Johann Christian Lotter (1882-2009)

Lotter and Boden

After having had a workshop/factory at various locations in Nuremberg, Lotter wanted to take advantage of cheap labour that was readily available in the town of Emskirchen. So in 1892 with 6 employees Lotter established J. Chr. Lotter  Reisszeugfabrik Emskirchen. In 1894 Lotter entered into partnership with Kaufmann Edmund Theophon Boden (*1857; †1936) son of industrialist Ernst Traugott Boden, and grandson of industrialist Carl Gottlob Boden. The company was then registered as Reisszeugfabrik Emskirchen Lotter & Boden. In 1895 Lotter left the company and Boden continued as sole proprietor and the firm was renamed Reisszeugfabrik Emskirchen E. Boden. In 1897 the Boden factory had 70 employees [19][20][21][22].

Johann Christian Lotter is especially known for his parallel compass, the first version DRGM 78651 (fig.1 above) was patented in 1897 [1]. An improved version DRGM 333756 was patented in 1908; DRP 238295 followed in 1911 with an attachment for drawing polygons (fig. 2 above); DRP 899420 in 1953 with a telescopic attachment (fig. 3 above); and finally US 2659155A (fig. 4 above) in 1953 patented by Johann Christian's son and successor Georg. The latter patent is of particular interest in that it was filed by Erwin M. Riebe, president of Nobema Products Corp., who Lotter appointed as sole US distributors in 1949 [2]. Reisszeugfabrik Emskirchen E. Boden acquired Johann Chr. Lotter in 1980 [3]. Johann Chr. Lotter was dissolved in 2009 [4].

Two other notable innovations by Lotter are the geared head straightening device DRP 254078 patented in 1911 (fig. 1 above, and a production version from 1946, fig. 2 above)[16]. The compass with telescopic extension (fig. 3 above) introduced during the 1920s was also fitted with a geared head [5]. 

It should be noted that there are 3 separate and distinct drawing instrument firms with the name Lotter. The oldest and foremost firm is 1) 'Johann Chr. Lotter' that used the trade mark 'Original Lotter' registered 15 June 1933 [17], with a workshop founded in Nuremberg in 1882 [6] and a factory opened in 1917 in Neustadt a.d. Aisch, and another in 1919 in Wilhelmsdorf; 2) 'Preciosa Reisszeug-fabrik Lotter & Co.' established in 1934 in Neustadt a.d. Aisch by Josef Eberth [7], whose spouse Henrietta Lotter was the daughter of Johann Christian [8]; and 3) 'Standard-Reisszeugfabrik Johann Conrad Lotter' established in 1949 in Unterbrunn (municipality Gauting) near Munich [9]. The founder of the latter, son of Johann Christian, is known historically for his role in the Lotter-Putsch of 1919 [10].

There is also a 'Reisszeugfabrik Villanova' established in 1950, a Lotter subsidiary, seeing it had the same proprietor and was located at the same address (fig. 4 above and fig. left).

*I am indebted to Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Vollrath for making the results of his unpublished research available.

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[1] Der Mechaniker vol.19., 1897, p.320-321 [Internet Archive].

[2] American Artist, 1949 [Google Books]

Drawing Instruments. Nobema Products Corp., 141 Green St., New York 12, N. Y., advise us they have been appointed sole distributors of the fine quality, precision-made instruments manufactured by Johann Chr. Lotter of Neustadt, Germany. (Lotter was the originator of the geared-type construction drawing compass.) We understand that these instruments will be shown under the auspices of the American Military Government, German Exposition to be held at the Museum of Science and Industry in New York City during the month of April. 

[3] Boden acquired company Johann Chr. Lotter, he shipped the machines to his firm BODEN MEXICANA in Guadalajara, Willi Seibold; Vier Generationen Reißzeugfabrik BODEN in Wilhelmsdorf, 2016, p. 63-64.  

[4] Amtsgericht Fürth HRA 3266  

[5] K&L 1927, p.87-91 [De Hollandse Cirkel]; and Zirkel mit ausziehbarer Verlängerungsstange DE1298974U (1934) [Depatisnet].

[6] Stadtarchiv Nürnberg C 22/II Nr. 14/1177 An

[7] Max Döllner; Entwicklungsgeschichte der Stadt Neustadt an der Aisch bis 1933. Ph. C. W. Schmidt, Neustadt a. d. Aisch 1950, p.502, 533;

Adressbuch Neustadt/Aisch 1938, p.18; Hermann Friedrich Kraft, drawing instrument factory in Neustadt/Aisch, acquired Lotter & Co in 1958; Lotter & Co. dissolved in 1971 [Amtsgericht Fürth HRA 3266].

