Merkur Trykkeri - Ålesund, Norway
Who are we?
Merkur Trykkeri is a printing house in Ålesund, Norway. This traditional company was founded in 1936 and is today one of Norway's last printing houses in which the traditional craft of book printing is still carried. The firm produces a range of printed items and sells a selection of stationery (paper, envelopes, cards, etc.). Furthermore, Merkur Trykkeri is a publishing house and centre for historical research in the city of Ålesund. The printing house is currently under the direction of third-generation historian Dr Torgeir Melsaeter.
Contact Information:
Merkur Trykkeri
Dr Torgeir Melsaeter
Nedre Strandgate 14
NO-6004 Ålesund, Norway
E-mail: merkur@melsaeter.no
Opening hours:
Tuesday and Wednesday
(10:00-14:00)
Or by arrangement.
Who are we?
Merkur Trykkeri is a printing house in Ålesund, Norway. This traditional company was founded in 1936 and is today one of Norway's last printing houses in which the traditional craft of book printing is still carried. The firm produces a range of printed items and sells a selection of stationery (paper, envelopes, cards, etc.). Furthermore, Merkur Trykkeri is a publishing house and centre for historical research in the city of Ålesund. The printing house is currently under the direction of third-generation historian Dr Torgeir Melsaeter.
Contact Information:
Merkur Trykkeri
Dr Torgeir Melsaeter
Nedre Strandgate 14
NO-6004 Ålesund, Norway
E-mail: merkur@melsaeter.no
Opening hours:
Tuesday and Wednesday
(10:00-14:00)
Or by arrangement.
Nedre Strandgate 14 in Ålesund was built in 1905, and has been the head office of the traditional printing house Merkur Trykkeri since 1937.
Mercury, the divine messenger of Greek and Roman mythology, is the name given to the printing house in Ålesund. Our company's trade-mark was designed in 1937 and depicts a rising Mercury in a stylized and artistic imaginative design clearly inspired by the art deco style.
The composing room in Merkur Trykkeri has kept its authentic atmosphere.
History of the firm
Merkur Trykkeri was established August 3. 1936 by bookprinter Ole Johan Melsæter (1901-1964) on historical printing ground in Ålesund. Since the 1870s, many print shops had been continuously situated in the limited area between the streets Nedre Strandgate and Kirkegata. The building Nedre Strandgate 14 has been the head office of Merkur Trykkeri since 1937. A large part of the inventory originates from the early years of the traditional printing company. Our oldest printing press dates from 1894. The machine that has been used most the last 50 years is an Original Heidelberg printing press from 1966. Merkur Trykkeri has always been run by the same family. Bookprinter Oddvar Jan Melsæter took over the firm from his father Ole J. Melsæter in 1964 and ran the company for more than half a century until 2016. In this period, printing techniques went through a revolutionary development from hand-composed typography and letterpress printing to digit media. Thanks to the persistent efforts of Oddvar Jan Melsæter, it has been possible to maintain the knowledge of the old arts and crafts of printing in Merkur Trykkeri until present day. The firm has been managed by his son Torgeir Melsæter since 2016. Today, Merkur Trykkeri is the last printing house in Ålesund and probably one of the very few altogether that still treasure the traditional art of printing.
Merkur Trykkeri was established August 3. 1936 by bookprinter Ole Johan Melsæter (1901-1964) on historical printing ground in Ålesund. Since the 1870s, many print shops had been continuously situated in the limited area between the streets Nedre Strandgate and Kirkegata. The building Nedre Strandgate 14 has been the head office of Merkur Trykkeri since 1937. A large part of the inventory originates from the early years of the traditional printing company. Our oldest printing press dates from 1894. The machine that has been used most the last 50 years is an Original Heidelberg printing press from 1966. Merkur Trykkeri has always been run by the same family. Bookprinter Oddvar Jan Melsæter took over the firm from his father Ole J. Melsæter in 1964 and ran the company for more than half a century until 2016. In this period, printing techniques went through a revolutionary development from hand-composed typography and letterpress printing to digit media. Thanks to the persistent efforts of Oddvar Jan Melsæter, it has been possible to maintain the knowledge of the old arts and crafts of printing in Merkur Trykkeri until present day. The firm has been managed by his son Torgeir Melsæter since 2016. Today, Merkur Trykkeri is the last printing house in Ålesund and probably one of the very few altogether that still treasure the traditional art of printing.
