PUBLISHER: George M. Hill Company, Chicago, 1898-1901
ABOUT: George M. Hill, bookbinder, appears in the Chicago directories as early as 1880. In 1898-1901, the George M. Hill Co. (George M. Hill, president, William G. Schmus, treasurer), publishers, 166 South Clinton is listed. There are no entries for the firm in 1902-1903. In 1909 George M. Hill is listed as president of Hill Binding, 110 West Jackson, with a changes of address to 609 West Jackson in 1911 and 1056 West Vanburen in 1913. In 1914-1916 a George M. Hill is listed as secretary of the John F. Cuneo Co., 466 West Superior. Between 1904 and 1914 a Hill Publishing Company is listed, usually with addresses in the Monadnock Building. This seems to imply that Hill was primarily a bookbinder and acted as a publisher only during the period 1898-1901. See also E. A. Weeks & Co.
Founded at 166-174 South Clinton. Published L. Frank Baum's Father Goose (1899) and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), both with W. W. Denslow illustrations. Opened New York office in 1900. In receivership by end of 1902. (DLB 49).
The International Bookbinder v3 (1902), p74: "The firm of Geo. M. Hill, another antagonist toward organized labor, has also gone under, and it is rumored the plant is to be auctioned off Thursday, April 24th. This leaves Chicago with really only one firm bucking organized labor in our line, with another one, viz., Henneberry Company, who, after the separation from Donohue, have erected a building and threatened to run a non-union plant, which we are trying our utmost he shall not do and would warn all bookbinders to stay away from this city until such time as things are settled. / Fraternally, OTTO F. WASEM, Sec.-Treas. No. 8.
LUCILE’s ISSUED BY George M. Hill Company: 1902 United States Catalog. Lucile. Hill. 25c, 35c, $1.
1899 PTLA: Handy Volume Series of 16mos. comprising seventy-five fast-selling titles by popular and standard authors. This line is well bound in cloths of assorted colors, stamped with "all over" designs in either silver or in two colors of ink, with titles in gold leaf. Good clear type; good press-work and good binding... [Cut of four bindings].
The Clover Leaf Series of Selected Classic and Modern Literature... 12mo. Uniformly Bound in Dark Wine Colored Silk-ribbon Cloth. Design Stamped, with Gold Embellishment and Gilt Tops. Title Pages in Two Colors. Each volume wrapped in transparent wax paper. Price, $1.00. Attention is directed to the excellent selection of authors in this series. The paper is of good grade, the type clear and plain, and the entire make-up of the books exceedingly attractive. [Cut of three bindings].
UNKNOWN EDITION:
1900 PTLA: Hill's Handy Volumes comprising 150 titles of standard 16mos carefully selected for their popularity with the reading public. In point of manufacture and dress this line will commend itself. A new and very handsome floral cover design has been adopted, which allows variety as well as uniformity, owing to the many blendings of colors effected. The back titles are in gold leaf. Price, $0.35 Net, $0.12. [Cut of binding].