[8] Family Search, Henrietta Katharina Lotter, film #004814067, image 765, 766. 

[9] Hans Fehn; Der Landkreis Starnberg, Verlag Franz Kraus, 1955, p.148.

In Unterbrunn hat die 1949 gegründete Standard-Reißzeugfabrik Johann Conrad Lotter ihren Sitz. Hergestellt werden in erster Linie Taschenzirkel, Combizirkel, Stangen- und Bogenzirkel, Schul- und Technikerreißzeuge.  

[10] Ellen Latzin; Lotter-Putsch, 19. Februar 1919, Historisches Lexikon Bayerns.

[11] A detailed Lotter company history is given by Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Vollrath: http://www.history.didaktik.mathematik.uni-wuerzburg.de/ausstell/lotter/index.html

[12] British Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee report 1289 on the German Drawing Instrument Industry post WW2 (1946). 

[13] Earliest known Lotter catalogue, undated but likely mid 1920s. With many thanks to Stadtarchiv an der Aisch for providing scans of this catalogue.

[14] Hans-Joachim Vollrath; Johann Christian Lotter (1856-1936), Ein ideenreicher fränkischer Reisszeugfabrikant, Jahrbuch für fränkische Landesforschung, Band 77/78 (2019), pp. 219-242.

[15] Hans-Joachim Vollrath; Johann Christian Lotter 1856-1936 Originelle Zirkel aus Franken, J.H. Röll Verlag, Dettelbach 2020, ISBN 978-3-89754-580-9.  

[16] Wilhelm Hauff's compass of 1858 may have been the first compass featuring a geared head. Polytechnisches Centralblatt. 24. 1858 = NF Jahrgang 12 [Bavarikon] and Polytechnisches Centralblatt. 24. 1858 = NF Jg. 12 [Bavarikon]

[17] Warenzeichenblatt 15 June 1933. Trademark 'Original Lotter' Nr. 456095 registered 23 February 1933. 

[18] Patentliste bayerische Erfinder...Johann Christian Lotter in Nürnberg. "Zirkel mit einem die mittlere Stellung zu dem Zirkelschenkeln unverändert beibehaltenden Griff (Vase)". Bayerischer Landbote. 1890 = Jg. 100, 1 - 6 [MDZ]. DE53054 [Depatisnet]

[19] "Reisszeugfabrikant Johann Christian Lotter in Emskirchen betreibt seit 21. August 1892 unter der Firma J. Chr. Lotter Reisszeugfabrik Emskirchen mit der alleinigen Niederlassung ein Reisszeugfabrikationsgeschäft." Bayerische Handelszeitung. 23. 1893 [MDZ]

[20] "Der Reisszeugfabrikant Johann Christian Lotter und der Kaufmann Edmund Theophon Boden von Emskirchen betreiben ihr Reisszeug-fabrikationsgeschäft mit dem Sitze in Emskirchen nicht mehr unter der bisherigen Firma Reisszeugfabrik Emskirchen J. Chr. Lotter & Co., sondern unter der nunmehrigen Firma Reisszeugfabrik Emskirchen Lotter & Boden." Bayerische Handelszeitung. 24. 1894 [MDZ]

[21] "Firma Reisszeugfabrik Emskirchen Lotter & Boden. Unter dieser Firma führt der Kaufmann Edmund Theophon Boden nach dem unterm 18 Oktober d. Js. erfolgten Ausscheiden des Gesellschäfters Johann Christian Lotter das Geschäft als alleiniger Inhaber fort." Bayerische Handelszeitung. 25. 1895 [MDZ]

[22] "Firma Reisszeugfabrik Emskirchen E. Boden. In dieser Weise wurde die seitherige Firma Reisszeugfabrik Emskirchen Lotter & Boden abgeändert." Bayerische Handelszeitung. 26. 1896 [MDZ]

1908: Johann Christian Lotter, DRGM 333756.

1909: Charles Edward Hand, US920461A.

1910: Harry Vaughan Nunn, GB191004319 (=Halden's vertical drawing compass). 

1911: Johann Christian Lotter, DE238295A.

1911: Charles Edward Hand, US1008140A.

1912: Marcel Bieuville, DE259456A.

1913: Marcel Bieuville, FR17775, FR439396.

1915: Charles Edward Hand, US1145016A.

1924: Joseph Rollin Engers, US1515943A.

1930: L. Robar & Co., DE493960A.

1936: Friedrich Maybaum, DE638159A.