flourished more and more with each passing day.

He threw himself with great enthusiasm into the book distribution trade, which was gaining momentum at the time, to such a degree that within a short time he was able to employ six assistants and ten traveling salesmen. He also ventured into publishing with success. In 1863 he purchased the Mausberger-Dorfmeister publishing catalog in Vienna, which included the works of Saphir, of which more than 40,000 copies were sold. Of the foreign-word dictionary, up to 190,000 copies were sold. In 1878 the greater part of the Wenedikt publishing catalog in Vienna was purchased. That same year, the publication of Hogarth's works in the art trade — 118 lithographs of etchings by the famous English painter, in the format 66 x 52 cm, with leather spine and corners — attracted well-deserved attention. Over the years, more than 200 works appeared under his imprint. In 1865 the publishing rights to the calendars "Bote aus Mähren" ("Messenger from Moravia") and "Posel moravský" were purchased; up to the present day the 138th and 92nd editions respectively have appeared. Franz Karafiat was also, in 1862, a co-founder of the Association of Austro-Hungarian Booksellers; through the trust of his fellow citizens, he was elected to the municipal council of the provincial capital of Brünn for several years.

In 1882 he handed over his retail business to his sons Georg and Richard, who continued it from May 1, 1882, under the name "G. & R. Karafiat" and simultaneously founded a lending library. In 1885 Georg withdrew from the firm and joined his father's publishing business, which he managed until his death on May 1, 1927. Since 1885, Richard Karafiat has been the sole proprietor, and since 1901 has also operated a periodical reading circle.

Richard Karafiat has been chairman of the Association of Moravian-Silesian Booksellers since 1900 and was appointed honorary member in 1927. He is also chairman of the Brünn Booksellers' Association as well as of the Brünn-Olmütz district of the Association of German Booksellers in Czechoslovakia. Since 1898 he has been a board member of the Guild of Registered Merchants, and since 1908 a member of the Trade Court. On January 1, 1927, Richard Karafiat took on his nephew Richard Filia as a partner.

Franz Karafiat retained the publishing business and the antiquarian bookshop. In addition, in 1883 he established his own printing house, which he handed over in 1890 to his son Leopold, who operates it under the name "Leopold Karafiat & Kucharz" and has included his son Karl as a partner since 1925. In 1927, the latter took over the publishing of the calendars "Bote aus Mähren" and "Posel moravský."

Fr. Karafiat had expanded his antiquarian bookshop considerably and operated it until his death on December 4, 1892, after a life filled with faithful professional work and richly blessed with success.

His son Wilhelm Karafiat has been the owner since that time and in 1902 expanded the antiquarian business to also include trade in books, art, and sheet music. Wilhelm Karafiat learned the printing trade and antiquarian bookselling in his father's business, then spent two years in Germany for further training before returning to Brünn. His active work there is evidenced by the publication of 30 Czech and 47 German stock catalogs. Wilhelm Karafiat has been secretary of the Association of Moravian-Silesian Booksellers since 1903.

A Rare Professional Jubilee

On May 1, 1932, Mr. Richard Karafiat of Brünn can look back on 50 years of ownership in the firm G. & R. Karafiat, booksellers, art dealers, and music dealers, in Brünn — truly a rare anniversary, all the more remarkable in that the honoree saw his professional duties not merely in serving the German book trade, but also distinguished himself for decades as chairman of the Association of Moravian-Silesian Booksellers and long-serving chairman of the Brünn-Olmütz district, working in an honorary capacity for the well-being of his colleagues.

As an outward token of gratitude, the umbrella organization — the Börsenverein der Deutschen Buchhändler (Publishers' and Booksellers' Association) in Leipzig — presented the honoree with a tasteful certificate of honor, which was framed appropriately by the Association and presented by its representative, Mr. Carl Arthur Winkler.

