John Carter (writer)

John Carter
Born	(1905-05-10) May 10, 1905 England
Died	March 18, 1975(1975-03-18) (aged 69)
Occupation(s)	Author, diplomat, bibliographer, antiquarian bookseller
Years active	1927–1972
Known for	ABC for Book Collectors, president of the Bibliographical Society (1968)

John Waynflete Carter (10 May 1905 – 18 March 1975) was a distinguished English author, diplomat, bibliographer, collector of rare books, antiquarian bookseller, and served as president of the Bibliographical Society in 1968. He played a significant role in the Anglo-American bibliophilic community and was the great-grandson of Canon T. T. Carter.

Biography

Carter received his early education at Eton College before pursuing classics at King's College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a double first. Between 1927 and 1939, and later from 1946 to 1953, he contributed to the growth of Scrivner's antiquarian book trade.

During the course of World War II, Carter was employed by the Ministry of Information until 1943. Subsequently, he relocated to New York City to work with the British Information Services, during which time he authored Victory in Burma.

In 1947, he was honored with the esteemed Sandars Readership in Bibliography at Cambridge University, delivering lectures titled Taste and technique in book collecting: a study of recent developments in Great Britain and the United States.

After returning to Scrivner's until its London branch closure in 1953, Carter then worked for Roger Makins, the British Ambassador to the United States, until 1955. That same year, he was awarded a CBE.

Carter joined Sotheby's in 1955, collaborating closely with book historian Anthony Hobson. He held the position of associate director until 1972.

He was married to Ernestine Carter, a writer and curator, and was brother to Will Carter (1912–2001), a printer associated with the Rampant Lions Press, which published several of John Carter’s minor works.

His final resting place is at Eton cemetery, where at his funeral Housman’s poem XLVII – FOR MY FUNERAL was recited.

An Enquiry into the Nature of Certain Nineteenth Century Pamphlets

In 1934, Carter co-authored An Enquiry into the Nature of Certain Nineteenth Century Pamphlets with Graham Pollard, exposing fraudulent books and pamphlets produced by Harry Buxton Forman, an editor known for his work on Keats and Shelley, and Thomas J. Wise, a prominent collector. This scandal remains one of the most infamous literary deceptions of the twentieth century.

A follow-up examination revisiting these forgeries was co-written by Carter in 1983.

Writing, editing and bibliographical work

Carter penned essential literature on book collecting, most notably ABC for Book Collectors, initially published in 1952 and updated through five editions. Later editions were overseen by Nicholas Barker and Simran Thadani.

He held a position on the editorial board of The Book Collector, produced by Queen Anne Press, which was managed by Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.

In 1963, Carter was instrumental in organising Printing and the Mind of Man, an exhibition showcasing printing’s profound influence on knowledge distribution. He co-edited the exhibition catalogue alongside Stanley Morison and others. Additionally, he delivered an address at the Double Crown Club in 1967 celebrating Morison’s achievements.

Carter edited prose works by poet A. E. Housman and compiled two editions of A.E. Housman: Bibliography. Renowned for his wit, he also composed clerihews—lighthearted four-line biographical verses—some of which were printed by the Rampant Lions Press in 1938.

In recognition of his contributions, Carter was awarded the Gold Medal from the Bibliographical Society in 1975. After his passing, Sotheby's conducted an auction of his collection of printed books in 1976.

Selected works

• ABC for Book Collectors. 8th edition, overseen by Nicolas Barker. Published in New Castle, Delaware by Oak Knoll Press and in London by the British Library, 2004. Originally issued in 1952, it remains a foundational reference.
• Taste and Technique in Book-Collecting, with an Epilogue. Released by the Private Libraries Association in Pinner, Middlesex, 1970. This work is based on the Sandars Lectures in Bibliography delivered in 1947.
• John Carter (1934). New Paths in Book Collecting: Essays by Various Hands, featuring contributions from John Carter, John T. Winterlich, P.H. Muir, among others. London: Constable & Co.
• Binding Variants in English Publishing: 1820–1900. Issued jointly by Constable in London and Ray Long & Richard R. Smith in New York, 1932.
• More Binding Variants. Published by Constable, London, 1938.
• Publisher's Cloth ... 1820–1900. Released by Bowker in New York and Constable in London, 1935; later reprinted in 1970.

Bibliography

• Dickinson, Donald C., John Carter: The Taste & Technique of a Bookman. Oak Knoll Press, New Castle, Delaware, 2004.
• Munby, A.N.L. (1975) "John Carter." The Book Collector 24 (summer): pages 202–216.