Boxes 20-45 are located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
This collection contains records of the American printing machine manufacturing company R. Hoe and Company, which was in operation from circa 1805 until 1969. The records were salvaged from the vacant offices of the R. Hoe and Company factory in the Bronx, New York, shortly before its demolition. As such, there are many gaps.
This collection is arranged in five series. Selected materials cataloged; remainder listed and arranged.
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
Boxes 20-45 are located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); R. Hoe and Company Records; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Libraries.
R. Hoe Company records, 1831-1948 (bulk 1855-1870): a collection of Hoe family letters and business records. At the Library of Congress Manuscript Division, Washington, D.C.
R. Hoe Company records, 1858-1878: primarily composed of incoming letters from customers for the company's extensive line of printing presses and associated equipment. It derives from a series of three or more letter books for 1858, 1873 and 1877-1878. At the Newberry Library, Chicago.
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Just before the wrecking balls were due to swirl, Roger Campbell, curator of the Bowne and Co. printing museum at the South Street Seaport, and Stephen O. Saxe, a trustee of the American Printing History Association, learned of the plans. They "hurried uptown and were allowed to look through the cavernous old building for historic material. The heat [had] already been turned off and the building was cold and bleak. At first they found little, outside of some company correspondence dating back to the early years of the twentieth century. They were almost ready to give up when the caretaker offered to open the company vault for them. It was there they found treasures that made them forget they were tired and cold and hungry. There were boxes of photographs, with many showing installations of Hoe presses in various locations around the country. There were two original portraits of Richard and Robert Hoe, circa 1887. That day they carried away as much as they could manage...What other things were lost they hate to contemplate. The junk dealers had been there before them" (American Printing History Association Letter No. 14 [November-December 1976], pp. 1-2). The items had been piled into a weak-springed station wagon and driven from 138th Street in the Bronx down to South Street, where they were heaped in the little "office" in the back of the second floor of the Bowne and Co. museum.
Source of acquisition--18911P. Method of acquisition--Purchase; Date of acquisition--1965. Accession number--M-65.
Gift of American Printing History Association, 1977.
Gift of Yale University Library, 1979.
Gift of Susan O. Thompson, 1982.
Gift of Emilia Kazimiroff, 1983.
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 07/--/89.
Materials were intellectually arranged into series and subseries at the same time the finding aid was converted to EAD. Nothing in the collection was physically rearranged.
The archivist who originally processed portions of the collection in 1977, Andrea Tucher, arranged the contract files in Boxes 37 and 38 in chronological order. She then created a geographical index for locating materials from each company which had ordered Hoe printing presses between 1894 and 1919. Tucher also wrote the collection's historical note and custodial history.
This collection was formerly called the Richard M. Hoe and Company Records. Its title was changed in May 2020 to reflect the fact that, while Richard March Hoe was perhaps the company's most notable owner, it was never named after him.
2020-05-19 PDF finding aid converted to EAD and collection title changed by CLB.
R. Hoe and Company, which operated from circa 1805 until 1969, was an American firm of printing machine manufacturers located in the Bronx, New York, whose rotary press became important in the field of newspaper printing. Richard March Hoe (1812-1886) took over the firm in 1833 and was especially interested in experimental and manufacturing phases of the business.
The R. Hoe Company was, for 164 years, one of the country's leading manufacturers of printing presses and similar equipment, and in the nineteenth century in particular there was scarcely any innovation in the printing processes that did not originate from, or at least stand considerable improvement by, the company. In 1969, however, financial troubles forced the plant to close, and some of its business records were rescued in a last-minute raid before the building was demolished.
In 1805 Robert Hoe, a recent emigrant from Leistershire, England, formed a partnership with his brothers-in-law Peter and Matthew Smith to manufacture printing presses under the name Smith, Hoe & Co. At that point, very little progress or improvement in the printing processes had been made since Gutenberg's time. Hoe and the Smiths, however, set to work, and through a combination of their own mechanical ingenuity and their talent for recognizing marketable ideas of others, they developed a number of important improvements. A patent purchased from Samuel Rust was the basis of the Washington Hand Press, a landmark press that utilized a more efficient toggle-joint instead of a platen screw, which was first produced in 1827. In 1832 the company (by now renamed, after the death of both Smith brothers, R. Hoe and Co.) produced the first cylinder press in America, a marked improvement over the European model by Napier.
