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Frank Moore Lupton began publishing domestic and agricultural reference works in New York under the imprint F.M. Lupton around 1882. By 1888 his firm was located at 63 Murray Street, [before 1892] moved to 106-108 Reade Street, [in 1892] to 65 Duane Street and began publishing sets and series of literary works on a massive scale.... The Bijou, Souvenir, and Elite series of paperback books were priced at six to seven cents each in lots of 100, while the clothbound Stratford, Avon, and Lenox twelvemo series were priced at eleven to fourteen cents in lots of 1,000.... The firm moved to 72-76 Walker Street in 1894.... In 1897 J.M. Ruston, formerly of Hurst and Company, became manager of The F.M. Lupton Publishing Company.... The firm moved in 1899 to 52-58 Duane Street.... In 1902 moved to 23-27 City Hall Place and changed name to Federal Book Company. (DLB 49). ... Of all the publishers of cheap books during the 1880s there were few to rival the cheapness of F.M. Lupton's productions. Lupton began in 1882 the Leisure Hour Library, short classics at three cents for a single number and six cents for a double number. In the latter part of the 1880s Lupton was publishing cheap cloth-bound books. (Shove).

1894 PTLA: The Avon 12mos. Printed in large type upon good paper, cloth. Imitation half-Bound, full gilt back, head bands and fancy linings. The books in this series average 1 1/8 inches in thickness, and it is by far the finest edition of 12mos. ever sold at a low price. The present list of titles embraces 239, to which additions will constantly be made. Price, 35 cents each. For details of this edition, click here. [Cut].

----. The Princeton 12mos. Printed type on a fine grade of paper, and bound in extra cloth, library style, plain sides, gold backs, head bands, fancy linings and gilt tops. A well-made book in every particular. / This superior line of the choicest popular books is specially designed to meet the demand for a really fine book at a moderate price. The list of 122 titles embraces the best standard works in the language. / Price, 50 cents each. [Cut].

----. The Lenox 12mos. The books in this series are printed in large type upon a fine grade of paper, and handsomely bound in Half Russia, full gilt, with leather corners, marbled sides, marbled sides and marbled edges. They embrace a selection of the choicest titles in the English language, and will be found among the best selling books ever published. Retail price, 75 cents each. Our present list embraces 122 titles.... [Cut showing Avon binding].

----. Half Calf 12mos. A choice collection of selected standard works, printed in large type upon a superior grade of paper, handsomely bound in Half Calf, with gilt tops. The present list embraces the following fifty. Price, $1.00 per volume. [Cut shows gilt back, sides finished with marble paper].

----. Popular Two Volume Sets. Put up in boxes. [Cut; Lucile is paired with Goethe's Faust]. Clo., Im. Half Bound, Full Gilt Back, per set $0.75... Cloth, Library Binding, Gilt Top, per set 1.00... Half Russia, per set 1.50... Half Calf, per set 2.00.

[1894-1899]. ----. Nos. 72-76 Walker Street, nd. 120x183mm, 369p. Half calf finished in marble paper, spine gilt. University of North Carolina.

Note: image from photocopy.

----, Nos. 72-76 Walker Street, nd. 120x186mm, 369p. Tan cloth stamped black and red, spine gilt. Plain endsheets. BAP LU2.

Note: image from photocopy.

----, Nos. 72-76 Walker Street, nd. 120x187mm, 369p. Blue cloth calendared to resemble half leather, title cartouche on spine and publisher's emblem (F M L Co in a wreath) at bottom of spine. Plain endsheets. BAP LU2.5: frontispiece (if there was one) missing; Note on verso of the titlepage points to four passages which have been marked off with a slash at the beginning and end of a passage: p20 "The heart of a man's like that delicate weed/Which requires to be trampled on, boldly indeed..."; p51; "We may live without poetry, music and art..."; p64 "Say--the world and the woman opposed face to face, / Where the woman must yield, she, refusing to stir, / Offended the world, which in turn wounded her." and "A woman is too slight a thing / To trample the world without feeling the sting."; and p71 "That sorrow can beautify only the heart -- / Not the face -- of a woman ; and can but impart / Its endearment to one that has suffer'd. In truth / Grief hath beauty for grief; but gay youth loves gay youth." A number of other passages are similarly marked but not noted on the verso of the titlepage.

Note: image from photocopy.

