Hope to learn more about Herbert Knotel - Illustrator

[Von Ritt]

Had no idea his work existed. Viewed a small collection of his work today. Seems very rare to find illustrations like I saw today. Would be interested in learning more about his works. Only interested in his Wehrmacht illustrations. Please share any knowledge you might have. These pics are quick phone pics taken while the illustrations were under glass and in plastic sleeves. Approximately 8”x10”.

Thank you very much.
-Von Ritt

[drmessimer]

von Ritt;Yes, he was a terrific artist and so was his dad. Here is a partial list of his books and some biographical notes about Herbert. I hope this is useful. Dwight
Herbert Knötel
Born
in Berlin, Germany
January 01, 1893
Died
January 01, 1963

Herbert Knötel was a German artist and illustrator who specialized in military topics. His father, Richard Knötel, was himself a respected artist & illustrator, as well as one of the first scholars of the history of military uniforms. His father trained him from childhood to eventually take over the family business of providing military illustrations for diverse clients & many different purposes.
During the First World War, Herbert Knötel served as an army officer and was wounded during the battle of Tannenberg. When the war ended, he was a Rittmeister (equivalent to a Captain in the U.S. Army) in a Prussian cavalry unit on the eastern front.

Most widely held works by Herbert Knötel
Uniforms of the world : a compendium of Army, Navy, and Air Force uniforms, 1700-1937 by Richard Knötel( Book )
28 editions published between 1980 and 1988 in English and German and This book spans more than 200 years of the development of military costume--from the earliest standing armies to the eve of World War II. It is a classic work of uniform history

Handbuch der uniformkunde : die militärische tracht in ihrer entwicklung bis zur gegenwart by Richard Knötel( Book )
26 editions published between 1937 and 1971 in German
Uniforms of the world: a compendium of army, navy and air force uniforms: 1700-1937: revised, brought up to date and enlarged by Herbert Knötel, Jr. and Herbert Sieg by Herbert Knötel( Book )
5 editions published in 1980 in English
Uniformenkunde, das deutsche Heer : Friedensuniformen bei Ausbruch des Weltkrieges by Herbert Knötel( Book )
16 editions published between 1935 and 1982 in German
Handbuch der Uniformkunde : Die militärische Tracht in ihrer Entwicklung bis zur Gegenwart. Mit 1600 Uniformdarst. nach Zeichn. v. Richard Knötel u. Herbert Knötel d. J. by Richard Knötel( Book )

Farbiges Handbuch der Uniformkunde by Richard Knötel( Book )
8 editions published between 1985 and 1996 in 3 languages
Uniformenkunde, das deutsche Heer : Friedensuniformen bei Ausbruch des Weltkrieges by Herbert Knötel( Book )
4 editions published in 1982
Napoleonic Uniforms Volume 1

Napoleonic Uniforms Volume 2


Napoleonic Uniforms Volume 3


Napoleonic Uniforms Volume 4


Herbert Knotel's German Armies in Color: As Illustrated in His Watercolors & Sketches
it

[MichaelSemann]

I have a copy of UNIFORMS OF THE WORLD in my collection, and utilize it on a daily basis. Unfortunately it is illustrated with only with b&w ink drawings and no color plates.

[drmessimer]

Michael; Both Herbert and his dad worked in ink and pencil as well s in color. The ink and pencil drawings are all good, but I agree, color is a lot better. Dwight

[Von Ritt]

drmessimer- wonderful informative add. thank you very much! will try pickup a book when it comes available. hopes are more information and value can be found. mostly interested in the subject matter shown in the 5 pics above. again, sir, thanks for the information. hope to acquire these pieces.

Best
-Von Ritt

[drmessimer]

von Ritt: I came across this when I was searching in German google. It's a tad redundant but it does add a couple of small bits to your search.
Herbert Knötel was the son of renowned uniformologist and military historian Richard Knötel (1857-1914). The elder Knötel pioneered uniform art and in many cases drew from preserved examples whenever possible.
His father’s uniform books are classics that endure to this day, as is his massive 1,000-plate Große Uniformkunde, which young Herbert assisted with.
Herbert found himself as a officer in the Prussian Army and, assigned to Hindenburg’s 1st Army was wounded at Tannenburg during WWI. He finished the war as a Hauptmann in a horse cavalry unit on the Eastern Front.
With the world turned upside down in 1919, he returned to Berlin and took up the family business, both expanding and preserving his father’s inherited work and producing original plates of his own while helping run the Berlin Zeughaus Museum.
He was meticulous, first sketching his art, then using watercolors for shading and fill work and finishing with acrylics.
I found it interesting that he died on his 70th birthday. It's unusual that someone dies on the same date that he was born. I wonder if his death was suicide? Dwight