Fr. Karafiat — R & G. Karafiat — Karafiat & Sohn
(Owner: Wilhelm Karafiat) — (Owner: Wilhelm Karafiat) — (Owner: Georg Karafiat)
in Brünn

Franz Karafiat was born on November 19, 1817, in Brünn. He attended the primary school and teacher-training preparatory school there. In 1833 he began his apprenticeship at the well-regarded bookshop of Franz Gastl in Brünn, where he trained as a bookseller until Easter 1840. From there he worked at the prominent bookselling firm of Tendler & Schäfer in Vienna until June 1, 1844, after which he managed the Ambros bookshop in Passau as an obligated bookkeeper until September 20, 1845. From October 1, 1845, to the end of August 1846, he conducted bookselling business in Steinamanger in Hungary for the firm Kaulfuß, Prandel & Comp. of Vienna. On September 1, 1846, he entered the Kilian bookshop in Ödenburg as a silent partner and manager, and took it over on his own account in January 1848. Due to the unfavorable circumstances of the war, he was forced to sell this business in April 1849 and left Ödenburg. He had to start over from scratch. Neither in Vienna nor elsewhere could he find an assistant's position from May through June; he had to live off his savings.

Finally, in August he obtained a temporary position in Vienna at Mayer & Comp., and in November one at Braumüller. At Christmas 1849 he received a call from his former employer Franz Gastl in Brünn, where he arrived on January 3, 1850, and remained until March 17, 1853. By ministerial decree dated March 17, 1853, he was granted a bookselling license for Brünn. On May 15, 1853, he opened his bookshop at the corner of what was then Sattlergasse, now Ferdinandsgasse 17, which, despite various difficulties, flourished more and more with each passing day. He embraced with great enthusiasm the book distribution trade, which was regaining momentum at the time, to such a degree that within a short time he was able to employ four to six assistants and six to ten traveling salesmen. He also ventured into publishing with success. In 1863 he purchased the Mausberger-Dorfmeister publishing catalog in Vienna, which included the works of Saphir, of which more than 30,000 copies were sold. Of the foreign-word dictionary, up to 185,000 copies were sold. In 1865 the publishing rights to the calendar "Bote aus Mähren" and "Posel moravský" were purchased, of which the one hundred and twentieth edition has already appeared. In 1878 the greater part of the Wenedikt publishing catalog in Vienna was purchased. That same year he brought William Hogarth's works in 118 sheets, based on the original plates, to the art market, where they attracted considerable attention.

In 1874, Franz Karafiat participated in the founding of the Karl Winkler bookshop and was its silent partner. In 1878 his son Georg took over his share as a public partner. In 1881 Georg passed his share to his brother-in-law Alfred Wehowsky, who died on February 8, 1886.

On April 5, 1882, he handed over the retail business to his sons Georg and Richard, limiting himself to the management of the publishing house and expanding the antiquarian bookshop further.

In 1889, his son Georg withdrew from the retail firm G. & R. Karafiat, which from then on remained in the sole ownership of Richard. Richard Karafiat also devoted himself to the art trade and operated a lending library as well as a periodical reading circle. Since 1900 he has held the position of First Chairman of the Association of Moravian-Silesian Booksellers and simultaneously that of section chairman in the Austrian Association.

Georg Karafiat took over the publishing business and in 1902 founded a printing house.

In 1883, Franz Karafiat established a printing house, which he handed over to his son Leopold in 1890.

The antiquarian bookshop, which continued to exist under the name Fr. Karafiat, passed after the death of Franz Karafiat to his son Wilhelm, who in 1903 was able to further expand his business by obtaining a bookselling license.

Franz Karafiat was also a co-founder of the Association of Austro-Hungarian Booksellers; through the trust of his fellow citizens, he was elected to the municipal council of the provincial capital of Brünn for several years.

He died on December 4, 1892, at the age of 76, after a life filled with faithful professional work and richly blessed with success.

In: Festnummer der österr.-ungar. Buchhändler-Correspondenz, Part II, p. 75. Vienna 1910.

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