PUBLISHER: Home Book Company, New York, 1893-1896
ABOUT: Frank F. Lovell set up this company in partnership with his brother Charles at [Lovell Co., i.e., J.W. Lovell's conglomerate United States Book Co. formed in 1891-1892] Worth Street address in 1892. (Tebbel II:350). See also United States Book Co.
The Home Book Co. was founded by Frank F. Lovell, with Charles Lovell, his brother, and a person named Searles as co-signers of the incorporation papers [located with the County Clerk (of New York)]. The date was October 16, 1893. Later I had the pleasure of meeting and conversing with Frank Lovell and he told me he had managed the Empire Publishing Co. for the United States Book Co., but when the latter went into the receivers hands and John Lovell was dismissed he, Frank, left the concern also and a few months later formed the Home Book Co. at the address of the old John W. Lovell Co. on [142] Worth Street. No books were published or planned under this imprint until after the signing of the papers. The pre-dating of [J. M. Barrie's] A Tillyloss Scandal was in keeping with a practice of the times, an expedient which kept the publisher within the postal laws.
Another publication of the Home Book Co. was a number of short novels in a series called "Fifty Two Novels A Year." The mast-head of one of these novels, which is in my possession, is "copyrighted, 1892," while the date of issue reads, "Saturday, May 6, 1893."Â Mr. Lovell purchased the plates for these novels and no typographical changes were made. This is mentioned simply because it was explained by Mr. Lovell, and because it will do away with possible confusion in case a collector, owning one of the "Fifty Two," should be led to think that the Home Book Co. did actually publish prior to October 16, 1893. In other words, the date means absolutely nothing." (B. D. Cutler, Sir James Barrie: A Bibliography, Greenberg, 1931, p90-91].
George McLeod will go on the road for the Home Book Company about the 20th of January. Mr. McLeod is a very popular young man in the book trade….. John Hovendon of the Home Book Company sailed on the twelfth of January to his early home and birthplace to the good old dart, Dublin, Ireland, where his parents still reside. He will remain there a few weeks, going thence to France and Italy, returning in early summer. His friends expect that he will have many bright new things that will be flashed on the expectant book trade who know that his watchfulness is ever on the alert for new things in the book trade. --- The American Newman 12:1 (January 1895), page 12.
In the January number of this journal it was stated that the Home Publishing Company were the publishers of the book “Mme Sans-Gene.” This is an error, as it is published by the Home Book Company, 45 Vesey street, New York. There are two editions of this book at the present time, one published by the Drallop Publishing Company at $2.00 a volume, and the other by the Home Book at 50 cents a volume, bound in cloth. This book is having a big sale. It is clearly the book of the season thus far, as the Home Book Company state that they are ten thousand behind in filling their orders, so great is the demand. In another column will be found a special review of this book which gives details of its plot and characters. It has all the elements of a good seller and a long life. --- The American Newsman 12:2 (February 1895), page 7.
The sheriff took on April 27 took possession of all the property of the Home Book Company, of 45 Vesey street, on executions for $5543 in favor of the First National Bank of Plattsburg, N. Y., on three notes. The company was incorporated in October, 1893, with a capital stock of $10,000, and Edward Lovell was president. The sheriff on Wednesday received fifteen executions, aggregating $18,373, against the Home Book Company, all in favor of Lawrence, Frasier & Co., bankers. Most of the plates, it is said, are covered by chattel mortgage. The liabilities are reported to be about $100,000. --- The American Stationer 39:18, whole no. 1088 (April 30, 1896), page 769.
In the matter of The Home Book Company. (Frank F. Lovell, Appellant.) --- Motion to dismiss appeal granted, with ten dollars costs, unless appellant comply with terms stated in order. Reports of Cases Decided in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York 143: (1911), page 910.
In the matter of the Voluntary Dissolution of the Home Book Company, a New Corporation. Edward F. Lovell, as Receiver of the Home Book Company, Appellant: Edward Lange, Trustee, Respondent. – Order affirmed, with ten dollars costs and disbursements. No opinion. --- Reports of Cases Decided in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York 143 (1911), page 935.
LUCILE’s ISSUED BY Home Book Company :
The Premium Library. The Edward T. LeBlanc Memorial Dime Novel Bibliography (https://dimenovels.org) cites as #18 in the series the BAP (second) copy imaged here and notes, from other listings, a cover price of 25 cents.
John Kyrgier's web site Series of Series reports a copy of a Home Book "Beverly Edition" which included Lucile (#32 of 70 titles). The rear panel of the dust jacket on the book includes a cut of the series binding and a list of the included titles; the dust jacket cover and the cover of the book reproduce the binding illustrated with the cut.
Last revised: 13 August 2022