Connecticut western news., 1885-08-19
TRADE CATALOGUES.
A Fortune is Sometimes Paid for an Rdi-
 ten of Books to Give Away.
From the New York Sun.

LNtoln the NeW IOrk pun.
 "American illustrated trade catalogues excel all others in the world,n said printer. ''No other country produces any in comparison. With them cata- logue printing has become wonderful and distinct business in itself. 1t is conceded by the most distinguished Eu- ropean art critics that Americans have surpassed all other nations in printing, and have we'll nigh done so in wood en- graving. The great silverware houses of this city publish more costly and gor- geous catalogues than any other line of trade. They usually issue one edition of 1000 copies, because they have about that many customers. One house on Broadway paid s100, 900 for its edi- ton of 1000 last year, while other sil- verware houses paid sums ranging from SS5, ,000 to $50, 900. Another house, be- sides publishing a trade catalogue, is- sues handbook for it's customers, at cost of $8, 900. ... ."
 ''The $100, 900 catalogues were of folio size, and contained 400 pages. They contained about 4, 900 words and steel engravings and photographic and hthographic sketches Each book weighed about fourteen pounds. The big edition consumed forty-fve tons of the finest and heaviest calendered pa per, made expressly for the purpose, and of higher grade than used in any other work of the bookmakers' art; twelve tons of card board and 5000 yards of the finest silk cloth for the covers. The presswork alone for the 2, 1000 copies cost $3, 900, and 210, 900 sheets of gold leaf and 49,000 sheets of silver leaf were used.
 gro print the covers of the books three colors are used. This requires the use of three different plates. The first prints the groundwork, and is worked cold, while the last two, which print in the gold and silver leaf, must be worked hot. Now, in heating these plates they expand one-fourth of an inch, SO that allowances must be made for the expan- sion-a difficult job indeed, when some of the figures are very minute, and an imperfect register would result in great loss,
 ''The Photographic work is the chief point of interest, for as many as fifteen tints are often used. In some catalogues a one-page design of three plates costs $1, 200. One large house on Beekman street, whose goods include wash basins made of chinaware with colored designs, pays $15o page for plates. A publish ing house up town, which makes a speciality of issuing yearly a cooperative catalogue, charges $500 for one-page design. .
 "The Hoffman house has got in press a catalogue that will cost SEQ, 900, It will require 100 pounds of ink, costing $S0 per pound, or &3, 900 in all. It will contain sixty-eight pages, with sketches by Bougueread, Corregio, Chelmonski, Etienne, Sadler, Bail, Schlessinger, and Mast. The design of the book IS by Charles Sibley May. The title will be "A Cluster of Gems from the Hoffman House Collection which also conveys the idea of the book The sketches will be full page, and will cost not less than S200 page. ...... ......
 ''In the more economical catalogues, such as those issued by the hardware, stove, locomotive, machinery and cutlery houses, there is no such expensive char acter of work, but they are printed in the best manner possible, on good sur face book paper, and illustrated with the best wood engravings. The cost is often from $S,000 to $12, 1000 for an | edition.n D