George M. Hill Company
Encyclopedia
George M. Hill Company was a publishing company based in Chicago
, Illinois
. It was founded in 1893 by George M. Hill, who learned the book-binding trade through an apprenticeship.
In 1901, the company's main offerings were children's novels authored by L. Frank Baum
. It sold Dot and Tot of Merryland
and American Fairy Tales
and also acquired the right to republish Mother Goose in Prose
in "popular-priced form".
The company also published a reprint of the 1847 edition of Webster's Dictionary
, which was out of copyright. In 1902, it purchased the right from the G. & C. Merriam Company (now called Merriam-Webster
) to publish the 1864 unabridged edition of the dictionary with an additional 10,000 words from the 1879 version.
Compelled to declare bankruptcy in March 1902, the company had, a few weeks earlier, decided to enlarge its operations and erect a new building. On April 26, Robert O. Law was selected by the court to be the interim trustee. Law authorized the selling of George M. Hill Company's property. On March 29, Publishers Weekly
reported the sale of hundreds of plates and juvenile books, including books that had yet to be published and Baum's works. Despite Hill's attempts to repossess his company, the George W. Ogilvie Company was established on May 8 to manage its holdings. Having purchased Hill's manufacturing plant, C. O. Owen & Co. resold it to the Hill Bindery Company, which was newly created and managed by George Hill.
and W. W. Denslow wanted to publish Father Goose
in color. Because few publishers would spend the money to have the book's illustrations done as they desired, they searched for a company to manufacture the book. Denslow had previous involvement with George M. Hill Company. He and Baum brought the drafts of their novel to Hill in the hopes that the company would makes samples for them. Hill not only complied, but he also promised to publish it if Baum and Denslow paid for the color plates
.
The book's initial printing was 5,700 copies which rapidly sold out. Subsequent printings were also immediately sold out, and Father Goose came to be the bestselling picture book in 1900. In 1900, Hill also published The Songs of Father Goose, a compilation of black-and-white pages from the original book that was complemented by music from Albert N. Hall.
Hill gave Baum and Denslow a $1,000 advance to be shared equally on The Emerald City. Later the title was later changed to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
. In their contract, every time the book was sold at the suggested retail price
of $1.50, the author and illustrator would each receive a royalty
of nine cents. The contract also gave Hill "the exclusive right of publication of any books or literary works which they may jointly produce, write or illustrate, during a period of five years from the date of the agreement". That portion of the contract was later dissolved by agreement of all parties because Hill failed to fulfill another part of the contract. Though Hill pledged to publish the book in England, Baum later said it was "never done."
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. It was founded in 1893 by George M. Hill, who learned the book-binding trade through an apprenticeship.
In 1901, the company's main offerings were children's novels authored by L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
. It sold Dot and Tot of Merryland
Dot and Tot of Merryland
Dot and Tot of Merryland is a 1901 novel by L. Frank Baum. After Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, he wrote this story about the adventures of a little girl named Dot and a little boy named Tot in a land reached by floating on a river that flowed through a tunnel. The land was called Merryland...
and American Fairy Tales
American Fairy Tales
American Fairy Tales is the title of a collection of twelve fantasy stories by L. Frank Baum, published in 1901 by the George M. Hill Company, the firm that issued The Wonderful Wizard of Oz the previous year...
and also acquired the right to republish Mother Goose in Prose
Mother Goose in Prose
Mother Goose in Prose is a collection of twenty-two children's stories based on Mother Goose nursery rhymes. It was the first children's book written by L. Frank Baum, and the first book illustrated by Maxfield Parrish. It was originally published in 1897 by Way and Williams of Chicago, and...
in "popular-priced form".
The company also published a reprint of the 1847 edition of Webster's Dictionary
Webster's Dictionary
Webster's Dictionary refers to the line of dictionaries first developed by Noah Webster in the early 19th century, and also to numerous unrelated dictionaries that added Webster's name just to share his prestige. The term is a genericized trademark in the U.S.A...
, which was out of copyright. In 1902, it purchased the right from the G. & C. Merriam Company (now called Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster
Merriam–Webster, which was originally the G. & C. Merriam Company of Springfield, Massachusetts, is an American company that publishes reference books, especially dictionaries that are descendants of Noah Webster’s An American Dictionary of the English Language .Merriam-Webster Inc. has been a...
) to publish the 1864 unabridged edition of the dictionary with an additional 10,000 words from the 1879 version.
Compelled to declare bankruptcy in March 1902, the company had, a few weeks earlier, decided to enlarge its operations and erect a new building. On April 26, Robert O. Law was selected by the court to be the interim trustee. Law authorized the selling of George M. Hill Company's property. On March 29, Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
reported the sale of hundreds of plates and juvenile books, including books that had yet to be published and Baum's works. Despite Hill's attempts to repossess his company, the George W. Ogilvie Company was established on May 8 to manage its holdings. Having purchased Hill's manufacturing plant, C. O. Owen & Co. resold it to the Hill Bindery Company, which was newly created and managed by George Hill.
Father Goose and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
L. Frank BaumL. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
and W. W. Denslow wanted to publish Father Goose
Father Goose: His Book
Father Goose: His Book is a collection of nonsense poetry for children, written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow, and first published in 1899. Though generally neglected a century later, the book was a groundbreaking sensation in its own era; "once America's best-selling children's...
in color. Because few publishers would spend the money to have the book's illustrations done as they desired, they searched for a company to manufacture the book. Denslow had previous involvement with George M. Hill Company. He and Baum brought the drafts of their novel to Hill in the hopes that the company would makes samples for them. Hill not only complied, but he also promised to publish it if Baum and Denslow paid for the color plates
Color printing
Color printing or Colour printing is the reproduction of an image or text in color...
.
The book's initial printing was 5,700 copies which rapidly sold out. Subsequent printings were also immediately sold out, and Father Goose came to be the bestselling picture book in 1900. In 1900, Hill also published The Songs of Father Goose, a compilation of black-and-white pages from the original book that was complemented by music from Albert N. Hall.
Hill gave Baum and Denslow a $1,000 advance to be shared equally on The Emerald City. Later the title was later changed to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
. In their contract, every time the book was sold at the suggested retail price
Suggested retail price
The manufacturer's suggested retail price , list price or recommended retail price of a product is the price which the manufacturer recommends that the retailer sell the product. The intention was to help to standardise prices among locations...
of $1.50, the author and illustrator would each receive a royalty
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
of nine cents. The contract also gave Hill "the exclusive right of publication of any books or literary works which they may jointly produce, write or illustrate, during a period of five years from the date of the agreement". That portion of the contract was later dissolved by agreement of all parties because Hill failed to fulfill another part of the contract. Though Hill pledged to publish the book in England, Baum later said it was "never done."