American Publishers Corporation, New York, 1896-1898

This firm was incorporated as a reorganization of the United States Book Company and its multiple subsidiary companies. In March, 1896 an announcement in the Publishers’ Weekly stated that this new firm was prepared to fill orders for books formerly published by the International Book Company and Lovell, Coryell and Company. Financial issues caused the demise of this firm in 1898.

Of interest is that two employees of this firm Alexander Grosset and George T. Dunlap formed Grosset and Dunlap in 1899.

This firm published several series that included Mayne Reid titles. Two of the formats were previously used by this company’s predecessor firms. The first of the three series is shown just below. No name for this series is noted at this time.

The cover of the book below was seen previously with John W. Lovell’s Rugby Series in 1889-1890. The base of the spine here has a flower in a little circle whereas the Lovell book has the Lovell name printed within the circle.

It included a number of books by Mayne Reid.
1. Afloat in the Forest
2. Boy Hunters
3. Boy Slaves
4. Boy Tar
5. Bruin
6. Bush Boys
7. Cliff Climbers
8. Desert Home
9. Flag of Distress
10. Forest Exiles
11. Giraffe Hunters
12. Ocean Waifs
13. Odd People
14. Plant Hunters
15. Ran Away to Sea
16. Stories About Animals
17. Young Voyagers
18. Young Yagers

Cloth. Multiple colors. 12 mo. (7.5” x 5”).



Berkeley Series of Books for Boys was published in 1897. It was a 51 volume series of 12 mo. (7.5” x 5”) reprints authored by English and American authors. The books cost 75 cents each.

It included a number of books by Mayne Reid.
1. Afloat in the Forest
2. Boy Hunters
3. Boy Slaves
4. Boy Tar
5. Bruin
6. Bush Boys
7. Cliff Climbers
8. Desert Home
9. Flag of Distress
10. Forest Exiles
11. Giraffe Hunters
12. Ocean Waifs
13. Odd People
14. Plant Hunters
15. Ran Away to Sea
16. Stories About Animals
17. Young Voyagers
18. Young Yagers



St. Nicholas Series
This series initially had 114 books in 1896 and the series expanded to 169 books (with additions and deletions) in 1897.

Afloat in the Forest
Boy Hunters
Boy Tar
Boy Slaves
Bruin
Bush Boys
Cliff Climbers
Desert Home
Flag of Distress
Forest Exiles
Giraffe Hunters
Ocean Waifs
Odd People
Plant Hunters
Ran Away to Sea
Stories about Animals
Young Voyagers
Young Yagers

Two formats have been seen.
Cloth. Several colors seen. 7.5” x 5”.
I have only seen this format with an American Publishers Corporation title page imprint with International Book Co. noted at the base of the spine. This is the earlier of the two formats-probably published in 1896.



The second format:
Cloth. Several colors seen. 12 mo. (7.5” x 5”). This is the latter of the two formats -probably published in 1897-1898.