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G.P. Putnam's Sons records, 1891-1937

By Emily Minehart and Meg Hixon

Collection Overview

Title: G.P. Putnam's Sons records, 1891-1937

ID: 01/02/02/POST-1650 MS 0338

Creator: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Extent: 26.0 Volumes

Arrangement: The volumes are grouped by their contents. Each group is arranged chronologically.

Languages: English [eng]

Abstract

The G.P. Putnam's Sons records document the publishing firm's activities from 1891 to 1937. The collection includes abstracts of publishing agreements, lists of and detailed readers' reports about received manuscripts, and financial records. Internal evidence indicates that the materials originated in the firm's London office.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The G.P. Putnam's Sons records document the publishing firm's activities from 1891 to 1937. The collection includes abstracts of publishing agreements, lists of and detailed readers' reports about received manuscripts, and financial records. The collection's first 11 volumes contain detailed information about contractual agreements made between 1891 and 1937. These identify published works by title and author and include notes about royalties, copyright, translations, printings, and intended markets, most frequently North America, Great Britain, and British colonies.

Much of the rest of the collection relates to submitted manuscripts, the majority of which the firm did not publish. Three volumes list basic information about incoming manuscripts received from senders in London and, to a lesser extent, other locations in the United Kingdom, between 1920 and 1926. These are complemented by a group of readers' reports consisting of individual manuscripts and typescripts bound into 8 volumes. Covering the years 1910 to 1934, these reports contain the reviewers' candid opinions about submitted works, including many with titles in foreign languages such as German or French. Reviewers usually provided a general synopsis, offered editorial comments, and discussed the reviewed manuscript's potential economic viability.

The remaining volumes include 2 account books related to printing and binding costs for works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, as well as an additional account book with more general records about the firm's gains and losses, among other financial subjects. The final volume contains abstracts of publishing agreements pertaining to works published by other companies, often with information about royalty percentages, film and serialization rights, and other intellectual property agreements.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions: The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions:

This collection is the physical property of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Intellectual property rights, including copyright, may reside with the materials' creator(s) or their heirs.

The Rare Book & Manuscript Library's reproduction and publication policies are available here. The library welcomes requests for reproductions made from works in our collections, though restrictions may apply to certain materials. Please contact the library with any questions.

Related Materials: The Princeton University Library's Department of Rare Books and Special Collections has a collection of George Palmer Putnam papers, which are primarily related to his publishing endeavors prior to the U.S. Civil War.

Preferred Citation: G.P. Putnam's Sons records, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Finding Aid Revision History: A previous version of this finding aid was written by RBML staff. Revision by Emily Minehart and Meg Hixon, April-May 2014.

Other Note: Former Shelfmark: MS 655.473 P98r.

