Henry George Bohn (4 January 1796 – 22 August 1884) was aBritishpublisher. He is principally remembered for theBohn's Libraries series which he inaugurated. These were begun in 1846, targeted the mass market, and comprised editions of standard works and translations, dealing withhistory,science,classics,theology, andarchaeology.
Bohn was born inLondon. He was the son of aGerman bookbinder who had settled inEngland. In 1831, he began his career as a dealer in rare books andremainders. In 1841 he issued his"Guinea" Catalogue of books, a monumental work containing 23,208 items. Bohn was noted for his book auction sales: one held in 1848 lasted four days, the catalogue comprising twentyfolio pages. Printed on this catalogue was the information: "Dinner at 2 o'clock, dessert at 4, tea at 5, and supper at 10."
In 1846, he also started publishingThe British Florist; Or, Lady's Journal of Horticulture, which had six volumes with illustrations and plates (coloured).[1]
The name of Bohn is principally remembered by the importantBohn's Libraries which he inaugurated: these were begun in 1846 and comprised editions of standard works and translations, dealing withhistory,science,classics,theology, andarchaeology, consisting in all of 766 volumes. His authors includedJulia Corner, who created educational books about India and China for him in the 1850s.[2]
The reasons for the success ofBohn's Libraries may have included their marketing to a general mass readership with volumes selling at low prices,[3] their "lack of literary pretensions", and their "policy of a widespread, but restrained expurgation".[4]
One of Bohn's most useful and laborious undertakings was his revision (6 vols. 1864) ofThe Bibliographer's Manual of English Literature (1834) byW. T. Lowndes. The plan includes bibliographical and critical notices, particulars of prices, etc., and a considerable addition to the original work.
It had been one of Bohn's ambitions to found a great publishing house, but, finding that his sons had no taste for the trade, he sold hisBohn's Libraries in 1864 to Messrs. Bell and Daldy, afterwardsG. Bell & Sons. At that time theBohn's Libraries included more than 600 titles.[5][6] In subsequent years, he disposed of all his copyrights and business properties, finally realizing £73,000 overall.[7]
Bohn was a man of wide culture and many interests. He himself made considerable contributions to hisLibraries, he collected pictures, china and ivories, and was a famous rose-grower.
He died atTwickenham and was buried atWest Norwood Cemetery.
Among his own works were:
Besides his edition ofLowndes'Bibliographer's Manual, he developed an edition ofAddison's works.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Bohn, Henry George".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 137.
