PUBLISHER: H.M. Caldwell Co., New York and Boston, 1896-1914.

ABOUT: Tebbel describes as subsidiary of Estes & Lauiat, publishing standard classics "intended as better quality competition for the A.L. Burt's 'Home Library'"; also issued gift books in attractive bindings. Herbert M. Caldwell was a trade book salesman.

April 1896 Publishers' Weekly ad, 9-11 East Sixteenth Street, year-and-a-half later also 208-218 Sumner Street, Boston. "Commonly read literature in bindings that would suit any decor." 1896 PW; 26 Sep, p398: "a new firm, of which the senior member was formerly connected with Henry Altemus"; describes numerous series being prepared. Ad p534 headed "Makers of Books with Illustrations in Library and Presentation Editions." 1897 ad gives address of 9-11 East 16th St., New York, Manufacturing and Shipping Department: 196, 198, 200, and 202 Summer St., Boston.

In view of the fact that [J. M. Barrie's] The Little Minister was an authorized edition there has been, and still is, some confusion as to the reason why it was so extensively pirated. Mr. Frank Lovell and Mr. V. M. Coryell give conflicting reasons. Mr. Coryell said that, according to his memory, only a third of the book was copyrighted, but he could remember no adequate reason for such a peculiar circumstance. Mr. Frank Lovell said he thought the book was actually published a few days prior to the passing of the International Copyright bill of 1891. But records show that the bill was passed in the Spring of 1891. Whatever it was, there was something irregular about the copyright and the publishers wished to keep it a secret. They might have succeeded but for the handicraft of H. M. Caldwell. Mr. Caldwell left the employ of John W. Lovell a short time before The Little Minister was published. He was aware of the discrepancy in copyright, and after concluding arrangements for establishing his own publishing house he bargained with Mr. Lovell for the privilege of issuing The Little Minister.
In order to keep the market to themselves, it was agreed that Caldwell's copies of the book should contain on the title-page verso: "Copyright by the United States Book Company, 1891." Thus it was hoped that other publishers would interpret this notice to mean that Lovell was merely aiding a man who had formerly worked for him. Lovell's reputation for lending a helpful hand to his friends was also figured to encourage the ruse. For quite some time it was successful and the pirates kept their distance. But the true story finally got out, with the result that Little Ministers nearly overran the country. Plates were rented from Lovell and from Caldwell and in nearly every instance copyright acknowledgements were made to the United States Book Co. But some few of the pirates, evidently lacking a sense of humor, acknowledged no copyright, and set their own type. (B. D. Cutler, Sir James Barrie: A Bibliography, Greenberg, 1931, p61-63).

Dana Estes died in 1909, and his firm devolved to his three sons who continued it for five years before selling (1914) to L.C. Page (himself Estes grandson). (DLB 49, Estes article). The Caldwell DLB article clarifies, however, “In 1910 the Boston firm of Dana Estes and Company [now controlled by the three sons] bought a controlling interest in H. M. Caldwell, continuing to use the design and sales skills of its founder. In April 1914 Estes [i.e., again the firm now owned by the three sons] sold out to the Page Company and accepted the purchase of the Dodge Publishing Company in New York for the plates and stock of the Caldwell Company. [See also PW 85 (4 April 1914), 1154, “Dodge .. absorbs Caldwell."]

LUCILE’s ISSUED BY H.M. Caldwell Co.: 1895-1900 American Catalogue;. '96. 12mo. (Il. lib. of famous books) 75c. 1902 United States Catalog. Lucile. 35c to $5. Lucile and Evangeline, set 35c, $1. Lucile and Scott's Lady of the Lake (Lotus ser.) 2 v. $1 '01. 1912 Lucile. 75c; $1; $1.25; mor. $1.25; $3; ooze cf. $1.50.

 

Page with Descriptions, Series Images, and Scans

Summary of Caldwell Editions
and the Years They Were Offered
(with an index by type of covering material)

Index by Covering Material:

QUARTER CLOTH: Alcazar Classics Calumet Series, 1896-1900; Chateau Series, 1900-1902; Commencement Gift Series, 1908-1909; Exquisite Series, 1896; Holiday Editon of Famous Books by Famous Authors, 1897; Illustrated Library of Famous Book by Famous Authors, 1896; Laureate Series, 1901-1911; Lotus Series, 1901-1902, 1912; Unique Edition, 1896-1899

FULL CLOTH: Alma Mater Series, 1910-1911; Ariston Series, 1907; Ariston-Dilettante Series, 1908-1911; Athenaeum Library, 1897; Autumn Leaf Series, 1898; Berkeley Library, 1898-1899, 1901-1902, 1913; Chef D'Oeuvre Series, 1896-1899; Commonwealth Edition, 1898-1899; De Novo Library, 1896-1899; Empyreal Edition, 1898-1899; Exquisite Series, 1896-1902; Florentine Series, 1898; Illustrated Library of Famous Books by Famous Authors, 1896, 1898-1899; Kalon Series, 1901-1902; Lakeside Series, 1899; Riviera Series, 1899; Salon Series, 1896-1897.

QUARTER LEATHER: Arts and Craft Edition, 1912; De Novo Half Leather, 1898; Exquisite Series, 1896-1902; The Illustrated Library of Famous Books by Famous Authors, 1898-1899; Suberb Series, 1896-1898.