Richard March Hoe, Robert's son, assumed the presidency of the company on his father's death in 1833, and under his leadership a number of significant changes in the newspaper press were made. There appeared in 1846 the Type Revolving Machine, a forerunner of the modern rotary press, and in 1871 the first web press; but perhaps the flashiest accomplishments of the company were its continual increases in the size of its presses. In 1887 the first quadruple press was marketed, capable of printing 48,000 eight-page papers in one hour. Four years later, Hoe produced a sextuple press that could print 72,000 papers in an hour. Four years after that, the octuple press was developed, which printed sixty-four pages in a single manoeuvre. In 1901 the imaginatively-named double sextuple press was perfected. And in 1907, the company dazzled the industry with a double octuple press.
By the early years of the twentieth century, however, the era of great accomplishments seemed to be waning. The second Robert Hoe, nephew of Richard March and a prominent figure in the elite world of the great book collectors, died in 1909, and from then on the company seemed important more for its large size than its innovativeness. It continued to manufacture presses throughout the twentieth century until 1969, when to the great surprise of most observers, the firm was sued by two stockholders on the grounds that it had issued false financial reports. In July the firm filed for bankruptcy, claiming that its "failure to land new orders in significant volume had left it unable to meet current obligations" and citing its closing market average at 13 ¾ a share, as compared to the year's high of 57 ⅜. In June of 1970 the newspaper and press division was bought by Hood Industries of New Jersey. The plant in the Bronx stood empty for several years before it was demolished.
Series I contains cataloged correspondence and other cataloged materials. Cataloged correspondence consists of a small group of letters sent to Richard March Hoe, who was head of R. Hoe and Company from 1833 until his death in 1886. The other cataloged documents include two unidentified printed items, a photograph of Laura Hoe, and two company history manuscripts by Stephen D. Tucker.
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
The bulk of the collection is in Series II. This series is composed of incoming letter files, many with name indexes, dating from 1837 to 1879 and 1901. The collection also contains many of the firm's letterpress books dating from between 1833 and 1878. These are composed of letters, accounts, and estimates for printing offices, newspaper offices, job presses, binderies, type foundries, saw mills, lithography shops, and stereotype foundries in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Europe.
Box 2
1837 February 17-19
Box 2
1837 October
Box 2
1851 January
Includes index.
Box 2
1851 February
Box 2
1853 June
Includes index.
Box 2
1853 July
Includes index.
Box 2
1853 August
Box 2
1853 October
Box 3
1854 January
Includes index.
Box 3
Box 3
1855 March 1-7
Box 3
1855 March 8-15
Box 3
1855 March 16-22
Box 3
1855 March 23-31
Box 3
1855 April
Box 3
1856 May
Includes index.
Box 3
1856 May 1-6
Box 3
1856 May 7-13
Box 3
1856 May 14-20
Box 3
1856 May 21-27
Box 3
1856 October
Box 3
1857 September
Box 3
1857 October
Includes index.
Box 3
1857 October 1-8
Box 3
1857 October 9-15
Box 3
1857 October 16-23
Box 3
1857 October 24-31
Box 3
1857 November
Box 4
1858 January
Box 4
Box 4
1858 February 1-5
Box 4
1858 February 6-10
Box 4
1858 February 11-15
Box 4
1858 February 16-20
Box 4
1858 February 21-25
Box 4
1858 March
Box 5
1858 April
Box 5
1858 April 1-5
Box 5
1858 April 6-10
Box 5
1858 April 11-15
Box 5
1858 April 16-20
Box 5
1858 April 21-25
Box 5
1858 April 26-28
Box 5
1858 April 29-30
Box 5
1858 May
Box 5
Box 5
1858 June 1-5
Box 5
1858 June 6-10
Box 5
1858 June 11-15
Box 5
1858 June 16-20
Box 5
1858 June 21-25
Box 5
1858 June 26-30
Box 5
1858 July
Box 5
1862 June, (bound)
Box 6
1862 June 1-30, (bound)
Box 6
1862 August
Includes index.
Box 6
1862 August 1-6
Box 6
1862 August 7-13
Box 6
1862 August 14-20
Box 6
1862 August 21-30
Box 6
1863 January 1-31, (bound)
Includes index.
