M.J. Ivers & Co. records

Collection

Identifier: MSS 0478

Staff Only

Scope and Content Note

Included in this collection are business receipts, correspondence, and publication lists produced by M.J. Ivers and Company between 1880 and 1915 with the bulk of the material dating from 1898 and 1905. Other companies that M.J. Ivers conducted business with include Beadle & Adams, Hurst & Company, and George Munro's Sons. This archive represents only a small portion of material generated by M.J. Ivers and Company.

Dates

Creation: 1880-1915
Creation: Majority of material found within 1898-1905

Creator

M.J. Ivers & Co. (Organization)

Language of Materials

Materials entirely in English.

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, http://library.udel.edu/spec/askspec/

Historical Note

The New York based publishing firm of M.J. Ivers and Company was best known for its production of cheap books in the United States including Beadle's Dime Dialogues, Dime Speakers, Dime Hand Books, Boy's Library, and Deadwood Dick Library during the late nineteenth century through the early 20th century.

Following the dissolution of Beadle and Adams in 1898, James Sullivan, the owner of M.J. Ivers and Company, purchased the collections of Beadle Dime and Half Dime Novels. M.J. Ivers and Company continued to publish these titles as monthlies under the name of Beadle and Adams until 1905. Ivers printed sixty four numbers of Beadle's Boy's Library and sixty four of Edward Wheeler's novels in addition to one hundred other works. The company continued to operate throughout the early part of the twentieth century. Eventually, the plates and stock of M.J. Ivers and Company were bought by the Arthur Westbrook Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, who continued to publish both the Deadwood Dick and Frontier Libraries until 1937. Included in this collection are business receipts, correspondence, and publication lists. This archive represents only a small portion of material generated by M.J. Ivers and Company.

Johannsen, Albert. The House of Beadle and Adams and its Dime and Nickel Novels (DeKalb, Ill.: Norther Illinois University Libraries). The Beadle and Adams Dime Novel Digitization Project. http://www.niulib.niu.edu/badndp/ (accessed August 18, 2003).

Extent

.1 linear foot (1 box)

Additional Description

Abstract

M.J. Ivers and Company was a publisher or cheap books, including several of the Beadle's Dime series during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Included in this collection are business receipts, correspondence, and publication lists. This archive represents only a small portion of material generated by M.J. Ivers and Company.

Arrangement

The materials in this collection are separated into two folders. The first folder pertains to materials dating from 1880-1898. The second folder pertains to materials dating from 1900-1915 and other undated materials.