LEATHER: Acorn Series, 1912; Berkeley Series, 1913; Cadeau Series (ooze), 1907-1911; Celandine Series, 1911-1912; Christmas Gift Series, 1907-1909; De Novo Full Leather, 1899; Emeritus Series (velvet calf), 1910-1913; Laureate Series (leather), 1901-1902; Laureate Series (morocco), 1905-1908; Rosemary Series, 1903-1910; Sesame Classics (ooze), 1902-1911;

Summary by Edition or Series Name:

Acorn Series, 1912; Alcazar Classics, 1912 ("Beau Ideal Edition", 1909; "Colonial Edition", 1908; "Cordon Series", 1906; "Eligio Edition", 1907; "Fenway Edition", 1910; "Laurestine Edition", 1911; "Miniature Series", 1905; "Pastel Series", 1903); Alma Mater Series, 1910-1911; Ariston Series, 1907; Ariston-Dilettante Series, 1908-1911; Arts and Craft Edition, 1912; Athenaeum Library, 1897; Autumn Leaf Series, 1898; Berkeley Library, 1898-1899, 1901-1902, 1913; Cadeau Series, 1907-1911; Calumet Series, 1896-1900; Celandine Series, 1911-1912; Chateau Series, 1900-1902; Chef D'Oeuvre Series, 1896-1899; Christmas Gift Series, 1907-1909; Commencement Gift Series, 1908-1909; Commonwealth Edition, 1898-1899; De Novo Library, 1896-1899; De Novo Half Leather, 1898; De Novo Full Leather, 1899; Emeritus Series, 1910-1913; Empyreal Edition, 1898-1899; Exquisite Series, 1896-1902; Florentine Series, 1898; Holiday Editon of Famous Books by Famous Authors, 1897; Illustrated Library of Famous Books by Famous Authors (Lucile is #50); ----. Second issue (Lucile is #22), 1896, 1898-1899; Illustrated Library of Famous Books by Famous Authors (half English calf), 1898-1899; Kalon Series, 1901-1902; Lakeside Series, 1899; Laureate Series, 1901-1911; Laureate Series (morocco), 1905-1908; Lotus Series, 1901-1902, 1912; Riviera Series, 1899; Rosemary Series, 1903-1910; Salon Series, 1896-1897; Sesame Classics, 1902-1911; Suberb Series, 1896-1898; Unique Edition, 1896-1899.

Summary by year of PTLA series/editions:

1896 PTLA: Calumet Series; Chef D'Oeuvre Series; De Novo Library; Exquisite Series; Illustrated Library of Famous Books by Famous Authors; Salon Series; Suberb Series; Unique Edition.

1897 PTLA: Athenaeum Library; Calumet Series; Chef D'Oeuvre Series; Exquisite Series; Holiday Editon of Famous Books by Famous Authors; New De Novo Library; New Salon Series; New Unique Edition; Suberb Series.

1898 PTLA: Autumn Leaf Series; Berkeley Library; Calumet Series; Chef D'Oeuvre Series; Commonwealth Edition; De Novo Edition; De Novo Half Leather; Empyreal Edition; Exquisite Series; Florentine Series; Illustrated Library of Famous Books by Famous Authors; Illustrated Library of Famous Books by Famous Authors; Suberb Series; Unique Edition.

1899 PTLA: Berkeley Library; Calumet Series; Chef D'Oeuvre Series Commonwealth Edition; De Novo Edition; De Novo Full Leather; Empyreal Edition; Exquisite Series; Illustrated Library of Famous Books by Famous Authors; Illustrated Library of Famous Books by Famous Authors (half English calf); Lakeside Series; New Unique Edition; Riviera Series.

1900 PTLA: Calumet Series; Chateau Series; Exquisite Series.

1901 PTLA: Chateau Series; Exquisite Series; Kalon Series; Lotus Series; Laureate Series; New Berkeley Library

1902 PTLA: Chateau Series; Exquisite Edition; Laureate Series; Lotus Series; New Berkeley Library; Sesame Classics; New Kalon Series

1903 PTLA: New Laureate Series; Rosemary Series; New Sesame Classics

1904 PTLA: Alcazar Classics "Pastel Series"; New Laureate Series; Rosemary Series; New Sesame Classics

1905 PTLA: Alcazar Classics "Miniature Series"; Laureate Series (vellum back, American morocco); Rosemary Series; Sesame Classics

1906 PTLA: Alcazar Classics "Cordon Series"; Laureate Series (vellum back, American morocco); Rosemary Series; Sesame Classics

1907 PTLA: Alcazar Classics "Eligio Edition"; Ariston Series; Cadeau Series; Christmas Gift Series; Laureate Series (vellum backs, American morocco); New Rosemary Series; Sesame Classics

1908 PTLA: Alcazar Classics "Colonial Edition"; Ariston-Dilettante Series; Cadeau Series; Christmas Gift Series; Commencement Gift Series; Laureate Series (vellum back); New Rosemary Series; Sesame Classics

1909 PTLA: Alcazar Classics "Beau Ideal Edition"; Ariston-Dilettante Series; Cadeau Series; Christmas Gift Series; Commencement Gift Series; Laureate Series (vellum back); New Rosemary Series; Sesame Classics

1910 PTLA: Alcazar Classics "Fenway Edition"; Alma Mater Series; Ariston-Dilettante Series; Cadeau Series; Emeritus Series; Laureate Series (silk cloth); New Rosemary Series; Sesame Classics

1911 PTLA: Alcazar Classics "Laurestine Edition"; Alma Mater Series; Ariston-Dilettante Series; Cadeau Series; Celandine Series; Emeritus Series; Laureate Series (silk cloth); Sesame Classics

1912 PTLA: Alcazar Classics; Acorn Series; Celandine Series; Emeritus Series; Lotus Series

1913 PTLA: Arts and Craft Edition; Berkeley Series; Emeritus Series

Last revised: 17 November 2020