Norman T.A. Munder - Retirement

Retirement

After his retirement in 1931, he became advisory printing councilor to the Enoch Pratt Free Library and in 1935, the Library of Congress again asked him to reproduce more work—this time the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Since he could not work from the originals, they gave him 30-year-old photographs, with many words and letters missing from the aging of the film. He saw the beauty and impressiveness of the originals documents and felt that a print made from the photographs would be a sacrilege, so he commissioned a fine letterer, who had been in his employ, to supply the missing letters and words. He also removed the smears and blotches caused by the film and thus was able to bring out entirely perfect reproductions of both historical documents. Copies of these are in great demand.

"If you take a Corot, unframed, through the subways," says Mr. Munder, "you couldn't sell it for $2. Put it in a plush-walled room, properly framed, tag it for $10,000, and your chances are much better." That is his typical understanding (of quality presentations) and helps to explain what made him one of the most distinguished printers in the country and a collaborator with the best of the American artists, designers and typographers.

Norman married Elizabeth "Bessie" Riefle (of the Baltimore Coulson/Riefle family), and they were the parents of two daughters. Bessie died in childbirth.