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The Lucile's of Ticknor & Fields and Its Successors
Lucile's longest thread of continuing publication is Ticknor & Fields (1854-1868); Fields, Osgood & Co. (1868-1870); J.R. Osgood & Co. (1871-1878); Houghton, Osgood & Co. (1878-1880); Houghton, Mifflin & Co. (1880-1908), and Houghton Mifflin Company (1908--). In 1880, Osgood formed a second J.R. Osgood & Co. (1880-1885), which became Ticknor & Co. (1885-1889), which merged with Houghton, Mifflin in 1889. Between 1880 and 1889, Osgood/Ticknor and Houghton, Mifflin had competing editions of Lucile.
Michael Winship's work with the Ticknor & Fields archive reveals the following summary information about the number of copies of various editions printed between 1860 and 1878.
Blue & Gold Edition: 2550 copies printed 1860; stereotyped in 1862 with plates used for 32 printings totaling 32,486 copies (35,036 copies in all).
Cabinet Edition: 17 printings from 1865 totaling 12,761 copies.
8vo Illustrated Edition: 5 printings from 1867 totaling 5,748 copies.
Diamond Edition: 16 printings from 1869 totaling 29,498 copies.
Red Line Edition: 9 printings from 1869 totaling 11,290 copies.
New Illustrated Edition: 3 printings 1871-1872 totaling 4,050 copies.
Total in these editions, 1860-1878: 98,382.
The Illustrated Edition was discontinued by Houghton, Mifflin & Co in 1880; the Cabinet Edition in 1883; the Illustrated Paper Edition in 1884; the Blue & Gold and Diamond Editions in 1886; and the Red Line Edition in 1887. Each of these formats was routinely offered in several bindings: half calf, tree calf, antique morocco, etc.
In 1881, Osgood introduced his elaborately iIllustrated "Holiday" edition. Two years later, using some illustrations from the Holiday edition, he introduced two smaller versions, the Tremont (issued both with and without red lines), and Pocket Editions. The Holiday, Tremont, and Pocket editions were continued by Ticknor & Co., which also introduced the "New and Cheaper" Octavo Poets in 1887. These editions are also found with Houghton, Mifflin imprints. Houghton Mifflin offered Lucile or Meredith's Works, or both, each year through 1930. No editions were offered in Houghton Mifflin's Publishers' Trade List Annual (PTLA) catalogs in 1931 or later.
PTLA began publication in 1873 and included the catalogs of James R. Osgood & Co. and all successor firms. Unfortunately, none of the firms illustrated their catalogs with cuts of typical binding designs, as many other publishers did. Consequently, it is not always possible to associate known copies with specific editions with complete confidence.
Known copies of Lucile are organized in this inventory by imprint, then edition, then date. For a summary of editions with images of most bindings, see Summary. Known copies of Meredith's Poems or Poetical Works which contain Lucile are listed in a separate file (Works).
S. Huttner, 24 November 1997
INVENTORY
TICKNOR & FIELDS
Boston, 1854-1868.
In 1860 [William D.] Ticknor and [James T.] Fields published 216,536 copies of 225 titles that cost $90,000 and retailed for $231,000.... Ticknor died in Philadelphia on 10 April 1864... Firm reorganized by Fields, Ticknor's son Howard, and James R. Osgood, a bright young clerk who was taken in as junior partner ... Another clerk, John S. Clark ... was admitted to partnership in 1866 when Ticknor and Fields was worth about $300,000.... moved to 124 Tremont in September 1865.... A New York branch was operated without much success from 1865 to 1869.... Also in 1867 Charles Dickens, whose recent American lecture tour had been arranged by Osgood, became a house author.... In 1868 the partner's had a falling out. Fields, Osgood, and Clark purchased Ticknor's interest in the firm and removed him from it [and the firm became Fields, Osgood and Company]. (DLB 49). The books were handsomely presented. Henry Houghton, of Riverside Press, helped produce the famous Blue and Gold Editions, modeled after Routledge's pocket books of poetry in London. (Tebbel).
Blue & Gold Edition. 32mo, 90x145mm, 352p. Verso titlepage: Author's Edition. Blue cloth stamped blind, gold title and cartouche on spine unless noted. All copies examined are gilt on all edges, have brown glazed endsheets and "Ticknor & Co." at foot of spine. Publisher's records show 2550 copies printed May 24, 1860.
MDCCCLX (1860). Verso titlepage: "Riverside, Cambridge. Printed by H.O. Houghton and Company." BAP with ALS dated New Year's Day 1861 laid in; BAP (second copy); S&EH; two copies, second tighter than first; Brown; University of North Carolina; Princeton; NYPL rebound; plus NL 0594575 Harvard; PPiW LI = PPWi?; Brooklyn Public; Library Company.
