The company began in 1850 October 3 when Samuel Merrill bought an Indianapolis bookstore and entered the publishing business. After his death in 1855, his son, Samuel Merrill, Jr. continued the business. Soon after the American Civil War (1861-1865) the business became Merrill, Meigs, and Company, and in 1883 the name changed again to the Bowen-Merrill Company. In 1903 the name became the Bobbs-Merrill Company, after long-time director, William Conrad Bobbs. From 1899 through 1909, the company published 16 novels whose sales placed each of them among the nation's top ten best-selling books of the year for one or more years.[citation needed]
Bobbs-Merrill was responsible for a long period in its history for publishing the codified state laws of the State of Indiana and of other U.S. states.[1] The firm also published legal and school textbooks, children's books (including The Wizard of Oz and "27 titles in the Raggedy Ann series"),[2][3] and texts in the history of philosophy.
In 1944, Bobbs-Merrill commissioned artist Evelyn Copelman to illustrate a new edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, reprinted as The Wizard of Oz and The New Wizard of Oz. Copelman's illustrations were more influenced by the 1939 Judy Garland MGM film version of the book than by W. W. Denslow's original 1900 illustrations, although the credits on the book stated otherwise. The year that Copelman's illustrations first appeared, 1949, was also the year of the film's first re-release.
In 1959, The Howard W. Sams Company purchased Bobbs-Merrill. When Sams was acquired by Macmillan in 1985, the Bobbs-Merrill name ceased being used, with the exception of continued sales of the Fifth Revision of The Joy of Cooking. This book continued to be a steady seller for Macmillan. There were also selected College Division titles, such as the Library of Liberal Arts.[4]
Book series
Bobbs-Merrill Reprint Series in the Social Sciences
^Eric B. Schoch, "Venerable Bobb-Merrill firm to close", The Indianapolis Star, 19 April 1985, p. 49.
^McDowell, Edwin (1985-04-24). "Two Publishers, Bobbs-Merrill and Dial, Being Dissolved". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
Further reading
Jack O'Bar, The Origins and History of the Bobbs-Merrill Company, Occasional Papers, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Publications Office, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1985).
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bobbs-Merrill Company.
January 08, 2023
bobbs, merrill, company, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, march, 2012, learn,. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations March 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Bobbs Merrill Company was a book publisher located in Indianapolis Indiana Bobbs Merrill CompanyParent companySAMS Publishing 1959 1985 StatusDefunctFounded1850 173 years ago 1850 FounderSamuel MerrillDefunct1985 38 years ago 1985 SuccessorMacmillanCountry of originUnited StatesHeadquarters locationIndianapolis Indiana Contents 1 Company history 2 Book series 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingCompany history EditThe company began in 1850 October 3 when Samuel Merrill bought an Indianapolis bookstore and entered the publishing business After his death in 1855 his son Samuel Merrill Jr continued the business Soon after the American Civil War 1861 1865 the business became Merrill Meigs and Company and in 1883 the name changed again to the Bowen Merrill Company In 1903 the name became the Bobbs Merrill Company after long time director William Conrad Bobbs From 1899 through 1909 the company published 16 novels whose sales placed each of them among the nation s top ten best selling books of the year for one or more years citation needed The company was plaintiff in Bobbs Merrill Co v Straus 210 U S 339 1908 a case regarded by whom as the origin of copyright s first sale doctrine citation needed Bobbs Merrill was known for publishing such authors as Keith Ayling Erving Goffman Richard Halliburton David Markson Walter Dean Myers Ayn Rand James Whitcomb Riley Mary Roberts Rinehart and Irma S Rombauer 1 Of note Irma S Rombauer wrote The Joy of Cooking Mary Roberts Rinehart wrote The Circular Staircase 1908 and Keith Ayling wrote The Story of Old Leatherneck of the Flying Tigers 1945 Bobbs Merrill also published the early works of fantasy writer L Frank Baum Bobbs Merrill was responsible for a long period in its history for publishing the codified state laws of the State of Indiana and of other U S states 1 The firm also published legal and school textbooks children s books including The Wizard of Oz and 27 titles in the Raggedy Ann series 2 3 and texts in the history of philosophy In 1944 Bobbs Merrill commissioned artist Evelyn Copelman to illustrate a new edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz reprinted as The Wizard of Oz and The New Wizard of Oz Copelman s illustrations were more influenced by the 1939 Judy Garland MGM film version of the book than by W W Denslow s original 1900 illustrations although the credits on the book stated otherwise The year that Copelman s illustrations first appeared 1949 was also the year of the film s first re release In 1959 The Howard W Sams Company purchased Bobbs Merrill When Sams was acquired by Macmillan in 1985 the Bobbs Merrill name ceased being used with the exception of continued sales of the Fifth Revision of The Joy of Cooking This book continued to be a steady seller for Macmillan There were also selected College Division titles such as the Library of Liberal Arts 4 Book series EditBobbs Merrill Reprint Series in the Social Sciences Child Classics Readers Childhood of Famous Americans Series The Library of Liberal Arts Live Dolls series Raggedy Ann seriesSee also EditAngus Cameron publisher References Edit a b Robert E Johnson The Hoosier House The Indianapolis Star 2 February 1947 p 89 Bobbs Merrill firm will close The Indianapolis News 19 April 1985 p 20 Eric B Schoch Venerable Bobb Merrill firm to close The Indianapolis Star 19 April 1985 p 49 McDowell Edwin 1985 04 24 Two Publishers Bobbs Merrill and Dial Being Dissolved The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2018 01 27 Further reading EditJack O Bar The Origins and History of the Bobbs Merrill Company Occasional Papers Graduate School of Library and Information Science Publications Office University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign 1985 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bobbs Merrill Company Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bobbs Merrill Company amp oldid 1065713607, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
