Chatterbox
To review the the all the American editions of the Chatterbox as
well as the legal issues surrounding the publications, see the
Chatterbox section.
Chatterbox was first published Dec 1. 1866 in England. Originated by
James Johnstone and edited by Rev. John Erskine Clarke (1827-1920) who
was the editor until 1902, it started as a weekly consisting of
puzzles, vignettes, pictures etc. Initially the yearly bound volumes
were just collated weeklies.
Estes and Lauriat (along with its successor Dana Estes & Co)
published its first Chatterbox in 1878. These firms published the
English edition of the Chatterbox far longer than any other publishing
house. Dana Estes & Co. produced copies into the 1920’s. Their
production run was not without problems however as they attempted too
enjoin other publishers from printing the English Chatterbox as well
as
any other books that contained the Chatterbox name in the title.
In 1879 Estes and Lauriat had been given the right by the English
owner
to reprint the Chatterbox in America. James Johnston assigned Estes
and
Lauriat the right to the Chatterbox name for a ten year term beginning
in 1880. In 1884 the agreement was modified to allow Estes and Lauriat
the Chatterbox name rights as long as it paid Johnston $1000 yearly.
Estes and Lauriat published a number of Chatterbox variants. Some
examples are Chatterbox Picture gallery, Chatterbox Picture and
Prattle, English Chatterbox Annual, etc. These books were published in
series and and as separate volumes.
In 1878-1888 the Chatterbox was published in three formats:
Illuminated board covers, cloth with red, black and gilt covers and
cloth with extra gilt back edges and sides
By the mid 1890's into the 1900's the Chatterboxes were published in
two formats:
Illuminated board covers, cloth with full gilt, chromo sides, full
gilt
edges.
Chatterboxes up to and including 1898 were published by Estes and
Lauriat. Thereafter the volumes were published by Dana Estes & Co.
Some examples of book covers are below.