----. Half calf finished in marbled paper. Dartmouth College.
Printer hereafter is Welch, Bigelow. Verso titlepage: Cambridge: Welch, Bigelow, and Company, Printers to the University. Page 352: Stereotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co. Ticknor & Fields's records indicate Lucile was stereotyped in 1862 with 518 copies printed March 21 (2nd printing), 518 copies printed August 27 (3rd printing).
1862. BAP: signature on flyleaf dated 1863; University of Pennsylvania; University of North Carolina.
1863. 4th printing: 520 copies February 3; 5th printing: 516 copies July 16.
----. BAP TF.5; University of North Carolina, inscribed 18 October 1863; Rutgers: inscribed 1864; University of Southern California: rebound; Library of Congress NL 0594577: rebound; University of Virginia; University of Pennsylvania.
1864. 6th printing: 510 copies January 11; 7th printing: 515 copies March 26; 8th printing: 2025 copies June 16.
----. University of North Carolina, inscribed 30 June 1864; Library of Congress NL 0594578; Princeton: rebacked.
----. Half red calf, spine gilt, finished in marbled paper. University of Cincinnati.
1865. 9th printing: 775 copies June 13; 10th printing: 1020 copies August 14; 11th printing: 1500 copies November 19.
----. Yale; University of Kentucky: rebacked.
1866. 12th printing: 1025 copies ? 28; 13th printing: 1015 copies April 3; 14th printing: 2030 copies August 18; and 15th printing: 1986 copies November 22.
----. BAP TF2: inscribed Christmas 1866; S&EH, two copies, one rebound, fragment of spine reused, exlibris Oberlin; Yale; University of Virginia; Pennsylvania State University: inscribed May 1867; plus NL 0594579 Asheville Public (Pack Library); Library of Congress: rebound; West Chester University; Hayes Library, Ohio; Library of Ohio; New York State Library; Brigham Young; NYPL: missing.
----. Full brown leather stamped blind, spine title gold. Ohio State.
1867. 16th printing: 3040 copies September 16.
----. NYPL; University of Virginia; University of Illinois; University of North Carolina.
1868. 17th printing: 1032 copies May 15; 18th printing: 2012 copies August; 19th printing: 1012 copies December 1.
----. BAP TF3: inscribed Christmas 1869; S&EH: two copies, one inscribed Christmas 1868 and with "Fields, Osgood & Co." at foot of spine, second exlibris University of Virginia Law School Library; National Library of Canada with bookseller's ticket of J. Durrie & Son, Ottawa; Brown.
Cabinet Edition. 16mo, 105x170mm, 352p. Verso titlepage: Author's Edition; Cambridge: Welch, Bigelow, and Company, Printers to the University. Page 352: Stereotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co. Spine: "OWEN MEREDITH'S / POEMS" with "LUCILE" near center, "TICKNOR & CO." at foot. Gold ovals-at-right-angles title stamp with "1866" on top board, repeated blind on lower board. Top edge gilt. Brown glazed endsheets.
1865. 1st printing: 1170 copies October 31 [titlepage dated 1866?].
1866. 2nd printing: 1015 copies June 14; 3rd printing: 1030 copies September 20.
----. Green cloth. S&EH, University of North Carolina; Hanover College.
----. Maroon cloth. Buffalo and Erie County Public Library.
----. Deep purple-red cloth. Ohio State (top board missing)
----. Full black calf, single blind border rule, spine title gold. Blue gray endsheets. BAP TF1:chemise and brown cloth slipcase.
1867. 4th printing: 528 copies December 27 [titlepage dated 1868?].
1868. 5th printing: 662 copies March 11; 6th printing: 1006 copies July 27.
----. Green cloth. Brown University; Yale.
----. Tan cloth. Yale.
----. Terra cotta cloth. University of North Carolina.
----. Cartouche is blind on both boards. University of Illinois (cloth color not confirmed).
----. Duke (cloth color not confirmed)
----. University of Rochester (rebound).
George DuMaurier Illustrated 8vo. Edition: 147x219mm, 261p. Titlepage dated 1868. English sheets: verso of halftitle and page [262] read: London: R. Clay, Son, and Taylor, Printers, Bread Street Hill. Binding is full length profile of Lucile stamped gold; beveled edges; aeg. Brown glazed endsheets. Frontispiece portrait of Meredith: "Baron Lagrange photo/J. Brown sculp." Many copies have binder's ticket of Westley's & Co., London. on rear pastedown. 1st printing: 4000 copies in August 1867; 2nd printing: 900 copies September 24, 1868. [1866-1871 American Catalog. 8vo. cl., $6. 1867.]
