# Lortic Frères > bookbinding firm of Marcelin Lortic (1852-1928) et son frère Paul-Joseph Lortic (born 1853), active from 1884 to 1891 **Wikidata**: [Q101064366](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101064366) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lortic-freres ## Summary Lortic Frères was a French bookbinding firm operated by brothers Marcelin Lortic (1852–1928) and Paul-Joseph Lortic (born 1853) in Paris from 1884 to 1891. The firm succeeded their father Pierre-Marcelin Lortic and specialized in high-quality bookbinding work. It represents a notable example of a family-operated business in the French bookbinding trade during the late 19th century. ## Key Facts - **Official Name:** Lortic Frères (also known as Lortic Frères, Bookbinders) - **Founders:** Marcelin Lortic (1852–1928) and Paul-Joseph Lortic (born 1853) - **Inception:** 1884 - **Dissolution:** 1891 - **Predecessor:** Pierre-Marcelin Lortic (father) - **Headquarters:** Paris, France - **Field of Work:** Bookbinding - **Legal Classification:** Business, sibling group - **Country:** France - **VIAF ID:** 128302567 - **CERL Thesaurus ID:** cnc00026193 - **Library of Congress Authority ID:** nr2002004201 ## FAQs **What type of organization was Lortic Frères?** Lortic Frères was a bookbinding firm classified as a business and sibling group, meaning it was operated by two brothers in partnership. The firm was based in Paris, France, and operated for seven years from 1884 to 1891. **Who were the founders of Lortic Frères?** The firm was founded and operated by Marcelin Lortic (1852–1928) and his brother Paul-Joseph Lortic (born 1853). They succeeded their father, Pierre-Marcelin Lortic, in the bookbinding trade. **What was the historical context of Lortic Frères in the French bookbinding industry?** Lortic Frères operated during a period when French bookbinding was renowned for its craftsmanship and artistic quality. The firm existed in the late 19th century, a time when bookbinding in France was transitioning from handcraft production to more industrialized methods, though high-end custom binding remained a specialized trade. **How is Lortic Frères documented in library and archival systems?** Lortic Frères is documented in several major library and authority systems, including the Virtual International Authority File (VIAF) with ID 128302567, the CERL Thesaurus with ID cnc00026193, and the Library of Congress Authority File with ID nr2002004201. ## Why It Matters Lortic Frères matters as an example of the family business tradition in the French bookbinding craft, which was highly regarded internationally during the 19th century. The firm represents a specific historical moment in the bookbinding industry—when traditional handcraft methods were still the primary means of producing fine bindings, but when the profession was beginning to face economic and technological changes that would transform the trade in subsequent decades. The documentation of Lortic Frères across multiple international authority files demonstrates its recognition within global bibliographic and archival systems, making it a traceable entity for researchers studying the history of bookbinding, French craft traditions, and family-operated businesses in the cultural industries of late 19th-century Europe. ## Notable For - **Family Succession:** Representing a direct father-to-sons succession in the bookbinding trade - **Parisian Base:** Operating from Paris, the center of French bookbinding excellence - **Documented Legacy:** Having multiple international authority identifiers (VIAF, CERL, Library of Congress) - **Defined Lifespan:** One of the more precisely documented short-lived bookbinding firms of the period (1884–1891) ## Body ### History and Formation Lortic Frères was established in 1884 in Paris by the brothers Marcelin Lortic (1852–1928) and Paul-Joseph Lortic (born 1853). The firm succeeded Pierre-Marcelin Lortic, their father, who had presumably operated the bookbinding business before them. The establishment of Lortic Frères represents a continuation of the family tradition in the bookbinding craft, a profession that in 19th-century France often passed through generations within families. The firm operated for seven years before dissolving in 1891. ### Founders The two founding brothers brought different generational perspectives to the business. Marcelin Lortic, born in 1852, lived until 1928, providing a long life during which he witnessed significant changes in the bookbinding industry. His brother Paul-Joseph Lortic was born in 1853, making him approximately one year younger than Marcelin. The sibling partnership structure—where two brothers jointly operated a business—was a common organizational form in French craft trades during this period, providing both shared responsibility and complementary skills. ### Business Operations As a bookbinding firm, Lortic Frères would have engaged in the production and repair of bindings for books, a trade that required significant manual skill and artistic sensibility. French bookbinding of the late 19th century was known for its quality, with Paris serving as the primary center for fine bindings. The firm's operations would have included hand-binding books, likely producing custom bindings for wealthy clients, booksellers, or publishers. The business was classified as both a business entity and a sibling group, reflecting its dual nature as a commercial enterprise and a family partnership. ### Geographic Context The firm was headquartered in Paris, France. Paris was the undisputed capital of French bookbinding and remained so throughout the 19th century. The city housed numerous bookbinding workshops, many of which served the extensive Parisian publishing industry, private collectors, and institutional clients such as libraries and museums. France, as the broader geographic context, had a rich tradition in the book arts, and the country maintained significant cultural influence through its publishing and binding industries. ### Documentation and Authority Records Lortic Frères is documented in several major international authority and bibliographic systems. The Virtual International Authority File (VIAF) assigns the firm ID 128302567, linking authority records from national libraries worldwide. The CERL Thesaurus (Consortium of European Research Libraries) records the firm under ID cnc00026193. The Library of Congress Authority File contains record nr2002004201, indicating that the firm appears in American library cataloging records. These multiple authority identifiers reflect the firm's documentation in bibliographic contexts and its relevance to researchers studying bookbinding history, French publishing history, and the antique book trade. ### Dissolution The firm was dissolved in 1891, after seven years of operation. The reasons for the dissolution are not specified in the source material, but the end of Lortic Frères coincided with a period of significant transformation in the bookbinding industry, as technological changes including the rise of machine binding and new binding materials began to alter the traditional craft. The firm's relatively short lifespan of seven years makes it a specific, bounded example of a late 19th-century French bookbinding business, distinguishable from longer-running family operations.