- Collection Overview
- Collection Description & Creator Information
- Access & Use
- Collection History
- Find Related Materials
Expanded View
Collection Overview
- Creator:
- Smith, George, 1824-1901
- Title:
- Business Correspondence of Smith, Elder, and Co.
- Repository:
- Manuscripts Division
- Permanent URL:
- http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/3r074v012
- Dates:
- 1850-1908
- Size:
- 1 box
- Storage Note:
- ReCAP (scarcpxm): Box 1
- Language:
- English
Abstract
Consists, for the most part, of business correspondence of George Smith relating to the Cornhill Magazine, which he founded in 1859, and other publishing business of Smith, Elder, and Co., the London publishing firm.
Collection Description & Creator Information
- Scope and Contents
The collection consists, for the most part, of business correspondence of George Smith relating to the Cornhill Magazine, which he founded in 1859, and other publishing business of Smith, Elder, and Co., the London publishing firm. Correspondents include Charles Allston Collins, Dutton Cook, James Hannay, William Gifford Palgrave, Russell Sturgis, Sir Henry Taylor, and Sir George Otto Trevelyan. In addition, there is a large folder of correspondence (1871-1874) with Edward Steinkopff and family, as well as one (1873-1874) with A. Donald Smith.
A group of 38 letters, the majority addressed to Reginald John Smith or Sir Leslie Stephen on similar literary business, were added more recently. Authors include Annie Besant, Egerton Castle, Percy Fitzgerald, Philip Bourke Marston, George Augustus Sala, and Halliwell Sutcliffe.
- Collection Creator Biography:
Smith, George, 1824-1901
The publishing firm of Smith, Elder, and Co. was founded by George Smith (1789–1846) and Alexander Elder (1790–1876). Upon the death of his father, George Smith (son) took control and under his stewardship, the company flourished. Its first major success was the publication of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre in 1847, under the pseudonym of "Currer Bell." The firm is perhaps best known for publishing the first edition of the Dictionary of National Biography, widely popularized as the DNB.
Collection History
- Acquisition:
George Smith correspondence was purchased in October 1975 .
Additional correspondence was purchased in March 2012 .
- Appraisal
No appraisal information is available.
- Processing Information
Folder inventory added by Nicholas Williams '2015 in 2012.
Access & Use
- Conditions Governing Access
Open for research/
- Conditions Governing Use
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. No further photoduplication of copies of material in the collection can be made when Princeton University Library does not own the original. Inquiries regarding publishing material from the collection should be directed to RBSC Public Services staff through the Ask Us! form. The library has no information on the status of literary rights in the collection and researchers are responsible for determining any questions of copyright.
- Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
- Credit this material:
Business Correspondence of Smith, Elder, and Co.; Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library
- Permanent URL:
- http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/3r074v012
- Location:
-
Firestone LibraryOne Washington RoadPrinceton, NJ 08544, USA
- Storage Note:
- ReCAP (scarcpxm): Box 1