----, nd. Nos. 72-76 Walker Street, nd. 117x187mm, 369p. Gray green cloth stamped orange and black, spine title and panel in gold. Plain endsheets. Cheap paper. Ad for Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup on verso of last leaf. BAP Lu2.6; University of Missouri NL 0594666.

1898 PTLA: The Windsor 12mos. This famous series is printed on good paper, from large type, and consists of 325 titles of the very best and most rapid selling books published. They are bound in a new style of Linen Cloth, of several attractive and striking colors, especially made for this series, and stamped in Genuine Gold and Two Colored Inks. The design for the cover is an original drawing, made for this line by a well-known artist, and makes, beyond a doubt, the most unique and attractive book cover on the market.... / The publication of this series is a radical and welcome departure in the production of low-priced books. / Read the list of titles carefully. Retail price, 30 cents each. [Cut].

----. The "Lupton" Gilt Top 12mos. This is an Entirely New Departure in the making of Gilt Top 12mos. / The series consists of 120 Selected Titles, printed on Antique Laid Paper from Large Type Plates. Inset portraits and title pages. Bound in a special cloth, in several shades, and stamped on side and back in four different combinations of Gold and Ink. / The design for the cover is by the celebrated artist, Mr. G.A. Traver. No Gilt Top 12mo, heretofore published at a low price, equals this book in any particular. / Printed wrappers. Retail price, 50 cents each.

----. The "Daisy" 16mos. Something Entirely New in 16mos. / The design on the Cover is an Open Scroll with flowers. The Cover is Heavily Embossed, the idea being to show the open scroll in perspective. The series consists of 82 Titles, including "Prince of the House of David," "Samantha at Saratoga," Etc. / These books are printed on Extra Laid Paper, with Inset Portraits and Title Pages. Bound in Five Different Shades of Linen Cloth and stamped in Five Different Combinations of Ink and Silver. Printed Wrappers. Price, 40 cents each. / No "Dutch Metal," with or without varnish, is used on any of our publications. [Cut] For details of this edition, click here.

----. The Elite Series. Comprising the best standard works of fiction. 12mo size. / These books are thread sewed (not wired). Printed from large type on good paper, and bound in very attractive covers. / A number of important additions have been made to the list, making it the best and most complete on the market. Retail price, 25 cents.[Cut].

[1899-1902]----, Nos. 52-58 Duane Street, nd. 120x185mm, 369p. Frontispiece portrait. Maroon cloth, spine title gold [Binding consistent with 1894 Princeton 12mos cut]. Teg. Plain endsheets. BAP LU1, Copies 1 & 2.

1901 PTLA: The Windsor 12mos. This famous series is printed on good paper, from large type, and consists of over 400 titles of the very best and most rapid selling books published. They are bound in a new style of Linen Cloth, of several attractive and striking colors, especially made for this series, and stamped in Genuine Gold and Two Colored Inks. The design for the cover is an original drawing, made for this line by a well-known artist, and makes, beyond a doubt, the most unique and attractive book cover on the market.... / The publication of this series is a radical and welcome departure in the production of low-priced books. / Read the list of titles carefully. Retail price, 30 cents each. [Cut; differs from 1898]. For details of this edition, click here.

----. The "Lupton" Gilt Top 12mos. These books are printed from Large Type plates on a Fine Quality of Book Paper and are bound in an Extra Finished Cloth. Titles stamped in Gold. Inset frontispieces. / The list consists of 248 Selected Titles.... No other line of Gilt Top 12mos, published at less than $1.00, equals this Series. / Printed wrappers. Retail price, 50 cents each. [Cut; differs from 1898].

----. The Elite Series. Comprising the best standard works of fiction. 12mo size. / These books are thread sewed (not wired). Printed from large type on good paper, and bound in very attractive covers. / A number of important additions have been made to the list, making it the best and most complete on the market. Retail price, 25 cents. [Cut; differs from 1898].

[1899-1902]. ----, Nos. 52-58 Duane Street. 120x187mm, 369p. Vertically grained maroon cloth, blind stamped border rule with title, author and publisher in gold on spine. Teg. S&EH

[after 1900?]. ----, nd. 104x152mm, 379p. Lithographic frontispiece portrait (same image as Lu1). Titlepage: text printed red, border printed blue. Light gray green cloth stamped dark green and yellow, spine title gold; design is initialed "DS". Plain endsheets. BAP Lu3a: inscribed Christmas 1899.

----, nd. As Lu3a except yellow green cloth stamped dark green and red. Plain endsheets. BAP Lu3b.

[1901?]: Harvard NL 0594666.

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