Box and Folder Listing

Volume 1: Abstracts of Publishing Agreements, 1891-1895Add to your cart.
1 volume (230 pages): manuscript. Front cover title: "Record of Publishing Agreements. Book 1." Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.
Volume 2: Abstracts of Publishing Agreements, 1895-1901Add to your cart.
1 volume (266 pages): manuscript.  Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intended markets and intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.
Volume 3: Abstracts of Publishing Agreements, 1901-1905Add to your cart.
1 volume (242 pages): manuscript and printed text. Spine title: "Abstract of Publishing Agreements. 3." Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intended markets and intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.
Volume 4: Abstracts of Publishing Agreements, 1905-1910Add to your cart.
1 volume (242 pages): manuscript and printed text.  Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intended markets and intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.
Volume 5: Abstracts of Publishing Agreements, 1910-1914Add to your cart.
1 volume (240 pages): manuscript and printed text.  Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intended markets and intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.
Volume 6: Abstracts of Publishing Agreements, 1914-1921Add to your cart.
1 volume (240 pages): manuscript and printed text. Traces of spine title still present. Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intended markets and intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.
Volume 7: Abstracts of Publishing Agreements, 1921-1928Add to your cart.
1 volume (240 pages): manuscript and printed text.  Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intended markets and intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.
Volume 8: Abstracts of Publishing Agreements, 1928-1932Add to your cart.
1 volume (242 pages): manuscript and printed text.  Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intended markets and intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.
Volume 9: Abstracts of Publishing Agreements, 1931-1933Add to your cart.
1 volume (242 pages): manuscript and printed text. Spine title: "Abstract of Publishing Agreements. 9." Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intended markets and intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.
Volume 10: Abstracts of Publishing Agreements, 1933-1936Add to your cart.
1 volume (243 pages): manuscript and printed text. Spine title: "Abstract of Publishing Agreements. 10." Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intended markets and intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.
Volume 11: Abstracts of Publishing Agreements, 1936-1937Add to your cart.
1 volume (244 pages): manuscript and printed text. Spine title: "Abstract of Publishing Agreements. 11." Contains contractual and financial information about works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes information about intended markets and intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties.
Volume 12: List of Received Manuscripts, 1920-1922Add to your cart.
1 volume (500 pages): manuscript and printed text. Spine title: "MSS Record America 1. 1920." Contains a list of 1,000 manuscripts received by G.P. Putnam's Sons, including the senders' and authors' names, the manuscripts' titles, and additional notes about the manuscripts' status.
Volume 13: List of Received Manuscripts, 1922-1925Add to your cart.
1 volume (501 pages): manuscript and printed text. Spine title: "MSS Record America 2. 1922." Contains a list of 1,001 manuscripts received by G.P. Putnam's Sons, including the senders' and authors' names, the manuscripts' titles, and additional notes about the manuscripts' status.
Volume 14: List of Received Manuscripts, 1925-1926Add to your cart.
1 volume (504 pages): manuscript and printed text. Spine title: "M.S.S. Record America 3. 1925." Contains a list of 504 manuscripts received by G.P. Putnam's Sons, including the senders' and authors' names, the manuscripts' titles, and additional notes about the manuscripts' status.
Volume 15: Readers' Reports of Manuscript Submissions, 1910-1912Add to your cart.
1 volume (525 pages): manuscript and typescript.  Contains readers' reports of reviewed manuscripts. Includes summaries, readers' commentary and editorial suggestions, and notes regarding possible publication.
Volume 16: Readers' Reports of Manuscript Submissions, 1912-1917Add to your cart.
1 volume (547 pages): manuscript and typescript. Spine title: "Readers' Reports. 1912-1917. 2." Contains readers' reports of reviewed manuscripts. Includes summaries, readers' commentary and editorial suggestions, and notes regarding possible publication.
Volume 17: Readers' Reports of Manuscript Submissions, 1917-1922Add to your cart.
1 volume (400 pages): manuscript and typescript. Spine title: "Readers' Reports. 1917-1922. 3." Contains readers' reports of reviewed manuscripts. Includes summaries, readers' commentary and editorial suggestions, and notes regarding possible publication.
Volume 18: Readers' Reports of Manuscript Submissions, 1922-1927Add to your cart.
1 volume (422 pages): manuscript and typescript. Spine title: "Readers' Reports. 1922-1927. 4." Contains readers' reports of reviewed manuscripts. Includes summaries, readers' commentary and editorial suggestions, and notes regarding possible publication.
Volume 19: Readers' Reports of Manuscript Submissions, 1927-1929Add to your cart.
1 volume (436 pages): manuscript and typescript. Spine title: "Readers' Reports. 1927-1929. 5." Contains readers' reports of reviewed manuscripts. Includes summaries, readers' commentary and editorial suggestions, and notes regarding possible publication.
Volume 20: Readers' Reports of Manuscript Submissions, 1929-1930Add to your cart.
1 volume (432 pages): manuscript and typescript. Spine title: "Readers' Reports. 1929-1930. 6." Contains readers' reports of reviewed manuscripts. Includes summaries, readers' commentary and editorial suggestions, and notes regarding possible publication.
Volume 21: Readers' Reports of Manuscript Sumissions, 1931-1934Add to your cart.
1 volume (265 pages): manuscript and typescript. Spine title: "Readers' Reports. 1931-32-33. 8." Contains readers' reports of reviewed manuscripts. Includes summaries, readers' commentary and editorial suggestions, and notes regarding possible publication.
Volume 22: Readers' Reports of Manuscript Submissions, 1934Add to your cart.
1 volume (248 pages): manuscript and typescript. Spine title: "Readers' Reports. 1934. 9." Contains readers' reports of reviewed manuscripts. Includes summaries, readers' commentary and editorial suggestions, and notes regarding possible publication.
Volume 23: Printing and Binding Account Book, 1903-1912Add to your cart.
1 volume (250 pages): manuscript and printed text.  Contains financial records related to the printing and binding of works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes the printers' and binders' names, the size of each individual order, and edition information.
Volume 24: Printing and Binding Account Book, 1916-1922Add to your cart.
1 volume (250 pages): manuscript and printed text. Contains financial records related to the printing and binding of works published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Includes the printers' and binders' names and the size of each individual order.
Volume 25: Abstracts of American Publishing Agreements, 1919-1928Add to your cart.
1 volume (670 pages): manuscript and printed text. Spine title: "Abstract of American Agreements." Contains contractual and financial information about 243 works published by various companies. Includes information about intellectual property agreements, particularly regarding royalties, serialization, and film rights.
Volume 26: Account Book, 1911-1931Add to your cart.
1 volume (366 pages): manuscript. Spine title: "Private Ledger. 2." Many pages remain blank. Contains financial records related to G.P. Putnam's Sons, primarily related to profits and losses. Also includes records related to taxes and the costs of office furniture.