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Roberts Brothers

From Alfawiki
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Roberts Brothers, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 24 July 2025
Roberts Brothers
Company typePrivate
IndustryPublishing, Bookbinding
Founded1857
FounderAustin J. Roberts, John F. Roberts, Lewis A. Roberts
Defunct1898
FateAcquired by Little, Brown and Company
Headquarters
Boston
,
United States
Key people
Thomas Niles Jr.
ProductsBooks, photograph albums

Messrs. Roberts Brothers (1857–1898) were a Boston-based publishing and bookbinding company active during the 19th century. Established by Austin J., John F., and Lewis A. Roberts, the enterprise commenced its publishing activities in the early 1860s. Their offerings featured distinguished American authors such as Louisa May Alcott, Emily Dickinson, and Julia Ward Howe, as well as prominent British and European writers including William Morris and George Sand.

History

From 1857 until 1862, Roberts Brothers primarily operated as bookbinders with locations on Washington Street and Temple Place. By 1862, they had diversified into producing photograph albums. In 1863, Thomas Niles Jr. joined the firm, eventually becoming a partner and influential figure until his passing in 1894. Leadership by Lewis Roberts and Niles was established by 1873, with the company relocating its main office to Somerset Street during the 1880s.

The firm achieved notable market success with the 1868 release of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, which was commercially successful and featured illustrations by Alcott’s sister, Abigail May Alcott Nieriker—who also served as inspiration for a character in the book.

Between 1876 and 1887, Roberts Brothers introduced the "No Name Series," a pioneering concept developed by partner Thomas Niles Jr. This series deliberately concealed authors’ identities to prioritize literary quality over authorial fame, garnering praise for its innovative challenge to traditional publishing norms.

During the late 19th century, particularly in the 1880s and 1890s, the "Famous Women Series" presented biographies of influential women such as Margaret Fuller and Jane Austen. Primarily written by female authors, this collection strengthened Roberts Brothers’ position within specialized markets centered on women’s literature.

The company’s expansion strategy concluded with its acquisition by Little, Brown and Company in 1898, representing a major consolidation within Boston’s publishing sector.

Works published by the firm

Series on Notable Women

Children's Literature

Publications Regarding the Company

  • Book-making at the Hub; Boston's historic and contemporary publishers and their contributions. The New York Times, September 10, 1881.
  • Raymond L. Kilgour. Messrs. Roberts Brothers Publishers. 1952.
  • Joel Myerson. "Roberts Brothers." Publishers catering to mass entertainment in nineteenth-century America, 1980; pp. 267–276.
  • "Thomas Niles Jr." Entry in Louisa May Alcott encyclopedia, Greenwood Press, 2001; pp. 233–234.
  • "Roberts Brothers." In Louisa May Alcott encyclopedia, Greenwood Press, 2001; p. 287.

External links

Related profiles

CCarl SchoenhofWWilliam BlagroveGGilbert & DeanAAnnin & Smith
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