Desmond Zwemmer
Desmond Zwemmer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 6 December 1919 Herne Hill, London, England |
| Died | 8 September 2000 (aged 80) Bristol, England |
| Occupation(s) | Publisher, bookseller |
| Known for | Directing A. Zwemmer Ltd., managing Zwemmer's art bookshop |
Desmond Zwemmer (6 December 1919 – 8 September 2000) was a distinguished British publisher and bookseller who directed the publishing house A. Zwemmer Ltd., renowned for its acclaimed publications on specialised art subjects. He also oversaw the London-based arts bookshop A. Zwemmer, commonly known as "Zwemmer's," which earned accolades from prominent cultural figures including Sir Kenneth Clark, Henry Moore, and Alfred H. Barr Jr.
Early life and career
Desmond was born in 1919 in Herne Hill, London, as the son of Anton Zwemmer, a Dutch-born art bookseller and publisher who relocated to England in 1914. Anton founded the Zwemmer's art bookshop on Charing Cross Road, which played a pivotal role in shaping London's art environment alongside the Zwemmer Gallery, providing British audiences with early exposure to artists like Picasso and Dalí.
From an early age, Desmond contributed to his father's bookshop and managed the Zwemmer's stall at the 1936 International Surrealist Exhibition held in London. He pursued architectural studies throughout Europe, consulting key texts by Nikolaus Pevsner, and improved his command of French at the University of Besançon—a crucial asset given Paris’s importance in the art book market. Upon returning to London, he undertook art history studies at the Courtauld Institute under the guidance of Anthony Blunt.
During the Second World War, Zwemmer served as an army officer with postings in the North-West Frontier Province, Lebanon, and later in post-war Germany.
Publishing
In 1946, Desmond accompanied his father Anton to Paris, where he met many of Anton’s contacts in publishing and the arts, including Picasso. Subsequently, Anton arranged for him to gain publishing experience in Geneva under Swiss art book publisher Albert Skira. Back in London, Desmond frequented antiquarian book auctions and in 1956 enrolled at the London College of Printing for a three-year course focused on book and magazine production.
Desmond gradually assumed greater responsibility for his father's publishing ventures through "A. Zwemmer Ltd.," while his brother John concentrated on both new and antiquarian bookselling.
He established collaborative editions with European publishers such as Skira, Ernst Wasmuth, and Fernand Hazan, growing the company’s role as a wholesale distributor both within the UK and internationally. Additionally, he was an innovator in marketing remaindered art books to trade buyers.
Under Desmond’s leadership, the publishing program expanded significantly into areas including art, architecture, and film. Recognising an unmet demand, he launched the Studies in Architecture series in 1957, with Anthony Blunt and Rudolf Wittkower serving as founding editors—a collection often regarded by critics as his most distinguished publishing accomplishment.
Zwemmer prioritized aligning rigorous academic content with exceptional standards of typography, illustration quality, printing precision, binding craftsmanship, and meticulous editing—all aspects he personally supervised. Due to the specialised nature of these publications, profits from retail operations helped support the publishing activities.
In 1976, A. Zwemmer Ltd. acquired Lund Humphries, another respected publisher specialising in art books. Following a stroke in 1985, Desmond and John sold their firm to Philip Wilson—a company focused on fine arts—and subsequently retired.
Personal life
Desmond Zwemmer was recognized for his striking stature—standing six feet four inches tall and often seen wearing a broad-brimmed black hat paired with a dark overcoat—which led to comparisons describing him as resembling a "descendant of a wealthy Rembrandt merchant."
In 1952, he wed Viera Aquino; their marriage eventually ended in divorce. Later, in 1979, he married Ann Porter (née Beedell), who had previously worked as a social worker and owned a bookshop in Bristol.
Zwemmer passed away in Bristol in the year 2000.
Further reading
- Nigel Faux Halliday, More Than a Bookshop: Zwemmer's and Art in the 20th Century, London: Philip Wilson Publishers, 1991.
- Ian Norrie, Mumby's Publishing and Bookselling in the Twentieth Century, London: Bell & Hyman, 1982 (6th edition).
External links
- Sir William Chambers, Knight of the Polar Star by John Harris, London, A. Zwemmer, 1970 (Studies in Architecture series)