Re: finding publisher no longer in business

On Thu, 28 Oct 1999, Bob Schmidt <bobsch[_at_]olypen.com> wrote:
>
> I am trying to track down the copyright status of a book published
> by a firm that appears to longer be in business -- at least nothing
> comes up with any search engine I've tried nor are they on web sites
> listing book publishers. The company was Tudor Publishing of New York.
>
> I have run the book through the Library of Congress' copyright
> database site but that covers only period since 1978. Since the book
> was published earlier (1949), I would have to dig into the Catalog
> of Copyright Entries, something apparently not available over the
> internet. I figure it would probably be easier trying to track down
> what became of the original publisher and go from there.
>
> Are there any search engines specific to locating companies that
> are no longer in business or have been bought by other companies?
>
> Any insights/guidance appreciated. Thanks and kindest regards, Bob.

Bob -

If you have ISBNs (after 1962), you can sometimes match an imprint with the larger company that has absorbed it. Prior to that, there weren't any real "fingerprinting" ways of distinguishing books. I use the internet to hunt down the author, or someone who may have information re the author or his/her works. I've actually had a good deal of success with that tactic.

Also, the R.R. Bowker company is the site for issuing ISBNs. They also publish volumes of publishers, wholesalers and distributors. I don't know how far back their records go, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. Their web site is <http://www.bowker.com/>.

Also, in Bowker's current guide, it does list a Tudor Pubs., Inc. in Greensboro, NC (distributed primarily by Baker & Taylor, so it's probably a small publisher), but I sort of think that's probably not them.

Barb

Barbara Ruhmann
Text Buyer
UCD Bookstore
University of California
2828 Cowell Blvd.
Davis, CA 95616
Phone 530-752-5538
Fax 530-752-4791
e-mail brruhmann[_at_]ucdavis.edu
http://www-bookstore.ucdavis.edu/ Received on Fri Oct 29 1999 - 22:29:21 GMT