Ole J. Melsæter
(1901-1964)
(1901-1964)
The oldest printing press in Merkur Trykkeri was manu-factured in 1894 in Boston, U.S.A.
The composing stick is the most important tool of a typographer. Here, letters are assembled to-gether into words and sentences.
The art of printing was invented by Johannes Gutenberg from Mainz in the mid-15th century. The principle of making a typographic composition has not changed much since the renaissance. Left: a scene from a printing house in the mid-17th century. Right: Torgeir Melsæter (b. 1974), the present proprietor of Merkur Trykkeri, demonstrates how a typographer in the family print shop in Ålesund still follows the same typographic concepts and rules as in previous centuries.
Print showing a selection of fonts that have been used in Merkur Trykkeri since 1936.
Print and Paper
Merkur Trykkeri offers a large assortment of printed papers. Our expertise is letterpress printing. For large orders, we also make use of digital printing techniques. Both types (fonts) and clichés (illustrations) are central components in letterpress printing. Merkur Trykkeri dispose of a multitude of material that secure a successful creation of relief printing. Our assortment includes i.a. letter papers, envelopes, cards, receipts, booklets, tickets, formulas and posters. Merkur Trykkeri also offers a range of stationery. The assortment of papers range in thickness, embossing and form. We also take orders for the finishing of printed paper, such as creasing, perforation and punching. Please send us your request, and we will see whether this is an order we could execute.
Merkur Trykkeri offers a large assortment of printed papers. Our expertise is letterpress printing. For large orders, we also make use of digital printing techniques. Both types (fonts) and clichés (illustrations) are central components in letterpress printing. Merkur Trykkeri dispose of a multitude of material that secure a successful creation of relief printing. Our assortment includes i.a. letter papers, envelopes, cards, receipts, booklets, tickets, formulas and posters. Merkur Trykkeri also offers a range of stationery. The assortment of papers range in thickness, embossing and form. We also take orders for the finishing of printed paper, such as creasing, perforation and punching. Please send us your request, and we will see whether this is an order we could execute.
A selection of types.
Typographical composition ready
for the printing press.
for the printing press.
A selection of paper from
Merkur Trykkeri.
Merkur Trykkeri.
'Postal History from Ålesund' in two volumes written by Oddvar Jan Melsæter and published by Merkur Trykkeri in 2016.
Historian Dr Torgeir Melsaeter.
A selection of printed papers from Merkur Trykkeri.
Historical Research
Since 1936, Merkur Trykkeri has given out a large number of publications (cf. "Historieforskning, utgivelser"). Proprietors of the printing house have frequently contributed to these works as authors. The present proprietor Torgeir Melsæter is a historian and works with different research projects (cf. below). For decades, bookprinter Oddvar Jan Melsæter (proprietor 1964-2016) was editor of the journals 'Symra-posten' and 'Filateli-Nytt' in Ålesund. For many years, he has published several articles on postal history from Ålesund, and in 2016 these articles were edited and published in two volumes. Oddvar Jan Melsæter devoted much attention to different philatelic subjects such as Polen, Galizien, Oberschlesien and historical topics from Ålesund. One of his exhibition pieces is titled 'A tribute to Johannes Gutenberg'. It contains a philatelic review of the historical development from writing, paper and print through to the production of books and newspapers. 2004, Oddvar Jan Melsæter was awarded an international gold medal in Spain for this philatelic exhibition piece.
