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H. G. Bohn (London: 1831-1864)

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H. G. Bohn (London: 1831-1864) H. G. Bohn (London: 1831-1864) Born in London to German parents, Henry George Bohn entered the book trade in 1812, when, at the age of sixteen, he toured Europe pur- chasing books for his father's bookstore. He often found bargains among the nobles who wished to dispose of their libraries before they were confiscated by Napoleon's armies. In 1831 he left his father's business when he was denied a partnership in the firm. He established his own bookshop at 4 York Street, Covent Garden, Lon- don, with two thousand pounds, half of which he borrowed from his father-in-law, William Simpkin. Multilingual and experienced in find- ing and purchasing rare books, be quickly came to dominate the used-book trade in the 1830s. In 1841 Bohn established his reputation when he published his "guinea catalog," a 1,936-page list- ing of the 23,208 rare books he had for sale. Bohn noted in the catalogue that his prices were considerably cheaper than those of his competi- tors. At this time Bohn also began to purchase the copyrights of remainders and to republish the books at lower prices than they had originally carried. It was here that he found his niche in the market. In 1846 Bohn published the first of a series of reprinted classics. Similar to David Bogue's Eu- ropean Library, which had begun to come out in Henry George Bohn 1845, Bohn's 150-volume Standard Library of- fered the public classic works at relatively low prices. Bohn went on to publish many other se- Gentleman's Library (8 volumes, begun in 1849), ries: Extra Volumes Uniform with Standard Li- and the Royal Illustrated Series (21 volumes). brary (7 volumes, begun in 1846), Scientific Li- Bohn had more than 600 volumes in print when brary (63 volumes, begun in 1847), Antiquarian he retired. Library (40 volumes, begun in 1847), Classical Li- Although Bohn is best known for these se- brary including an Atlas (89 volumes, begun in ries of inexpensive books, he published other 1848), Illustrated Library (76 volumes, begun in books as well. His list covered a great diversity of 1849), Shilling Series (begun in 1850), Philosophi- fields: fine arts, architecture, heraldry, topogra- cal (sometimes referred to as the Philological and phy, theology, natural history, mathematics, medi- Philosophical) Library (19 volumes, begun in cine, music, agriculture, history, and literature. 1852), British Classics (29 volumes, begun in Nor were all of Bohn's publications low-priced. 1853), Collegiate Series (10 volumes, begun in The Works of James Gillray (1851), with 588 draw- 1859), Library of French Memoirs (6 volumes, ings by Gillray, sold for ten pounds. Bohn him- 1855-1856), Cheap Series (76 volumes), Histori- self wrote several of the books he published, in- cal Library (13 volumes, begun in 1857), Ecclesias- cluding Handbook of Proverbs (1855). He also tical Library (18 volumes, begun in 1859), School revised and enlarged William Thomas Lowndes's and Collegiate Series (1 volume, 1853), English Bibliographer's Manual of English Literature, which 59 H. G. Bohn DLB 106 had appeared in four volumes in 1834; Bohn's edi- Bohn reached an out-of-court settlement with tion, in eleven volumes, was published from 1857 Bentley, who received four hundred pounds for to 1864. Other titles from Bohn's press included his copyright to three of Irving's works. Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Dictionary of Bohn's decision to settle with Murray and Latin and Greek Quotations (eight volumes, 1860), Bentley was due in large part to another case in- Index Verborum to the Dictionary of Quotations volving copyright protection for foreign authors. (1860), and Pictorial Handbook of Modern Geogra- This case, Boosey v. Jefferys, had several similari- phy (1862). He also collaborated with Joseph ties to Murray's suit against Bohn. When Boosey v. Cundall on publication projects, including the Jefferys was about to be appealed to the House of fourth edition of Cundall's Tales of the Kings of En- Lords, Bohn and other publishers who were re- gland (1846). printing the works of foreign authors and musi- One significant consequence of Bohn's Stan- cians decided to help defray Jefferys's expenses dard Library and his subsequent series was the re- by forming the Society for Obtaining an Adjust- duction in the average cost of all titles published ment to the Law of Copyright. Following a prelimi- in England. Between 1828 and 1853 the average nary inquiry in March 1852, the House of Lords price of a book declined from sixteen shillings to heard the case in August 1854. The Lords ruled eight shillings, four and half pence. The initial that for an author