PUBLISHER: Henry T. Coates & Co., Philadelphia, 1895-1904
ABOUT: "HENRY T. COATES & CO. Founded by Robert Porter and Charles Davis in 1848 as DAVIS & PORTER CO. Specialized in trade and art books; in 1866, Henry Coates joined the firm, which was renamed DAVIS, PORTER & COATES; in 1867 Davis retired and the name became PORTER & COATES; in 1869 G. Morrison Coates, brother of Henry, joined the firm; in 1895, Porter retired, firm became HENRY T. COATES & CO. Published magazine, Home and Garden. In 1904, Coates retired and sold the company to John C. Winston Co." This information, with permission, from The Hyde Park Book Store, Boise, Idaho. See also Porter & Coates. By 1891 at 900 Chestnut; in 1898 moved to 1222 Chestnut Street; sold to John C. Winston Co. in November 1903 (DLB 49).
LUCILE’s ISSUED BY Henry T. Coates : 1902 United States Catalog: Lucile. 75c.
1896-1899 PTLA: Alta Edition (Trade-Mark Registered) of Best Popular Twelvemos. Comprising 201 volumes of the most Popular and Best Selling Books. Each book is bound in the handsomest manner, ornamental side and Silk-Ribbon Marker. Retail at 50 Cents. (Lucile is #129; series increased to 201 titles in 1897; reduced to 166 titles in 1898 and cut as shown; 1899 notes that 92 of the 175 "are not to be found in any other publisher's line of 12mos.").
1897-1899 PTLA: New Editions, 1897. The Laurel Library. 134 volumes. Price 75 Cents per Volume. No little time and care has been given to the selection of this library, with a view to gathering a representative collection of best books by the world's greatest authors. / It is largely made up of the Classics of Fiction, with a sprinkling of Travel, Biography and Poetry. The publishers' purpose has been to make a series of books, not only excellent from a literary point of view, but so well constructed mechanically, that even the fastidious book-lover will not object to possessing them. They are to be shapely and generous 12mos, uniform in size, of clear, readable type, and carefully printed on handsome laid paper, especially made for the series, with "Laurel Library" water-mark. In binding, every detail has been looked after. The sheets are carefully folded, and the sewing is done is such a substantial manner that the books will readily open without breaking in the back. A simple but effective cover design, with distinct title lettering, has been chosen, and the series will be uniformly bound in fine English cloth, dark olive in color, with slightly trimmed edges and gilt tops. (1898: series increased to 135; cut as shown).
1898 PTLA: The Laurel Library in Half Leather Binding. A selected list of titles comprising sixty standard library volumes, which book-buyers may wish to preserve in more substantial form than the regular cloth binding. Gilt top and paper sides, and slightly trimmed edges. Each volumes in a box. Each, $1.25. (Cut as shown).
1899 PTLA: Library Edition of the Well-Known Laurel Books. Comprising sixty of the most popular titles, Uniform 12mo. in size, clear type, and fine laid paper. These books are bound in a dark olive-colored leather, soft and of a delicate texture. The full gilt back is a special design adapted from one of Zaehnsdorf's bindings. The tops are gilded, and the edges slightly trimmed. Each book is boxed. Price per volume, $1.25.
1900-1903 PTLA: We call attention to the "New Alta" Library, 256 volumes, Popular and Standard Books at Low Prices, New Binding [description is precisely same as 1897 Laurel Library with this following "without breaking in the back"...]: Of the 256 titles, 106 as starred (*) are not to be found in any other publisher's line of 12mos, and the 95 underscored have been added to the line this year. A simple, but effective cover design, with distinct title lettering, has been chosen, and the series will be bound in Ribbed Cloth, flat back, with head bands and burnished gilt tops. Each book wrapped in a printed paper jacket. List Price, 75 cents per Volume. [The cut as shown appears 1902 and 1903].
International Edition. This copy has a Coates title page and seems similar to the "New Alta" binding though stamped on the spine "WINSTON" and identified as from the International Edition. The International Edition is described and imaged in the Winston catalogs for the 1905-1905 PTLA, though the cut there varies somewhat from this binding. Perhaps some unbound Coates sheets were placed in this binding before an International Edition binding style was finalized. See John C. Winston & Co.
1904 PTLA: The "New Acorn" Library, 123 volumes, Popular and Standard Books at Low Prices, New Binding. Each book carefully printed on excellent paper, substantially bound in cloth with elaborate and effective cover design, Uniform 12ms. List price per volume, $.50. (Cut as shown).
Last revised: 23 August 2020