1868. Terra cotta cloth. BAP TF4a; Another copy, cloth tends to more red than orange (simply less faded?), inscribed November 25th, 1867.
----. BAP TF4b, green cloth; Trinity College inscribed 1 January 1868; University of Texas Austin; Huntington.
----. Maroon/burgundy cloth. University of Colorado, two copies; Redwood Library and Athenaeum; University of Virginia; University of North Carolina, inscribed 25 December 1867.
----. Full red publisher's leather, beveled edges, aeg. Elaborate blind border. Center stamp of top board, gold, is a group of four intersecting circles with floral inserts. Louisiana State University with center stamp blind (and leather color not verified); University of Chicago with initials "M.C.B." above the board stamp, "Dec. 25, 1868" below; University of Pennsylvania.
----. Full publisher's leather (morocco?). Same stamps as Chicago copy but blind with only title gold. Louisiana State University; University of Virginia.
----. Dark green publisher's calf. Same border plate as above but center stamp has in gold a rectangular panel with "LUCILE" surrounded by an floral diamond composed of small tools. Marbled paper endsheets. S&EH: bookplate of Frank Ray Howe, laid in a Dec. 23/40 ALS of Thomas Ridgway, 1525 Pine Street, to Lawrence, "This book of a period gone forever ..." and with mention of superiority of wood-engravings to later photographically produced plates; dropspine box.
----. Cloth color not confirmed: Cleveland Public; William & Mary.
----. Rebound. Yale; NYPL.
----. Missing: Library of Congress NL 0594581; Seattle?; Duke?
FIELDS, OSGOOD & CO.
Boston, October 1868-December 1870
Created from Ticknor & Fields; dissolved to James R. Osgood & Company. Owned Atlantic Monthly. (DLB 49). Crowell did much of firm's binding (Tebbel).
Blue & Gold Edition. 32mo, 90x145mm, 352p. Verso titlepage: Author's Edition / Cambridge: Welch, Bigelow, and Company, Printers to the University. Page 352: Stereotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co. Blue cloth stamped blind, gold title and cartouche on spine. All copies examined have all edges gilt, brown glazed endsheets, and "FIELDS, OSGOOD & CO." at foot of spine.
1869. 20th printing: 2030 copies April 14; 21st printing: 1010 copies August 18.
----. S&EH; Duke; University of Virginia. ----. Half calf finished with marbled paper. Bowdoin College.
Cabinet Edition. 16mo, 105x170mm, 352p. Verso titlepage: Author's Edition; Cambridge: Welch, Bigelow, and Company, Printers to the University. Page 352: Stereotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co. Spine: "OWEN MEREDITH'S / POEMS" with "LUCILE" near center, "TICKNOR & CO." at foot. Gold ovals-at-right-angles title stamp with "1866" on top board, repeated blind on lower board. Top edge gilt. Brown glazed endsheets.
1868. 7th printing: 1260 copies November 13 [with 1969 titlepage date?].
1869. 8th printing: 1018 copies August 30. ----. Green cloth. S&EH: inscribed Sept 12/69, released by Oberlin; University of Texas HRHRC; Texas College NL 0594583; Harvard NL 0594585; Library of Virginia: early owner has written on final leaf: "Life is short, life is earnest / And the grave is not the goal / Dust thou art, to dust returneth /[Thou] not spoken of the soul."
Diamond Edition. 100x145mm, 251p. Verso of titlepage: University Press: Welch, Bigelow, & Co., Cambridge. p251: Electrotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co. On board: DIAMOND EDITION inside an embellished cartouche. Blind border rules. Spine gilt. "Fields, Osgood & Co." at foot of spine.
1869. Publisher's record of 3000 copies April 7; 2044 copies May 10; and 5028 copies October [with 1870 titlepage?].
----. Green cloth. NYPL NL 0594584; University of Texas HRHRC; University of North Carolina: inscribed Christmas 1870
----. Purple cloth. University of North Carolina: inscribed 1869.
1870. Purple cloth. University of North Carolina: J.R. Osgood monogram replaces "Fields, Osgood & Co." at food of spine.
----. S&EH: rebound copy released by Oberlin College (NL 0594587) whose record read "Cover: Diamond Edition"; Harvard NL 0594587.
----. Full calf, blindstamped, title in gold. Beveled edges, aeg. Marbled endsheets. BAP F01: inscribed on verso of front fly Oct. 3 '73, pressed flower laid in.
Red Line Edition. 125x170mm, 251p. 8 leaves of plates. Verso of titlepage: University Press: Welch, Bigelow, & Co., Cambridge. p251: Electrotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co. Cover cartouche of gold stamped shield set in a group of three hemispheres, the top one surmounted by floral ornament, repeated blind on lower board; blind rules around edges. Spine gilt. Beveled edges, aeg.