to have a claim to copyright pro- price of Bohn's Standard Library was three shil- tection he must live in England or one of its colo- lings, sixpence per volume; subsequent volumes nies. The effect of the ruling was to force Ameri- and later series were priced at five shillings per vol- can authors to travel to Great Britain or some ume. Bohn's prices became the standard for the part of the British Empire and reside there long market for twenty years. enough to witness publication of their works. In 1845 David Bogue published William The ruling remained in force until it was super- Roscoe's Life of Lorenzo de Medici Called the Magnifi- seded by the U.S. International Copyright Law cent and included illustrations that had been copy- in 1891. Bohn's interest in the copyright issue righted by Bohn. Bohn sued his competitor for led him to write and publish The Question of breach of copyright; the Court of Chancery ruled in his favor and issued an injunction Unreciprocated Foreign Copyright in Great Britain against Bogue. Bohn also had difficulty with an- (1851). other competitor, George Routledge. Soon after Bohn retired in 1864. As his sons were not in- Bohn reprinted Ralph Waldo Emerson's Represent- terested in publishing careers, he sold his stock ative Men (1850), he found that the work had of new books to Bell and Daldy for forty thou- also been included in Routledge's Popular Li- sand pounds; Chatto and Windus purchased his brary. In retaliation Bohn reprinted books by copyrights for twenty thousand pounds. Bell and Washington Irving, whose works were included Daldy moved into Bohn's York Street offices; dur- in Routledge's series. Two other British publish- ing the next three years Bohn moved his stock of ers, John Murray and Richard Bentley, had used books to a warehouse at 18 Henrietta bought the rights to publish the works of several Street, where he retained an office until 1881. American authors, including Irving. When Bohn tsohn eventually sold his used books, earning and Routledge republished Irving's works, they about thirteen thousand pounds. During his ac- were sued by Murray and Bentley for copyright tive retirement Bohn catalogued his holdings, violation. During the proceedings Bohn and translated foreign classics, and helped aristocrats Routledge raised several key points of law concern- such as the duke of Hamilton develop their librar- ing the actual dates and locations of publication ies. He died in 1884. of Irving's works. As these were common-law is- sues, in 1850 Chancery advised Murray and Bent- References: ley to take their cases to a common-law court. Mur- James J. Barnes, Authors, Publishers and Politicians: ray took his suit to Queen's Bench the following The Quest for an Anglo-American Copyright year; but Murray settled out of court with Agreement (Columbus: Ohio State University Routledge in May 1851 and with Bohn three Press, 1974; London: Routledge & Kegan months later. In his settlement Bohn agreed to Paul, 1974), pp. 92, 154-157, 159-165, 168, purchase Murray's copyrights to Irving's works 285-287; for two thousand pounds on the condition that Edward Bell, George Bell Publisher: A Brief Memoir Murray discontinue the litigation. In October (London: Chiswick Press, 1924); 60 DLB 106 H. G. Bohn 1. HIRODOTUS. By the JLn. Hawn Cuy, JU.. l'rollfiltlfM • • a. THUCVDIDU. By tbe !Uv. B. D.u.ll. InS Voll. (II. U. lldl). 4- PLATO. Vol. 1. By Cut. (The Apotou of SocrateaL PI&Mo, Goi'Jiu, P-.o&•lo Plueclnu, 1'1aeete\ua, EathypbJOD, LJiia.) '"""" .,.._ LIVV'S HISTORY OF ROME, litenll7 trabllatecl. Vol I., Boob 1 to 8. I. PLATO. VoL n. By DAYII. [The nepubtic, Tltnelu.UMl Cri\lu.) J. LIYY"' HISTORY OF ROME. Vol. 11., Booka t to 28. De Oxford Troalatioll, reriaecl. I. .€8CHYLUS, litenD)' tnnalated. By liD OXOl'll.&.l'l. (PriceS.. 84.) .. Apl!enclix to. contaiaihc tlae new readi!llllriYea in Hena IUUl's Jlosu"'. _. ..UU. il &.clayl111, tnnalated IIJlcl editecl by Cf. Buaaa. ».A. (II. a.t). 10. ARISTOTLE RHETORIC AND POETIC. With !xeminltloll Qlleltiooa. 1. UVY'S HISTORY OF ROME. Vol. Ill., Boob 11 to 3&. 11• 14. EURIPIDES, literally translatecl. From the Text olDindorf. In I Yole. 11. VIRGil.. By Da.vtDeox. New E4itioa, .a.rilecl. (Price a.. a.l.) 11. HORACE. By SII.UT. New Ewtion, B.erited. (Price Sl. U.) 1e. ARISTOTL£'8 ETHICS. By Pao•.IL. W. Kiq'1 Calllp. 17. CICERO'S OFFICES. (Old Ap, }'riencllhip, Scipio's Drwra, PandGua, lie.] 11. PLATO. Vol. III. By G. Buaoae, M.A.. Sp.,..._ lophialet, l'llli1.ic•a, Lac:hea, Parmcniclea, Cratylua, IIJld)(eao 1 10. UVY'S HISTORY OF ROME. Vol. IV. (which"*/ • .....,.. 20. c.ESAR AND HIRTIUS. With Index. 11. HOMER'S IUAD, iD prose, literally traulated. l'roalilpW.. U. HOMER'S ODYSSEY, Hnus,Ertouu, .uDkrrr.a"TD:rao.uD acL 23.
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