Burns & Oates (London, UK)
Series dates: 1923-1935; 1952-1970
Size: 5.25″ x 8″ (1952-1970)
Burns & Oates was founded in 1835 by James Burns, a Presbyterian, and originally a publisher of high church books. In 1847 Burns converted to Roman Catholicism and began publishing, among others, books by John Henry Newman. The firm went through several name changes as partners were added or left, including Burns & Lambert; Burns, Lambert & Oates; Burns, Oates & Washbourne; and finally Burns & Oates. The firm was eventually acquired as an imprint of the publisher Continuum. The imprint is now defunct.
The Orchard Books were first issued in 1923 and were co-published in the US by Benziger Brothers (now RCL Benziger). Most of the titles were issued in the 1924 to 1928 timeframe, with a few reissues through the mid-1930s.
The series was revived after WW2 and issued steadily between 1952 and 1955, and then again between 1960 and 1962. The series was co-published in the US by the Newman Press in this era of the series. Titles were occasionally reissued at a slow rate through the early 1970s.
This copy of The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi is dated 1953 and is among the first four titles in the reissued, post-WW2 series. The jackets are common to the series, with the series name on the spine and front of the jacket. A blurb for the book is on the front jacket flap.
The rear of the jacket lists the four titles in the series with a series prospectus (see above).
Decent quality cloth binding stamped in gold.
The half-title page:
A list of titles in series faces the title page.
The copyright page includes the date of publication.
