Lea & Febiger records, 1785-1982 bulk 1796-1882 | WorldCat.org (original) (raw)

Summary:The Lea & Febiger records document the history of the publishing firm, which did business across the United States and in the Caribbean and Canada. The collection spans almost two hundred years, from 1785 to the early 1980s, and consists primarily of correspondence and business volumes such as letterbooks, daybooks, journals, ledgers, cost books, and warehouse books. There are also several "records books" that contain copies of the firm's letters, contracts, and agreements. Most of the records contain information on general business matters, such as payment of invoices, shipping details and disputes, and subscription requests. There is little personal correspondence, except for letters between members of the Carey and Lea families, which appear consistently between the years 1785 and 1822 but vary in breadth and depth. And many correspondents often infused their business letters with candid observations or personal thoughts. Letters from the firms' agents include reports on market conditions, and some correspondence concerns paper making, binding, and book-related problems. Occasionally, letters include details on economic or social topics, such as establishing schools in new territories of the country