New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-15
BIG PUBLISHING HOUSES
THE WORK DONE By SOME OF THEM
SKETCHES OF HARPER & BROTHERS, CHARLES
sCR1BNEEs SONS, MACMILLAN CO.,
d. APPLETON 6 co. AND DoDD.

IL.
MEAD & co.
At no Other time do the stores OF the big publishing
houses offer many attractions just before Christ
mas. Every effort is made 10 tighten the burden OF
the holiday shopperyes. TO change from task to
pleasure. In December, rule, are published ule
books which, by OF their beautiful appearance
and Interesting contents, are best suited Tor gf's'
The bookbuyer therefore II be does not walt unu tue
ast few DAYS before Christmas, will lind display oil
volumes which will delight his eve aud make MN want
10 uneer all day.
Christmas books are first OF all attractive In
outward appearance, but the title applies. In the
minds Of many, TO standard books OF unpie'enuouS
binding well to those OF holiday sparuo
and glitter. Books are the comfort ana dehsht
Of those who distracted over the problem Of seiecr
ing Christmas gifts. Few If any tastes cannot be
erailfed bv books IL is oniy matter OF selecting
an ppopriate one With the endless lists OF publ
cations covering every field OF human interest win
the varieties of binding ard Illustrations no one hced
say that he finds il impossible to AXE Ut choice.
New-York,s supremacy publishing centre mas
been established by number Of firms which do credit
To the metropolis and 10 the country. These leading
houses have been characterized 10y efforts TO do the best
work. Whether IL is because they md 1t the beSt
policy or because the heads OF the firms have been
and are men with ambition 70 attain their IDEAS. OF
for both these the result has been that these
concerns have established wide regulations Oi meritori-
Gus work as regards mechanical exceonCy and the high
class OF the Illustrations and the subject niateF OF ther
books
THE GREAT HOUSE OF HAMPER & BROTHERS.
Some notice is here given OF q few Of the houses
which have for themselves positions OF disuhcuoh
in the publishing world. The name OF Harper
Brothers naturally occurs to one who thinks OF ts
subject In its long ard honorable career, III the high
standards which IL has set and lived up 10, and IN the
volume OF it, business this firm is among the most
notable of the world. ThTee-quarers of a century
ago, lacking single year, the sign of j. j. Harper
put up the door Of little printing house III
Doyers-st The brothers who first formed the hrnl
were James and John. In 1898 Joseph Wesley liar-
per taken into partnership and three years later
Fletcher The youngest Of the four brothers, also en-
tered the firm. since 1888 the business has been
carried under the style of Harper Brothers.
Ere this the firm had grown to be the largest in
the city, and in 1o25 the increase In business had
compelled il to move to larger quarters at NO. 81
Chfst. The firm in about 1850 erected big building
In Franklin Square. The structure was destroyed
by fire in 1853 causing loss of $loOo0oo, but the
check 10 the business was only temporary, for the firm
at rebuilt and continued to widen the circle OF us
enterprises. In 1854 the announcement was made
that it TIE largest publishing house in the world
THE PRESENT FIRM.
The management has been handed down from
fathers 10 sons, the firm consisting OF six de-
scendants of the four founders These six are Joseph
W., son Of John: j. Henry, grandson OF Fletcher;
John, son OF John james Thome. of James, and
Horaro r., grandson Of John and son Of John W.
The firms publications cover every branch of htera
ture, and especial pains have been taken to get up
choice books for the holiday trade. The Gar
field edition of Ben Hur" Is among the most interest
Ing OF these 1t is in two volumes, with twenty full
page photographers and 1000 other illustrations as
marginal drawings. General Wallace was delighted
beyond measure the beautiful workmanship Of the
edition.
"sharp Eyes Illustrated and written by W. Hamil-
ton GIBSON is nom printers point Of view the
finest Of the recent Harper books. "The Warwick
shire Avon,' illustrated by Alfred Parsons with notes
by A. T. Quiller-Conch, is another popular holiday
book. "Peter Ibbetson,r George du MauTiers first
novel, has made a hit. Three charming books OF
essays reprinted from larper's Monthly" George
William Curtiss "from the Easy Chair; Charles
Dudley Warmers As We Were saying" and William
Dean Howes's Criticism and Fiction" also
proprlste gift volumes. The four Harper periodicals,
the Magazine" "Weekly,' " Bazaar" and " Young
People, known in almost every household In The
Land.
CHARLIE. SCRIBNER's SONS
Another house which has achieved fame is that Of
Charles scrlbncr's sons at Nos. 743 and 745 Broad
way. which covers Il broad field of activity. The
retail store largest In the cty which is devoted
almost entirely IN books The mpOrtatOns by this
Hrm are numerous important. 1t has "a large sub
soription department aud publishes of the great
monthly magazines and large number Of standard
books.
The founder Of The house. Charles Scribner. a
college and lawyer In 1916 he published the
Rev ]. II. IIesdey's Napoleon and His Generals
which met with great Washington and His
Generals" and other works by the author were
afterwad given to the world by the firm. Among the
leading American writers who chose Mr. Scrbner
their publisher were Nathaniel p. Willis Donald q.
Mitchell, DR.. J. g. Holland and Bayard Taylor The
firm now consists OF Charles and Arthur H. Scribner.
SALES OF sTANLFY's BOOK
Since the passage Of the copyright law the house
has Published books here which ii would formerly have
left 10 English firms. Henry NJ. Stanley's "In
Darkest Africa" enjoyed the largest popularity of any
book which has recently been issued by scribner's
Sons. Sir Edwin Arpolds Japonica" has had
usual good run among the newer books.
The subscription department y important branch
OF the firms business and chief among the books sold
by II is the Encyclopaedia Britannica" In twenty
Ave volumes, of which scrlbners Sons are the only
authorized agents In this country The Encyclopaedia
Of Music and Musicians" encyclopedia Of Painters and
Paintings "The Ornamental Arts Of japan" Bryant's
1" Popular History of the United States" and Greelys
"Three Years OF ARCTIC Service favoritc works
which are also sold only through agents The newest
book I'm this department Is beautiful quaro by James
Leon Williams. called "The Home and Haunts of
Shakespeare" in fifteen parts. Tue Introduction is by
Horace Howard Furness. and each part contains full
page reproduction of wateroOl0r painted for the
work, by such well-kDown artists George H. Bougl
ton, W. Hamilton Gibson, Francis d. Mlet f. Percy
Moran, Alfred Parsons. William T. Smcdley. F. Hop
hnson Smith, and Others.
The success Of scrlbner's Magazine an achieve
ment Of which the firm may feel most proud. The
magazine, founded by Charles Scnbrer, sold in
1881 to the Century Company, the vendor agreeing not
y start rival periodical for five years III Jannsry
1887 was begun the publication Of new Scribner's
Magazine" which leapcd into popularity a. once. Its
circulation has grown 10 100000 month. and has
extended from this country TO Europe, and even 10
Australia.
THE FIELD OF MACMILLAN & co.
An English firm which has built for itself fine
A.. In L. ~ aDrnlIn 4