Company history
In 1946 Richard Sellmer manufactured his first Advent Calendar. The production began in the living room of the house in the Schmellbachstreet No. 36, which is opposite todays Company-Building. On December 9, 1946 we received the printing license from the U.S. Military Government. The paper had to be purchased in the U.S. Military Zone. The first Advent Calendar was called "Little Town" (today`s no. 100).
With this Advent Calendar Richard Sellmer visited one of the first international fairs in Frankfurt. And so he got his first contacts to American customers. At that time Advent Calendars were unknown in the United States. The reaction was enormous. In 1950 he started exhibiting on the Nürnberg Toy Fair.
Richard Sellmer started a business cooperation with an US Charity in the early 50ies and so the Americans found their love for the German "-Advents with heart-". A great success was that the EISENHOWER and NIXON familiy promoted this cooperation and the Advent Calendars from Sellmer. So Sellmer got his name "The Secretary General of Father Christmas".
In U.S. newspapers Richard Sellmer was named "The Source of Advent Calendars" and "The Home of Advent Calendars". For Sellmer`s Advent Calendar "Little Christmas Town" a Miss Christmas Town were crowned every year. As well the German chancellor Konrad Adenauer received inquiries from the U.S. re Sellmer´s Advent Calendars. In the 50s the company already exported to Australia, New-Zealand and Japan.
On June 26, 1953 the company received in the United States the "Copyright for the religious Advent Calendars".
On June 23, 1959 Sellmer received the US patent No. 2,891,336 for "the collapsible Advent Calendars".
In 1950 the production was mainly handwork. In that time many costly Advent Calendars have been published. Calendars which are not anymore producable today.
In the early 50s Richard Sellmer produced the Advent Calendar "Old Stuttgart". A part of the sale profits were used for the rebuilding of the Stuttgart church "Stiftskirche". Richard Sellmer died in 1969. His son Tim Sellmer became the manager and extended the company`s building in 1972.
In 1989 the largest Advent Calendar of the world was manufactured after a design from our line.
Since the year 2001 the company has a sales office in the U.K. Today the company is managed by Frank and Oliver Sellmer. Tim Sellmer died in 2008 in the age of 68 years only. His sons will continue his great work.
RICHARD SELLMER VERLAG is Germany`s only specialist for Advent Calendars, exporting this famous Christmas tradition to about 25 countries of the world. Some Million pieces are sold every year. Due to a modern manufactoring process, always focussing on high quality, best service and a just-in-time-delivery is guaranteed to reasonable conditions. So orders will be handled very carefully. We produce the whole year around!
Still today, it is our main goal to preserve the tradition of Advent Calendars and to make it popular to everyone. Please contact Frank Sellmer for further information. He will be glad to give you assistance.
CHRISTMAS.... it`s our world.
