Records of Lindsay and Blakiston [publishing firm]

Collection

Identifier: MSS 5/002

Scope and Contents

The collection contains letters and fragments of letters, filed alphabetically, L W, received by Lindsay and Blakiston, 1855-1856. The letters, from physicians and dentists, many in rural or remote areas of the United States, contain orders for medical books and journals, indicating the published materials physicians were using at this time.

There are several letters from a Buffalo, New York, firm, A. J. Mathews and Company, and physicians, Campbell Morfit, concerning the second edition of his publication, Chemical and pharmaceutical manipulations, and A. S. Woolley. There is also a draft of an advertisement by Alfred Weeks for his work, Electricity, electromagnetism, and galvanism.

Dates

Creation: 1855 - 1856

Creator

Lindsay and Blakiston (Organization)

Biographical / Historical

In 1843, Robert Lindsay and Presley Blakiston became partners in a publishing firm at 4th and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia. Lindsay and Blakiston moved to 25 South 6th Street in 1851. Although originally the firm published religious and theological titles, it moved into medical, dental, and scientific works before 1851 and was concentrating in those areas by 1862. Both original American works and foreign reprints were published. In 1880, the firm moved to 1012 Walnut Street. Lindsay retired in 1882 and the firm became P. Blakiston Son Co., then P. Blakiston's Son Co. In 1939, the firm was reorganized as the Blakiston Company. It was acquired by Doubleday during World War II, then, in 1954, sold to McGraw Hill and combined with its medical list to form the Blakiston Division.

Full Extent

1 Box (209 items)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

The collection of Lindsay and Blakiston letters received was donated to the Historical Collections of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia as part of a larger gift by Samuel X Radbill, circa 1984.

At some point, the letters were trimmed to a uniform size, bound together, and most were numbered sequentially (nos. 17-1151). During processing, the individual items were identified by author and dated; the sequential numberingjsystem helped to place items which had lost any identification.

The collection was processed and catalogued in 1990.

According to information received from Linda Stanley, a similar collection of Lindsay and Blakiston letters, 18551856, is preserved as part of a Samuel X Radbill Collection at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. That collection may represent letters from the A-J segment of the alphabet.