Joseph Sabin
Joseph Sabin | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Braunston, England |
| Died | June 5, 1881 (aged 59) |
| Occupation(s) | Bibliographer, bookseller |
| Known for | Bibliotheca Americana: A Dictionary of Books Relating to America; publisher of American Bibliopolist |
Joseph Sabin (born 9 December 1821, died 5 June 1881) was a bibliographer and bookseller originally from Braunston, England, who operated in Oxford, Philadelphia, and New York City.[1][2] He is renowned for compiling the monumental multi-volume work Bibliotheca Americana: A Dictionary of Books Relating to America, which has been described as a landmark achievement in bibliophilia;[3] he also published the trade periodical American Bibliopolist. [4][5]
Sabin began his career in 1821 as an apprentice to a bookbinder in Oxford and subsequently formed a bookselling partnership. He married the sister of his business partner and had two sons.[6]
Relocation to the United States
In 1848, Sabin emigrated to Texas before relocating to Philadelphia, where he was employed by publisher George S. Appleton. By 1850, he had moved to New York City to work as a cataloger for the auction house Cooley and Kees and later for Bangs, Brothers & Co., during which time he developed the concept of systematically identifying books associated with Americana.[7]
Sabin established a bookstore in New York in 1856 and later opened another in Philadelphia; however, the economic impact of the American Civil War led to diminished sales. He returned to New York to engage in the auction business and served as auctioneer for John Allan’s collection—an experience that shaped his professional trajectory.[8] He frequently worked alongside William Gowans.
Following the Civil War, the book trade experienced significant growth. In 1864 Sabin acquired a bookstore on Nassau Street in Manhattan,[9] which became highly prosperous. Over the decade from 1864 to 1874, his sales exceeded one million dollars.[10]
Between 1869 and 1877, Sabin issued The American Bibliopolist. A Literary Register and Monthly Catalogue of Old and New Books, and Repository of Notes and Queries, featuring literary commentary, news of upcoming publications and auctions, advertisements, and catalogs of books available through J. Sabin & Sons. This periodical remains accessible online and in numerous libraries.[11]
His sons Robert T. Sabin and William W. Sabin continued in the family trade and expanded operations by opening a branch in London.[12]
Sabin managed the sale of prominent collections including the notable auction of William Menzies’ library in 1876.[13]
At the auction of Edward Francis Rimbault’s musicological library in London during July–August 1877, Sabin acted as agent for collector Joseph W. Drexel in acquiring a substantial portion of the offerings.[14]
The final item Sabin auctioned was a Gutenberg Bible.[15]
See also
References
- ↑ Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th edition, vol. 4, 1889
- ↑ Trow's New York City Directory, 1872
- ↑ Donald W. Krummel, Libraries & Culture, 2005
- ↑ New York Times obituary, 1881
- ↑ Perrault & Blazek, United States History Guide, 2003
- ↑ Goff, Joseph Sabin Biography, 1963
- ↑ Reese, American Book Collector, 1984
- ↑ Reese, American Book Collector, 1984
- ↑ Goff, Joseph Sabin Biography, 1963
- ↑ Reese, American Book Collector, 1984
- ↑ The American Bibliopolist volumes 1-9 online
- ↑ Dennis, Licentious Gotham, Harvard University Press, 2009
- ↑ Menzies & Sabin sale catalog, 1876
- ↑ A. Hyatt King catalog reprint, 1975
- ↑ New York Times obituary, April 8 & June 6, 1881
Further reading
- "American Bibliopolist", Sabin & Sons' American Bibliopolist1869-1872, 1–9, NY: J. Sabin & Sons: 9 v. in 8, 1869–1877
- Joseph Sabin (1877), A Bibliography of Bibliography; or, A handy book about books which relate to books, New York: J. Sabin, OCLC 2017974, OL 7222810M
- "Old Booksellers of New York: Joseph Sabin", The Bookman, vol. 1, July 1895
- Adolph Growoll (1939) [1898]. "Joseph Sabin". Book Trade Bibliography in the United States in the Nineteenth Century. E. B. Hackett, The Brick Row Book Shop. hdl:2027/mdp.39015033668214.
- Charles F. Heartman (1925–26), "Joseph F. Sabin", American Collector, vol. 1, OCLC 7401125
- R.W.G. Vail (1937), "Sabin's Dictionary", Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America, vol. 31
- Frederick Richmond Goff (1963). Joseph Sabin: bibliographer, 1821-1881. Amsterdam: N. Israel.
- John Edgar Molnar (1974). Author-Title Index to Joseph Sabin's Dictionary of Books Relating to America. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0810806525.
- William S. Reese (1984), "Joseph Sabin", American Book Collector, vol. 5, no. 1, ISSN 0196-5654
- Joel Silver (22 March 1993), "Joseph Sabin and The American Bibliopolist", AB Bookman's Weekly, no. 91
- Joseph Rosenblum (1997), "Joseph Sabin", in Rosenblum (ed.), American Book Collectors and Bibliographers
Bibliotheca Americana
- Joseph Sabin; Wilberforce Eames; R. W. G. Vail, eds. (1868–1936). Bibliotheca Americana: a Dictionary of Books relating to America, from its Discovery to the Present Time. New York. OCLC 13972268.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) + via Hathi Trust Template:Free access
| Individual volumes accessible through Internet Archive | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume | From | To | Year |
| Volume 1 | A [1] | Bedford [4280] | 1868 |
| Volume 2 | Bedinger [4282] | Brownell [8684] | 1869 |
| Volume 3 | Brownell [8685] | Chesbrough [12513] | 1870 |
| Volume 4 | Cheshire [12516] | Costa [17013] | 1871 |
| Volume 5 | Costa [17015] | Du Moulin [21221] | 1873 |
| Volume 6 | Du Moulin [21222] | Franklin [25489] | 1873 |
| Volume 7 | Franklin [25490] | Hall [29818] | 1875 |
| Volume 8 | Hall [29820] | Huntingdon [33970] | 1877 |
| Volume 9 | Huntington [33971] | LaCroix [38495] | 1877 |