Messrs. Roberts Brothers (1857–1898) were bookbinders and publishers in 19th-century

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

. Established in 1857 by Austin J. Roberts, John F. Roberts, and Lewis A. Roberts, the firm began publishing around the early 1860s. American authors included:

Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott (; November 29, 1832March 6, 1888) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known as the author of the novel '' Little Women'' (1868) and its sequels '' Little Men'' (1871) and '' Jo's Boys'' (1886). Raised ...

, Susan Coolidge,

Emily Dickinson Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massac ...

, Maud Howe Elliott, Louise Imogen Guiney,

Julia Ward Howe Julia Ward Howe (; May 27, 1819 – October 17, 1910) was an American author and poet, known for writing the " Battle Hymn of the Republic" and the original 1870 pacifist Mother's Day Proclamation. She was also an advocate for abolitionism ...

Helen Hunt Jackson Helen Hunt Jackson (pen name, H.H.; born Helen Maria Fiske; October 15, 1830 – August 12, 1885) was an American poet and writer who became an activist on behalf of improved treatment of Native Americans by the United States government. She de ...

, Abigail May Alcott Nieriker. British and European authors included: Berthold Auerbach, Caroline Bauer,

Mathilde Blind Mathilde Blind (born Mathilda Cohen; 21 March 1841 in Mannheim, Germany – 26 November 1896, in London), was a German-born English poet, fiction writer, biographer, essayist and critic. In the early 1870s she emerged as a pioneering female aest ...

, Juliana Horatia Ewing, Anne Gilchrist, David Gray,

Philip Gilbert Hamerton Philip Gilbert Hamerton (10 September 1834 – 4 November 1894) was a British artist, art critic and author. He was a keen advocate of contemporary printmaking and most of his writings concern the graphic arts. He was an important theorist o ...

, Jean Ingelow,

Vernon Lee Vernon Lee was the pseudonym of the British writer Violet Paget (14 October 1856 – 13 February 1935). She is remembered today primarily for her supernatural fiction and her work on aesthetics. An early follower of Walter Pater, she wrote ...

William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was a British textile designer, poet, artist, novelist, architectural conservationist, printer, translator and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts Movement. He ...

Silvio Pellico Silvio Pellico (; 24 June 1789 – 31 January 1854) was an Italian writer, poet, dramatist and patriot active in the Italian unification. Biography Silvio Pellico was born in Saluzzo (Piedmont). He spent the earlier portion of his life at Pi ...

, Adelaide Ristori,

A. Mary F. Robinson Agnes Mary Frances Robinson (known as Agnes-Marie-François Darmesteter after her first marriage, and Agnes Mary Frances Duclaux after her second; 27 February 1857 – 9 February 1944) was a poet, novelist, essayist, literary critic, and translat ...

George Sand Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin de Francueil (; 1 July 1804 – 8 June 1876), best known by her pen name George Sand (), was a French novelist, memoirist and journalist. One of the most popular writers in Europe in her lifetime, bein ...

, Charlotte Mary Yonge, Helen Zimmern.

History

Houghton 72S-700 - Masque of Poets, title

The Roberts Brothers were "bookbinders" from 1857 until 1862 (offices successively at: 120 Washington St.; Temple Place; 149 Washington St.) Beginning in 1862 they were also makers of "photograph albums." In 1863 Thomas Niles, Jr. began working at the firm. He became partner some years thereafter and remained with the Roberts Brothers until his death in 1894. By 1873 the firm was listed under the names of just Lewis Roberts and Thomas Niles. After several decades on Washington Street across from Old South Meeting House, the business moved to Somerset Street in the 1880s. As publishers, the Roberts Brothers made their name in 1868 with the publication of Louisa May Alcott's '' Little Women'', a best-seller. It featured illustrations by Alcott's sister, May Alcott, who also appeared as a character (Amy) in the book. From 1876–1887, the firm issued a "No Name Series" of books that did not reveal the writers' names in an attempt to allow the writing to stand on its own merits rather than the reputation of the authors. The books were the brainchild of Thomas Niles, Jr., a partner at Roberts Brothers. ''Harper's'' praised the move, writing "The idea is a good one, not only because it will pique the curiosity of the reader, but also because it will put the writers on their mettle to do their best, and absolutely prevent that trading on reputation which is the greatest vice of American ''litterateurs''." The ''Famous Women Series'' of the 1880s and 1890s consisted of biographies of

Margaret Fuller Sarah Margaret Fuller (May 23, 1810 – July 19, 1850), sometimes referred to as Margaret Fuller Ossoli, was an American journalist, editor, critic, translator, and women's rights advocate associated with the American transcendentalism movemen ...