Since 1936, Merkur Trykkeri has given out a large number of publications (cf. "Historieforskning, utgivelser"). Proprietors of the printing house have frequently contributed to these works as authors. The present proprietor Torgeir Melsæter is a historian and works with different research projects (cf. below). For decades, bookprinter Oddvar Jan Melsæter (proprietor 1964-2016) was editor of the journals 'Symra-posten' and 'Filateli-Nytt' in Ålesund. For many years, he has published several articles on postal history from Ålesund, and in 2016 these articles were edited and published in two volumes. Oddvar Jan Melsæter devoted much attention to different philatelic subjects such as Polen, Galizien, Oberschlesien and historical topics from Ålesund. One of his exhibition pieces is titled 'A tribute to Johannes Gutenberg'. It contains a philatelic review of the historical development from writing, paper and print through to the production of books and newspapers. 2004, Oddvar Jan Melsæter was awarded an international gold medal in Spain for this philatelic exhibition piece.
Frontispiece of the philatelic exhibition piece of Oddvar Jan Melsæter: 'A tribute to Johannes Gutenberg'.
Historian Dr Torgeir Melsaeter - Short Biography
Torgeir Melsaeter studied history, art history, archaeology and languages in Volda, Trondheim and Munich. He worked as an assistant in history and art history at the University of Trondheim (NTNU). In 2013, Torgeir Melsaeter was awarded his doctorate in history at the University of Antwerp. The subject of his doctoral thesis was the use of (para-)heraldic signs in art, architecture and literature as strategic powerful symbols during the renaissance and baroque periods in Rome. Following 10 years of studies, research and working in Munich, Vienna, Antwerp and Rome, Torgeir Melsaeter decided to take over the family printing house in Ålesund and thereby maintain the traditions of the art and craft of printing. Currently, he runs Merkur Trykkeri and works freelance as a historian at, among others, the Institute for History at Volda University College. Torgeir Melsaeter is furthermore engaged with different historical research projects and undertakes commissions. In his current book project, he scrutinises the history of the House of the Good-Templar-Order in Ålesund. Torgeir Melsaeter writes chronicles as well as articles. He is committed to preserving cultural heritage and is especially dedicated to maintaining the unique architectonic legacy of Ålesund as a city of historical styles and art nouveau. Torgeir Melsaeter ist currently employed as head of Kulturhuset Godtemplaren (www.godtemplaren.no) in Ålesund. His most central publications are to be found in a list under "Historieforskning, oppdragsforskning".
Torgeir Melsaeter studied history, art history, archaeology and languages in Volda, Trondheim and Munich. He worked as an assistant in history and art history at the University of Trondheim (NTNU). In 2013, Torgeir Melsaeter was awarded his doctorate in history at the University of Antwerp. The subject of his doctoral thesis was the use of (para-)heraldic signs in art, architecture and literature as strategic powerful symbols during the renaissance and baroque periods in Rome. Following 10 years of studies, research and working in Munich, Vienna, Antwerp and Rome, Torgeir Melsaeter decided to take over the family printing house in Ålesund and thereby maintain the traditions of the art and craft of printing. Currently, he runs Merkur Trykkeri and works freelance as a historian at, among others, the Institute for History at Volda University College. Torgeir Melsaeter is furthermore engaged with different historical research projects and undertakes commissions. In his current book project, he scrutinises the history of the House of the Good-Templar-Order in Ålesund. Torgeir Melsaeter writes chronicles as well as articles. He is committed to preserving cultural heritage and is especially dedicated to maintaining the unique architectonic legacy of Ålesund as a city of historical styles and art nouveau. Torgeir Melsaeter ist currently employed as head of Kulturhuset Godtemplaren (www.godtemplaren.no) in Ålesund. His most central publications are to be found in a list under "Historieforskning, oppdragsforskning".
Oddvar Jan Melsæter
(b. 1937)
(b. 1937)