McLoughlin Brothers
McLoughlin Bros., Inc. was a New York publishing firm active between 1858[1] and 1920. The company was a pioneer in color printing technologies in children's books.[2] The company specialized in retellings or bowdlerizations of classic stories for children. The artistic and commercial roots of the McLoughlin firm were first developed by John McLoughlin, Jr. (1827–1905) who made his younger brother Edmund McLoughlin (1833 or 4-1889) a partner in 1855. By 1886, the firm published a wide range of items, including cheap chapbooks, large folio picture books, linen books, puzzles, games, paper soldiers and paper dolls. Many of the earliest and most valuable board games in America were produced by McLoughlin Brothers of New York. In 1920 the corporation was sold to Milton Bradley & Company. McLoughlin ceased game production at this time, but continued publishing their picture books.
![](../I/Teddy_the_Bear_-_Sarah_Noble_Ives_2.jpg.webp)
![]() A typical McLoughlin Brothers publication | |
Status | Defunct |
---|---|
Founded | 1858 |
Founder | John McLoughlin, Jr. and Edmund McLoughlin |
Defunct | 1920 ![]() |
Successor | Grosset & Dunlap |
Country of origin | United States |
Headquarters location | New York City |
Publication types | Books, games, paper dolls |
The company worked with numerous artists of the time, including Sarah Noble Ives, William Bruton, Edward P. Cogger, Enos Comstock, Frances Bassett Comstock, Georgina A. Davis, Henry Walker Herrick, Justin H. Howard, May Audubon Post, Victor Renwick, Ida Waugh, and Lois Williams.[3] These artists created richly colored watercolors as well as pen-and-ink drawings, which were adapted to the printing processes for mass production.
In 1951 the firm, now a division of Milton Bradley, was sold to Julius Kushner. At that time, their collection of original artwork for publication was split between members of the board. A portion of that collection was later donated to the American Antiquarian Society.[3] In 1954, McLoughlin Brothers books were sold to Grosset & Dunlap.[4]
Works published
References
- Frontispiece, such as it is, of The Easy To Read Story Book
- Wasowicz, Laura."Brief History of the McLoughlin Brothers". American Antiquarian Society, 2003.
- "The McLoughlin Bros. Hosmer Archival Drawings and Prints". American Antiquarian Society. 2014-11-10. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
- aasmaster (2014-11-05). "McLoughlin Bros" (Text). American Antiquarian Society. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to McLoughlin Brothers publications. |
- "McLoughlin Brothers Typewriter - 1884, The Martin Howard Collection".
- Mother Goose in an Air-Ship: McLoughlin Bros. 19th Century Children’s Books from the Liman Collection (exhibition), Brooklyn Historical Society, September 2007 to February 2009
- The McLoughlin Bros. of New York, The Gottesman Libraries, Columbia University
- Uncle Tom's Cabin
- Toy and Picture Books at the University of South Florida
- McLoughlin Brothers Archival Drawings and Prints at the American Antiquarian Society
- McLoughlin Brothers Catalogs, Price Lists, and Order Forms 1860-1949 at the American Antiquarian Society
- Works by or about McLoughlin Brothers at Internet Archive
- Works by McLoughlin Brothers at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)