Mergus aquaristic and terraristic atlases (1982–)
Terrarien Atlas by Hans A. Baensch and Hans J. Herrmann
Spotted at a flea market in Berlin: Quicksilver in use for a terraristics atlas published by Mergus (shown above).
In fact, Quicksilver is the typeface used for all books by Mergus. Founded in 1977 by Hans Baensch (1941–2016) in Melle, Germany, Mergus brought out the first volume of the Aquarien Atlas in 1982. The jacket design and typography is credited to Braun-Design, Werther. Quicksilver is used with contoured and overlapping letters, and often with its alternate narrow S. The rounded border echoes the typeface design.
Over the years, the library has been expanded to 26 volumes. It comprises atlases about marine and freshwater fish, the historical Bloch’s Atlas, specialized volumes about cichlids, catfish, pond fish, and even fish fossils. There are hardback and paperback editions, and translations to English, French, and Spanish. Shown below is a selection of book covers and jackets.
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Aquarium Atlas, Vol. 1, by Rüdiger Riehl and Hans A. Baensch, 1985 (fifth edition)
Aquarium Atlas, Vol. 1, 3rd English edition, 1996
Atlas de l’aquarium, French edition
Atlas de l’aquarium, Vol. 2, French edition, 1997
Aquarien Atlas, Vol. 5, 1997
Aquarien Atlas, Vol. 6, 1997
Aquarien Atlas, Vol. 1–5 plus Foto-Index
Cichliden Atlas, Vol. 1 by Uwe Römer
Gartenteich Atlas
Cichlid Atlas, Vol. 1, English edition, 2001
Bloch’s Atlas, Vol. 1– 3
Welsatlas, Vol. 1 & 2, 2002/2005
Marine Atlas by Helmut Debelius and Hans A. Baensch, first English edition, 1994
Mittelmeer Atlas, 2005
Fossilien Atlas by Karl Albert Frickhinger, 1991
