Description
The collections consist primarily of letters, as well as poems and manuscripts, from various American and British authors
to American editor, publisher, and poet James Thomas Fields (1817-1881), mostly relating to publication of their manuscripts
by his firm Ticknor and Fields and in The Atlantic Monthly. The collection also includes letters to Fields's wife Annie Fields
(1834-1915) concerning literary matters.
Background
James Thomas Fields (1817-1881) occupied an important position in the nineteenth century literary scene in his dual role as
editor of The Atlantic Monthly and publisher in the Boston firm of Ticknor and Fields. His career as publisher began in 1831, when he became a clerk for
the Old Corner Bookstore, which evolved into the firm of William D. Ticknor and Company. During the forties, Ticknor and Co.
began its rise to greatness, with extra impetus provided by its publication in 1847 of Longfellow's Evangeline. Soon after, the firm also established relations with other New England writers such as Whittier, Lowell, Hawthorne, and Holmes,
each of whom contributed to the increasing prestige of Ticknor and Co. Meanwhile, Fields began a corresponding rise, advancing
to a junior partnership in 1843, though the firm retained its title until 1849, when it became Ticknor, Reed and Fields. The
title of Ticknor and Fields came into being in June, 1854, and lasted until 1868, when reorganization changed the name to
Fields, Osgood and Company, with Fields as senior partner. Throughout his career as a publisher, Fields was extremely successful
in establishing good relationships (and in a great many cases, friendships) with a large number of authors, both American
and English. Through his fair and generous terms in dealing with them and through his policy of protecting their works against
piracy in spite of the absence of any international copyright laws, he was able to attract established, well-known writers
to his firm, as well as many who would yet achieve fame. Fields succeeded also in obtaining wide exposure of his firm's books
by means of his extensive circle of friends and acquaintances among editors and book reviewers. Chiefly as a result of his
promotional talents, Ticknor and Fields were able to develop a national market for their books and hence to make Boston the
primary center in the United States for the publication of literary works.
Extent
70 Linear Feet
(74 boxes, 1 envelope, 1 oversize folder, 1 volume)
Restrictions
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and
obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.