Collection ID: LMC 1023
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Collection context

Summary

Creator:
D. Appleton-Century Company.
Abstract:
The Appleton-Century mss., 1846-1962, consists of the office files of the publishing company, its two predecessors, D. Appleton & Co., and the Century Co., and to a small extent its successor, Appleton-Century Crofts, Inc.
Extent:
7 Boxes (6 standard, 1 custom), 1 folio, and 7 bound
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Item], Appleton-Century mss, Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Background

Biographical / Historical:

D. Appleton & Co. was founded in 1825 by Daniel Appleton. It was initially a general store that featured books, among other items. In 1831 Appleton began to publish books across a wide variety of genres, including medical science and Spanish language literature. In 1933, the company merged with Century Co., founded in 1881, to form the D. Appleton-Century Co. The consolidation of this company with the F.S. Crofts Co., founded in 1924, was effected in 1948 under the name Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc. In 1960 the firm was purchased by the Meredith Publishing Co., but the name did not change. Meredith sold a division of the company to Prentice-Hall in 1973, which merged with Hawthorn Books and New Win Publishing. Prentice Hall merged with Pearson Education in 1998, and the Academic Learning Company, LLC took over New Win Publishing in 2003.

Scope and Content:

The papers in the collection consist of contracts with authors for the publication of their works, and for dramatizations, motion picture rights, foreign editions, and translations of books published by the firm; business correspondence with authors, executors of their estates, publishers and others; royalty statements, copies of the wills of some of the authors; and other business papers.

The collection also contains a letter from Ulysses Simpson Grant to J.H. Work, December 22, 1881; corrected galley proof of Bess Streeter Aldrich's "A lantern in her hand," and "Miss Bishop"; galley and page proofs of Edith Wharton's Age of Innocence, and "A backward glance"; photographs of Edith Wharton and Harold Bell Wright; and printed promotional material (both unbound and mounted in 7 scrapbooks) for Harold Bell Wright's books.

Note on Indexing Term - "Art": Included is artwork for books in production.

Note on Indexing Term - "Riley, James Whitcomb, 1849-1916": Includes a file of Riley material containing a memorandum of agreement and some letters.

Note on Indexing Term - "Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968": Sinclair is represented by one folder of letters and papers dated 1902-1906.

Acquisition information:
Purchase: 1964
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged alphabetically by author or illustrator.

Physical location:
Lilly - Stacks

Access

RESTRICTIONS:

This collection is open for research.

Many collections are housed offsite; retrieval requires advance notice. Please make an appointment a minimum of one week in advance of your visit.

TERMS OF ACCESS:

Photography and digitization may be restricted for some collections. Copyright restrictions may apply. Before publishing, researchers are responsible for securing permission from all applicable rights holders, then filling out the Permission to Publish form.

PREFERRED CITATION:

[Item], Appleton-Century mss, Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
1200 East Seventh Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47405-5500, USA
CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
CONTACT:
(812) 855-2452
liblilly@iu.edu