, Jane Austen,

Mary Wollstonecraft Mary Wollstonecraft (, ; 27 April 1759 – 10 September 1797) was a British writer, philosopher, and advocate of women's rights. Until the late 20th century, Wollstonecraft's life, which encompassed several unconventional personal relationsh ...

George Eliot Mary Ann Evans (22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880; alternatively Mary Anne or Marian), known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She wrot ...

, and others, most of them written by women. As a contemporary review put it, "subjects and authors are in the main English, but several famous American women have had their trials and triumphs recorded by other famous American women."

Little, Brown Little, Brown and Company is an American publishing company founded in 1837 by Charles Coffin Little and James Brown in Boston. For close to two centuries it has published fiction and nonfiction by American authors. Early lists featured Emil ...

bought the firm in 1898.Louisa May Alcott encyclopedia. 2001; p.287.

* David Gray
Poems
1865. * Shakespeare
The works of William Shakespeare
1866. * Philip Gilbert Hamerton
Painter's Camp
1867. * Jean Ingelow
A story of doom: and other poems
1867. * Berthold Auerbach
On the heights
1868. * Silvio Pellico
My Prisons: Memoirs
1868. * F.C. Burnand
Happy Thoughts
1869. * George Sand. Antonia
v.2
1870. * George Parsons Lathrop (editor), '' A Masque of Poets'', 1878 * Abigail May Alcott Nieriker
Studying art abroad
and how to do it cheaply. 1879. * Julia Ward Howe
Modern Society
1881. * Maud Howe Elliott
Newport Aquarelle
1883. * Memoirs of Karoline Bauer. 1885. * Louise Imogen Guiney. Goose-Quill Papers. 1885. * Balzac
Cousin Bette
1888. * Mary Prudence Wells Smith
Their canoe trip
1889. * George Sand
Mauprat
1890. * William Morris. The earthly paradise: a poem. 1893. * Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Poor folk
1894.

Famous Women Series

* Anne Gilchrist
Mary Lamb
1883. * Julia Ward Howe
Margaret Fuller
(Marchesa Ossoli). 1883 * Bertha Thomas
George Sand
1883. * Elizabeth Robins Pennell. Life of

. 1884. * Helen Zimmern
Maria Edgeworth
1884. * Mathilde Blind
George Eliot
1885. * Vernon Lee
Countess of Albany
1885. * Mrs. F. Fenwick Miller
Harriet Martineau
1885. * Mathilde Blind. Madame Roland. 1886. * Eliza Clarke
Susanna Wesley
1886. * A. Mary F. Robinson
Emily Bronte
1886. * Bella Duffy
Madame de Stael
1887. * Nina A. Kennard
Mrs. Siddons
1887. * Caroline Healey Dall
The Life of Dr. Anandabai Joshee
1888. * John H. Ingram
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
1888. * Adelaide Ristori
Studies and memoirs: an autobiography
1888. * Mrs. Bradley Gilman
Saint Theresa of Avila
1889. * Charlotte M. Yonge
Hannah More
1890. * Nina H. Kennard
Rachel
1895. * Mrs. Charles Malden
Jane Austen
1896.

Children's books

* Louisa May Alcott. Little Women. 1868. * Louisa May Alcott
An Old-Fashioned Girl
1870. Engravings by W.H. Morse. * * R.L. Stevenson
Treasure Island
1884. * Susan Coolidge
Nine Little Goslings
1893. * Juliana Horatia Gatty Ewing
Story of a Short Life
1893. * Helen Jackson
Ramona
1896.

Works about the firm

* Book-making at the Hub; Boston's old and new publishers and their work. New York Times, September 10, 1881. * Raymond L. Kilgour. Messrs. Roberts Brothers Publishers. 1952. * Joel Myerson. "Roberts Brothers." Publishers for mass entertainment in 19th century America. 1980; p. 267-276. * "Thomas Niles, Jr." Louisa May Alcott encyclopedia. Greenwood Pr., 2001; p. 233-234. * "Roberts Brothers." Louisa May Alcott encyclopedia. Greenwood Pr., 2001; p. 287.

References

External links

WorldCat

Houghton Library
Harvard Univ. Roberts Brothers (Boston, Mass.). Roberts Brothers (Boston, Mass.) letters to Louisa May Alcott: Guide. {{DEFAULTSORT:Brothers, Roberts Defunct publishing companies of the United States Businesspeople from Boston Financial District, Boston 19th century in Boston Publishing companies established in 1857 1857 births 1898 deaths 1857 establishments in Massachusetts American companies established in 1857 19th-century American businesspeople