1869. 1st printing: 3222 copies July 29.
----. Maroon cloth. Buffalo & Erie County Public NL 0594584
----. Green cloth. Brown University: presentation copy from Carrie C. Ticknor to Miss Ellen Harris; Brooklyn Public?.
----. Reddish brown cloth with simple shield (lacking hemispheres and floral ornament) stamped gold on front board, blind on back University of California, San Diego NL 0594583.
----. Half calf finished with marbled papers. Dartmouth College.
----. Cloth color not confirmed: University of Illinois.
----. Rebound: Boston Public NL 0594583.
-END FIELDS, OSGOOD & CO. LUCILEs-
JAMES R. OSGOOD & COMPANY
Boston, 1871-1878. See below for 1880-1885.
Merged 1878 with Hurd and Houghton to form Houghton, Osgood; dissolved in 1880, at which point Osgood formed a second James R. Osgood & Company.
Blue & Gold Edition. 32mo, 90x145mm, 352p. Imprint reads "..., late Ticknor & Fields, and Fields, Osgood, & Co." Verso titlepage: Author's Edition / Cambridge: Welch, Bigelow, & Co., Printers to the University. Page 352: Cambridge: Stereotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co. Blue cloth stamped blind, gold title and cartouche on spine unless noted. All copies examined have all edges gilt, brown glazed endsheets, and "James R. Osgood & Co." at foot of spine. Priced at $1.50 in 1874 Fables in Song list. [1876 American Catalogue. (Blue and gold ed.) 32o. $1.25; hf.cf., $2.50; mor., $3.]
1871. 22nd printing: 518 copies May 24; 23rd printing: 500 copies November 1 [with 1872 titlepage date?].
----. Library of Congress NL 0594589; Huntington.
1872. 24th printing: 500 copies January 29; 25th printing: 1510 copies July 15.
----. UCLA. ----. Rebound: University of Illinois NL 0594591. ----. Details not verified: Harvard NL 0594591 .
1873. 26th printing: 1032 copies April 5. PTLA: Blue and Gold, 32mo, $1.50; also offered in extra bindings: antique morocco $3.50, half calf $2.50
----. William & Mary.
1874. 27th printing: 508 copies February 18; 28th printing: 1016 copies September 21. PTLA: Blue and Gold, 32mo, $1.50; also offered in extra bindings: antique morocco $3.50, half calf $2.50.
1875. 29th printing: 1014 copies March 25. PTLA: Blue and Gold, 32mo, $1.50; also offered in extra bindings: antique morocco $3.50, half calf $2.50.
----. BAP O3.5.
----. Full brown calf, thin roll in gold around outside edge, more elaborate roll on turn-in. Spine gilt and label. Marbled endpapers. Inscribed Christmas 1876. BAP O3.3: chemise and brown cloth slipcase.
----. Rebound: Oregon State Corvallis.
1876. 30th printing: 500 copies August 23. PTLA: Blue and Gold, 32mo, $1.50; also offered in extra bindings: antique morocco $3.50, half calf $2.50.
----. North Carolina State.
1877. 31st printing: 500 copies May 23; 32nd printing: 280 copies December 27. PTLA: Blue and Gold, 32mo, $1.25; also offered in extra bindings: antique morocco $3.00, half calf $2.50.
Cabinet Edition. 16mo, 105x170mm, 352p. Verso titlepage: Author's Edition; Cambridge: Welch, Bigelow, and Company, Printers to the University. Page 352: Stereotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co. Spine: "OWEN MEREDITH'S / POEMS" with "LUCILE" near center, "James R. Osgood & Co." at foot. Gold ovals-at-right-angles title stamp on top board, repeated blind on lower board. Top edge gilt. Brown glazed endsheets. Priced at $2.00 in 1874 Fables in Song list. [1876 American Catalogue: (Cabinet ed.) 16o., $1.50; hf.cf. $3; mor., $4.]
1871. 9th printing: 518 copies May 17; 10th printing: 280 copies August 25.
1872. 11th printing: 500 copies June 22; 12th printing: 512 copies July 24.
----. Rebound: NYPL NL 0594590.
1873. 13th printing: 1000 copies August 23. PTLA: Cabinet, 16mo, $2.00; also offered in extra bindings: antique morocco $4.50, half calf $3.25.
----. Green cloth. BAP O2.1; S&EH; Wesleyan.
1874. 14th printing: 804 copies October 28. PTLA: Cabinet, 16mo, $2.00; also offered in extra bind.
-END-