Box 7
1863 January 1-31, (bound)
Box 7
1864 December
Box 7
Box 7
1865 January 1-4
Box 7
1865 January 5-8
Box 7
1865 January 9-12
Box 7
1865 January 13-16
Box 7
1865 January 17-20
Box 7
1865 January 21-24
Box 7
1865 January 25-28
Box 7
1865 January 29-31
Box 7
1865 February
Box 7
1868 May 28-31
Box 8
1872 January
Box 8
1872 February
Box 8
1872 March
Box 8
1872 July
Box 8
1872 August
Box 8
1872 September
Box 8
1872 October
Box 8
Box 8
1872 November 1
Box 8
1872 November 2-3
Box 8
1872 November 4
Box 8
1872 November 6
Box 8
1872 November 7
Box 8
1872 November 8
Box 8
1872 November 9
Box 8
1872 November 10
Box 8
1872 November 11
Box 8
1872 November 12
Box 8
1872 November 13
Box 8
1872 November 14
Box 8
1872 November 15
Box 9
1872 November 16
Box 9
1872 November 17
Box 9
1872 November 18
Box 9
1872 November 19
Box 9
1872 November 20
Box 9
1872 November 21
Box 9
1872 November 22
Box 9
1872 November 23
Box 9
1872 November 24
Box 9
1872 November 25
Box 9
1872 November 26
Box 9
1872 November 27
Box 9
1872 November 28
Box 9
1872 November 29
Box 9
1872 November 30
Box 10
1873 February 3
Box 10
1873 August 9
Box 10
1874 January
Box 10
Box 10
1874 February 1
Box 10
1874 February 2
Box 10
1874 February 3
Box 10
1874 February 4
Box 10
1874 February 5
Box 10
1874 February 6
Box 10
1874 February 7
Box 10
1874 February 8
Box 10
1874 February 9
Box 10
1874 February 10
Box 10
1874 February 11
Box 10
1874 February 12
Box 10
1874 February 13
Box 10
1874 February 14
Box 10
1874 February 15
Box 11
1874 February 16
Box 11
1874 February 17
Box 11
1874 February 18
Box 11
1874 February 19
Box 11
1874 February 20
Box 11
1874 February 21
Box 11
1874 February 22
Box 11
1874 February 23
Box 11
1874 February 24
Box 11
1874 February 25
Box 11
1874 February 26
Box 11
1874 February 27
Box 11
1874 February 28
Box 11
1874 March
Box 11
Box 11
1874 April
Box 11
1874 June
Box 11
1874 May 1-10
Box 11
1874 May 11
Box 11
1874 May 12-15
Box 11
1874 May 16-17
Box 11
1874 May 18
Box 11
1874 May 19
Box 12
1874 May 20-25
Box 12
1874 May 26 - 31
Box 12
Box 12
1874 September 17-26
Box 12
1874 October 1
Box 12
1874 October 2
Box 12
1874 October 3-4
Box 12
1874 October 5
Box 12
1874 October 6
Box 12
1874 October 7-8
Box 12
1874 October 9
Box 12
1874 October 10-17
Box 12
1874 October 24-30
Box 13
1875 February 1
Box 13
1875 March 9
Box 13
1875 April 6-30
Box 13
1875 June 10
Box 13
Box 13
1875 May 1
Box 13
1875 May 3
Box 13
1875 May 4
Box 13
1875 May 5
Box 13
1875 May 6
Box 13
1875 May 7
Box 13
1875 May 8
Box 13
1875 May 9-10
Box 13
1875 May 11
Box 13
1875 May 12
Box 13
1875 May 13
Box 13
1875 May 14
Box 13
1875 May 15
Box 13
1875 May 16-19
Box 13
1875 May 20-22
Box 13
Box 13
1875 May 1-19
Box 13
1875 May 20-31, 2 folders
Box 13
1875 June 10
Box 13
1875 July
Box 13
1875 October
Box 14
1876 October
Box 14
1876 November
Box 14
Box 14
1877 January 27
Box 14
1877 February 10-19
Box 14
1877 February 21
Box 14
1877 February 22-25
Box 14
1877 February 26
Box 14
1877 February 27
Box 14
1877 February 28
Box 14
1877 March 1
Box 14
1877 March 2
Box 14
1877 March 3
Box 14
1877 March 4-5
Box 14
1877 March 6
Box 14
1877 March 7
Box 14
1877 March 8
Box 14
1877 March 9-10
Box 14
1877 March 11-19
Box 14
1877 June 19, 26
Box 15
1877 July 1-31
Box 15
Box 15
1877 August 1-11, 2 folders
Box 15
1877 August 12-20
Box 15
1877 August 30-December 19
Box 15
1877 August 30
Box 15
1877 October 1-31
Box 15
Box 15
1877 November 1-19, 3 folders
Box 16
1877 October 12-29
Box 16
1877 November 15-30, 3 folders
Includes index.
