Fred Rosenstock
Encyclopedia
Fred Asher Rosenstock born Selig Usher Rosenstock in 1895 in Biala Potok in Galicia then a province of Austria
in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains
was a prominent bookseller, book
and art
collector
and
publisher
in Denver, Colorado
from the 1920s through the 1970s. His family emigrated
to America
in 1904. The family lived in Rochester, New York
.
During World War I
Fred moved to Washington, DC and worked both as a civilian and later in the US Army
as a stenographer
.
After the war he worked for a billboard
company, but became ill. He was advised to move to a dry, desert climate such as California. He went west but never got past Denver.
Fred had been interested in books from his youth, and by the time he was in Washington was a collector haunting the book shops and building a small
collection. In Denver he continued collecting and in 1922 opened his first bookstore, the Denver Book Shop, an antiquarian book store. It was not a success. Later after marrying Frances Goodman in 1928 he purchased an existing book store in a good location on 15th Street in Denver and renamed it the Bargain Book Store. He continued to collect and sell rare books but the main business of the Bargain Book Store was selling school textbooks. This line got the business through the great depression
. The store burned in 1948 and was rebuilt.
Meanwhile Fred continued his interest in rare books developing an interest in western history. By 1960 he began liquidating his general book business and in 1962 opened Fred A. Rosenstock Books on East Colfax Avenue
in Denver specializing in western history. Fred had also developed an interest in western art and had collected many of the painting
s and sculpture
s of Charles Marion Russell
which he displayed in his bookstore.
Fred Rosenstock became recognized as the leading bookseller in the field of western history and located and sold many books to the important western history collections, notably to the library
at Brigham Young University
and the Denver Public Library.
He was also a publisher
operating as the Old West Publishing Company, issuing about 30 significant books.
By the 1970s Fred was still active, but ready to reduce his activities. His extensive art collection was sold at auction (with disappointing
results) and he closed his magnificent bookstore.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
was a prominent bookseller, book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
and art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
collector
Collectible
A collectable or collectible is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector . There are numerous types of collectables and terms to denote those types. An antique is a collectable that is old...
and
publisher
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
from the 1920s through the 1970s. His family emigrated
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1904. The family lived in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Fred moved to Washington, DC and worked both as a civilian and later in the US Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a stenographer
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
.
After the war he worked for a billboard
Billboard (advertising)
A billboard is a large outdoor advertising structure , typically found in high traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertisements to passing pedestrians and drivers...
company, but became ill. He was advised to move to a dry, desert climate such as California. He went west but never got past Denver.
Fred had been interested in books from his youth, and by the time he was in Washington was a collector haunting the book shops and building a small
collection. In Denver he continued collecting and in 1922 opened his first bookstore, the Denver Book Shop, an antiquarian book store. It was not a success. Later after marrying Frances Goodman in 1928 he purchased an existing book store in a good location on 15th Street in Denver and renamed it the Bargain Book Store. He continued to collect and sell rare books but the main business of the Bargain Book Store was selling school textbooks. This line got the business through the great depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. The store burned in 1948 and was rebuilt.
Meanwhile Fred continued his interest in rare books developing an interest in western history. By 1960 he began liquidating his general book business and in 1962 opened Fred A. Rosenstock Books on East Colfax Avenue
Colfax Avenue
Colfax Avenue is the main street that runs east–west through the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area in Colorado. As U.S. Highway 40, it was one of two principal highways serving Denver before the Interstate Highway System was constructed. In the local street system, it lies 15 blocks north of the zero...
in Denver specializing in western history. Fred had also developed an interest in western art and had collected many of the painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
s and sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
s of Charles Marion Russell
Charles Marion Russell
Charles Marion Russell , also known as C. M. Russell, Charlie Russell, and "Kid" Russell, was an artist of the Old American West. Russell created more than 2,000 paintings of cowboys, Indians, and landscapes set in the Western United States, in addition to bronze sculptures...
which he displayed in his bookstore.
Fred Rosenstock became recognized as the leading bookseller in the field of western history and located and sold many books to the important western history collections, notably to the library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and the Denver Public Library.
He was also a publisher
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
operating as the Old West Publishing Company, issuing about 30 significant books.
By the 1970s Fred was still active, but ready to reduce his activities. His extensive art collection was sold at auction (with disappointing
results) and he closed his magnificent bookstore.
External links
Further reading
- Fred Rosenstock, A Legend in Books & Art, Donald E. Bower, Foreword by Frank WatersFrank WatersFrank Waters was an American writer. He is known for his novels and historical works about the American Southwest...
, Northland Press, Flagstaff, Arizona, 1976, hardback, 212 pages.