Lot 224
ISAIAH THOMAS
(1749 - 1831) American printer and publisher of the Massachusetts Spy, printed the first American Bible in English, founded the American Antiquarian Society. Rare and fine printing content A.L.S. "I Thomas" 2pp. legal folio, Worcester, Aug. 28, 1800 to the booksellers, Thomas & Thomas in Walpole, [N.H.], writing, in full: "When you issue a Proposal for a book to be printed, or advertise one published by the Coy. in the Museum, why not mention who issue[d] the proposal, and who publish[ed] the book? In the Virginia Gaz[ette] I observe the spirit of the Museum has for its intended publisher Alexander Thomas, Junr. not T[homas] & T[homas] - every press but what I have sold is not in use, except a new Mahogany one, which will cost many dollars to fix it - besides I do not think it would pay the pay to transport a Press to Walpole and back again. Two presses can do a great deal of Work, and properly managed be more than sufficient for the hands Mr. C. Keeps. The indorsements on your note, I had from Wheeler amount to somewhat more than your Statement. - so says Mr. Brigham, who compared them. Merriam told me to Say, the Receipt on the other note is not found yet, and Wheeler tho' paid will not deliver it up till it is.-- I believe you have done as well as you could with Goldthwait, I always suspected we should be perplexed to get payment from him. If we could have our Espanaisse 2 or 3 months, I would endeavor to loan 3 or 4 pages more of Types. Have you written the Booksellers at the Southward, and have you Advertised that it is in the Press? We must not make the works too common - you are in too much haste to get rid of books you are concerned in publishing - they all get to the Market at once the public [will] blow upon them." With integral address leaf in Thomas' hand who adds "Free" and bears a black "Worcester Sept 1" postmark. On the side of the address panel, Thomas has added a short postscript: "Was Merriam to have Winchester in Sheets or bound? My agreement for binding?" The "Merriam" to whom Thomas refers is Ebenezer Merriam who was a former employee of Thomas. Later members of the Merriam family would establish the Springfield firm of G. & C. Merriam who upon the death of Noah Webster in 1843, acquired the rights to publish his dictionary. The printing firm of Thomas & Thomas was established in Walpole, N.H. in 1793 by Isaiah Thomas in partnership with David Carlisle, Jr. a former apprentice in his Worcester, Mass. shop and operated it as a printing house and bookstore. Thomas furnished the press, types and a large stock of books while Carlisle managed the day-to -day affairs. In the same year the press began publication of the New Hampshire Journal. Thomas retired from the firm in 1796, but Carlisle suffered a series of financial embarrassments that caused him to abandon the house and flee to Canada in 1797. The House again came into Thomas' possession and he ran it in conjunction with Alexander Thomas, who ran the day-to-day operations. (Source, Benjamin Thomas Hill, ed., The Diary of Isaiah Thomas, 1805-1828 (Worcester: American Antiquarian Society, 1909), pp. 7-8n.) Light toning at folds, light foxing, expected folds else very good to fine condition.
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