Box 16
1877 November 13-16
Box 16
1877 December 7-31
Box 16
Box 16
1878 January 1-14, 3 folders
Box 17
1877 November 14-30
Box 17
1877 December 1-9
Box 17
1877 December 10-19
Box 17
1878 February 25
Box 17
1878 May 27
Box 17
1878 June 1-30
Box 17
Box 17
1878 July 1-9
Box 17
1878 July 10-22, 2 folders
Box 18
1878 January 2
Box 18
1878 March 26-29
Box 18
1878 April 5-9
Box 18
1878 April 12-20
Box 18
Box 18
1878 May 1-9
Box 18
1878 June 1-17
Box 18
1878 July 9-17
Box 18
1878 July 22-31
Box 18
Box 18
1878 August 1-10
Box 18
1878 August 11 - 19
Box 18
1879 January-March
Box 18
1879 February
Box 19
Box 19
Box 19
Box 19
Box 19
Box 19
Box 19
Box 19
Box 19
Box 19
Box 19
Box 19
undated, 1 folders
Box 20
1833 March 18-1834 February 10
Box 20
1834 September-1835 April 15
Box 36
Box 20
1837 March 27-November 6
Box 20
1839 December 11-1841 February 15
Box 21
1842 December 15-1846 April 15
Box 21
1850 February 25-September 19
Box 22
1859 January 25-May 9
Box 23
1859 May 3-August 3
Box 23
1859 August 4-November 9
Box 24
1862 February 3-July 9
Box 27
Box 24
1863 May 9-September 30
Box 25
1865 May 21-Sept 29
Box 25
1866 January 19-March 21
Box 25
1866 December 10-1867 January 24
Box 26
1868 June-August
Box 26
1868 December 20-1869 March 6
Box 27
1868 March 6-April 12
Box 27
1870 March 15-April 29
Box 28
1870 June 2-August 5
Box 29
1873 April 8-May 31
Box 30
1873 October 21-December 12
Box 30
1874 May 20-July 1
Box 31
1874 July 1-August
Box 31
1874 November 24-1875 January 5
Box 32
1876 January 18-March
Box 32
1876 May 2-July 10
Box 33
1876 October 5- November 26
Box 33
1876 November 21-1877 January 23
Box 34
1877 March 12-April 27
Box 35
1878 April 8-May 20
Box 35
Series III contains a small group of contract files with related correspondence dating from 1894 and 1910-1912, but chiefly for the year 1911.
See PDF Summary Guide to the R. Hoe Orders and Contracts File, 1911, for a list of individual firms ordering materials from R. Hoe and company in 1911.
Box 37
1894 January-1911 July
Box 38
1911 August-January 1912
Series IV contains some miscellaneous patents dating from 1949 to 1953. There are also miscellaneous manuscript patent files for printing presses, with diagrams and blueprints, as follows: American patents, circa 1850-1900, French patents, 1824-1906, and German patents, 1893-1908.
Box 39
1949 November 8
Box 39
1950 February 14
Box 39
1950 April 4
Box 39
1950 May 2
Box 39
1950 May 23
Box 39
1950 August 8
Box 39
1950 August 15
Gift of Susan O. Thompson, 1982
Box 39
1952 December 9
Box 39
1952 December 16
Box 39
1952 December 23
Box 39
1952 December 30
Gift of Susan O. Thompson, 1982
Box 39
1953 January 6
Box 39
1953 February 3
Box 39
1953 March 10
Box 39
1953 March 17
Box 39
1953 April 7
Box 39
1953 May 26
Box 39
1953 June 9
Box 39
1953 June 16
Box 40
Gift of Emilia Kazimiroff, 1983
Box 41
Gift of Emilia Kazimiroff, 1983
Box 42
Gift of Emilia Kazimiroff, 1983
Box 43
Gift of Emilia Kazimiroff, 1983
Box 43
Gift of Emilia Kazimiroff, 1983
Series V contains a small subject file of technical data for printing, binding, and other Hoe equipment. It also includes scrapbooks with photographs of Hoe machinery and ten oversize photographs of Hoe presses, 1872-1950. The photograph of Laura Hoe was cataloged and is in Subseries I.2: Cataloged documents.
Box 39
Box 44
Gift of Emilia Kazimiroff, 1983
Box 45
Gift of Emilia Kazimiroff, 1983
Mapcase 14-M-7
Gift of Emilia Kazimiroff, 1983