Ira Bradley & Co., Boston
Ira Bradley began his publishing/ bookbinding business when he entered his brother's bookbinding business in about 1849. Benjamin Bradley & Co. was a well established outfit and in the bookbinding industry had quite a reputation. In 1848 Ezekiel Higgins a well recognized bookbinder became a partner in Bradley's company which then became Benjamin Bradley & Co. In about 1853 Higgins left the company and along with Ira Bradley founded a competitor firm.
In 1857 Nathaniel L. Dayton joined the Higgins & Bradley firm and established Higgins, Bradley & Dayton. In 1859 that firm dissolved and Bradley, Dayton & Co. was formed. It was in business until 1865 when Ira Bradley established his namesake firm.
In 1877 Ira Bradley & Co. succeeded Henry Hoyt and subsequently published most of its juvenile books individually as well as in series and boxed sets. Some of the early formats of the early books are unchanged from the Henry Hoyt editions.
Fred'k Woodruff was an employee of Ira Bradley & Co. until he was named as a partner in 1890 with the firm name changing to Bradley & Woodruff.
Frederick O. Woodruff retired on February 1, 1893. At that time Bradley & Woodruff was succeeded by A. I. Bradley & Co. with Arthur I. Bradley, Ira Bradley’s son, (1848-1916) as the founder. Woodruff went on to a successful real estate career.
Ira Bradley & Co. 1865-1889
Bradley & Woodruff 1890-1893
A. I. Bradley & Co. 1893 - post-1900
Addresses:
1855-1872 20 Washington Street
1875-1889 162 Washington
1891-1898 234 Congress St.
The three firms Ira Bradley & Co., Bradley & Woodruff and A. I. Bradley & Co. published numerous series/ libraries for juveniles. The books are uncommon so there are not many representative pictures shown. The numerous boxed set libraries contain multi-volume, multi-authored editions which do not state the name of the library that they belong to. Thus, without the labeled boxes that the books were sold in, it is very difficult and in some cases, impossible, to assign a format to a library.
Below is a list of the Ira Bradley & Co. series/ libraries for children and juveniles.