KNAPP's BLACK BOOK

It has been said somewhere that the internet is the most important development in communications since Guttenberg's invention of the printing press. Or it might be, it was they are both considered two of the most important inventions of all time ??..... I'm not sure of the exact quote and it's not that important here. What is important though, is that without the invention of the internet, the research I have put into this website would be impossible. It is only through the internet, that I have have discovered many of what I consider to be the treasures I have posted over these past seven years, like the rare photos of my home town of Mastic Beach, some taken before it had the name Beach attached to it. Rare property maps, deeds, and documents etc. In the case of my low profile website & book title namesake family, the Knapps, the internet made it possible for me to meet and personally speak with some people who knew folks like Dodi or his sister Claire Knapp as far back as when they lived on their estate in Mastic Beach in the 1920's (both were born in the 19th century), and finding photos of many of them (most were very camera shy) and their interests, flying in WW1, show dogs, golf , some of their homes etc and believe it or not, even some actual personal possesions of theirs or items that have been in their hands like Marion H. Knapp's book of print etchings from 1939, Phoebe P. Knapp's songbook and her husband Joseph F. Knapp's autographed copy of his Sunday School manual both from 1869. Claire K & Willis O Penney's personal Christmas cards from the 1930's featuring their show dogs , and photos of Dodi and Marion Knapp's Isle of Palms, Florida home and yachts from the same era.

Now from the same decade or possibly very early 1940's comes this little gem. Joseph Palmer Knapp's personal copy of a pictorial promotional book about one of his many Alco - Gravure printing plants. In his 1937 interview with Fortune Magazine , Knapp said he prefered to be called first and foremost "a printer" . He probably did not care for some of the other labels like publishing tycoon, the media hung on him when he rarely showed up in print like in Time, Fortune or Newsweek. (fact was few ever heard of him and that's the way he liked it) I have often thought how J. P. Knapp , who embraced most all technology and certainly advanced printing technology in his lifetime (did any body print more or high quality stuff than Knapp?) would of handled "the internets" as some of the more tech challanged folks have referred to it. As for me I'm glad "the nets" came along in my lifetime.

Well enough said about that.Take a peek inside of J.P. Knapp's "Little Black Book" and you will get a small idea of How He Did It , which is just what that great TV detective Frank Drebin, as played by Leslie Nielsen once said to Sally Decker on that wild show Police Squad.

FRANK - We think we know how he did it. SALLY DECKER - Howey couldn't have done it he hasn't been in for Weeks. FRANK - Well.

HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY

It's actually not that little. It measures about 8.5" x 11"

The gold print is a little worn as is the cover but its a gem nonetheless

KNAPP SOLD AMERICAN LITHOGRAPHIC CO. IN 1929 TO US PRINTING CO. BUT BEFORE HE DID HE SEPERATED HIS ROTO GRAVURE DIVISION KNOWN AS ALCO - GRAVURE FROM AMERICAN LITHOGRAPHIC ....... A SMART MOVE

THAT'S THE BIG APPLE JUST ACROSS THE RIVER

The Cars Help To Date The Photos To Circa 1930's

There is a hint of the Knapp Co Logo chisled in stone above the door. I believe the plant was built in the 1920's, but to borrow a phrase from 1960's Firesign Theater , it looks like they are still "Waiting For The Electrician" If that car is new and it looks pretty shiny, it dates to 1937-38

Well Don't Just Stand Out There Come On In!