Enlargement of the foot of the Harper design to show the Adams printing machine.
Creative Commons LicenseJeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative Commons

Enlargement of the foot of the Harper design to show the Adams printing machine.

Enlargement of the foot of the Putnam design to show the Hoe cylinder press on the right.
Creative Commons LicenseJeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative Commons

Enlargement of the foot of the Putnam design to show the Hoe cylinder press on the right.

Detail map of Manhattan, New York, New York, United States Overview map of Manhattan, New York, New York, United States

A: Manhattan, New York, New York, United States

Putnam's and Harper's Use the New Printing Machines in Their Marketing

1847 to 1852
Covers of Harpers' and Putnams' trade catalogues with printing machines in their designs
Creative Commons LicenseJeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative Commons

In Harper's Illustrated Catalogue of 1847 and Putnam's Semi-Monthly Library for Travellers and the Fireside (1852) both New York publishers incorporated the new printing machines in their designs. Harpers showed their flatbed Adams type printing machine as a small detail in their engraved frontispiece. Putnams showed a Hoe single cylinder machine at the foot of their printed wrapper. From this we may assume, I think, that both companies believed that these impressive examples of new technology added to the appeal of the publications produced and sold by each company.

Timeline Themes

Publishing
Commerce / Trade
Book Production in the Industrial Revolution: Origins of Mass Media
Printing by Machine