McLoughlin Brothers
Encyclopedia
McLoughlin Bros., Inc. was a New York publishing firm active between 1828 and 1920. The company was a pioneer in color printing technologies in children's books. The company specialized in retellings or bowdlerizations
of classic stories for children. The artistic and commercial roots of the McLoughlin firm were first developed by John McLoughlin, Jr. (1827-1905) who made his younger brother Edmund McLoughlin (1833 or 4-1889) a partner in 1855. By 1886, the firm published a wide range of items including cheap chapbook
s, large folio picture books, linen books, puzzles, games and paper dolls. Many of the earliest and most valuable board games in America were produced by McLoughlin Brothers of New York. In 1920 the corporation was sold to Milton Bradley & Company
. McLoughlin ceased game production at this time, but continued publishing their picture books.
Thomas Bowdler
Thomas Bowdler was an English physician who published an expurgated edition of William Shakespeare's work, edited by his sister Harriet, intended to be more appropriate for 19th century women and children than the original....
of classic stories for children. The artistic and commercial roots of the McLoughlin firm were first developed by John McLoughlin, Jr. (1827-1905) who made his younger brother Edmund McLoughlin (1833 or 4-1889) a partner in 1855. By 1886, the firm published a wide range of items including cheap chapbook
Chapbook
A chapbook is a pocket-sized booklet. The term chap-book was formalized by bibliophiles of the 19th century, as a variety of ephemera , popular or folk literature. It includes many kinds of printed material such as pamphlets, political and religious tracts, nursery rhymes, poetry, folk tales,...
s, large folio picture books, linen books, puzzles, games and paper dolls. Many of the earliest and most valuable board games in America were produced by McLoughlin Brothers of New York. In 1920 the corporation was sold to Milton Bradley & Company
Milton Bradley Company
The Milton Bradley Company is an American game company established by Milton Bradley in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1860. In 1920, it absorbed the game production of McLoughlin Brothers, formerly the largest game manufacturer in the United States, and in 1987, it purchased Selchow and Righter,...
. McLoughlin ceased game production at this time, but continued publishing their picture books.