Monday, December 2, 2024

Caxton Printers of Idaho: A Century of Publishing in the American West

In 1907, James H. Gipson founded Caxton Printers in rural Idaho on the principle of “recognizing struggling writers” who deserved to be published—even if his company made little or no profit. Caxton produced enduring books in a wide range of fields: history, sociology, literature, poetry, politics, travel guides, and even cookbooks. Not only were those books positively reviewed in national newspapers at the time of their release but they continue to be cited in scholarly work today. Gipson’s efforts turned Caxton into an important publisher, an accomplishment that helped legitimize book publishing in the West.

A presentation by Alessandro Meregaglia, archivist, librarian, historian, and associate professor, Boise State University, Idaho

Monday, November 6, 2023

Paul Elder: A Literary Life in Seven Bookstores

After resigning from his sales position at William Doxey’s bookstore in San Francisco’s famous Palace Hotel in 1897, a young Paul Elder opened his own shop two blocks away. Elder’s goal was a bookstore with a carefully crafted ambience, reflecting his embrace of the California Arts & Crafts Movement. Elder’s own publications were often designed with the same Arts & Crafts aesthetic. This talk will present a tour of Elder’s San Francisco bookstores, as he persevered through the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, helped to revitalize downtown, and celebrated the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

An illustrated talk by David Mostardi, book collector, curator, and historian

Monday, December 12, 2022

The Surprising Legacy of Alice Parsons Millard: Antiquarian Bookseller & Champion of Beauty and Taste

Book trade historian Charles Nelson Johnson provides a fresh look at lesser-known Southern California antiquarian bookseller Alice Parsons Millard (1873-1938)—a role she inherited as much as chose—and her activities as she courageously maneuvered her way through the decidedly male dominated trade in 1920s-1930s Europe and the United States; her personal challenges, creative business innovations and impact on numerous high profile clients, and her surprising California legacy.

An illustrated talk by Charles Nelson Johnson, author, historical consultant, and retired research librarian

Monday, November 4, 2019

The Lore & Lure of Literature on Early Yosemite Tourism

Following the first tourist party visit to Yosemite in 1855, literature—whether pictorial, photographic, or printed—enticed sightseers to visit the sublime Valley. Tracing the evolution of this relationship provides an insight into early Yosemite ephemera, books, and lithographs. The literary lure of tourists to the Valley has worked so well, that today Yosemite is painfully loved to death.

An illustrated talk by Dennis Krista, author of Bibliography of Yosemite, the Central and the Southern High Sierra, and the Big Trees, 1839-1900 (1992) and James Mason Hutchings of Yo Semite: a Biography and Bibliography (2009)

Monday, November 5, 2018

A Rare Book Rogue in Texas: The Crimes and Misdemeanors of Johnny Jenkins

John Jenkins was found shot in a river in Texas in 1989. Before his death he was one of the premier antiquarian booksellers in America, known for his bibliographies, for catching mafia thieves who had stolen Audubon plates, and for winning high-stakes poker games in Las Vegas. The dark side of his life showed itself in the many forgeries that passed through his hands and the arsons of his business which the ATF investigated.

A presentation by Michael Vinson

Monday, December 30, 2017

Anton Roman: San Francisco’s Pioneering Bookseller & Publisher

John Crichton presents the story of San Francisco bookseller and publisher Anton Roman (1828–1903), who came to California from Bavaria in 1849 to make his fortune in the gold fields. He converted his gold into books and became one of the most important and successful bookseller-publishers in the history of the book trade in California and the West. Roman published seminal California and Western American texts; he founded the Overland Monthly; and he connected California to the East.

A presentation by John Crichton