4.2.10: 1830 - 1910 - Financing, print-runs and prices


Although editions 'for the account of the author' did occur, nearly all books and periodicals were financed and brought onto the market at the risk of publisher-booksellers. A small percentage was pre-financed by means of subscriptions; publishers also addressed themselves to the king for a contribution, or published books 'for free' (as a premium). The net price of a book was determined by 1. fee, 2. typesetting, correction, illustration, printing and paper, 3. stitching or binding, 4. promotional costs for publicity, advertisement, prospectuses and the like and 5. operating costs. The greater part of the costs consisted initially of the costs price of paper. Illustrations (such as copper engravings) were generally expensive. Later in this period, the author's or translator's fee became a cost item of significance.

Thus the production costs in 1810 of the children's book by C.F.W. Jacobs, Alwin en Theodoor (134 pp.) were 323 guilders (about € 127.-) which included 70 guilders (about € 32.-) for typesetting and printing (21.7%), 44 guilders (about € 20.- ) for paper (13.6%), 122.60 guilders (about € 56.-) for engraving illustrations (37.9%) and 42,50 guilders guilders (about € 19.-) for the translator's fee (13.2%). In 1869 the total costs for De familie Guldenarm (195 pp.) by Agatha amounted to 381,62 guilders(about € 173.-), including for typesetting and printing 65.70 guilders (17.3%: i.e. 44.10 guilders (€ 20,-), for typesetting and 21.60 guilders (€ 10.-) for printing), paper 82 guilders (21.4%; about € 37.-) and author's fee 120 guilders (31.4%; about € 54.-).

The net price per copy also included the profit for the publisher. Net price and rebate (profit for the retail dealer) made up the sales price for the individual customer.

Depending on the nature of the work, print-runs were relatively low initially (500-1000), with the exception of so-called 'steady sellers' such as popular schoolbooks (2000-3000 per print-run), with a total number of copies as high as 10,000 or more. Scientific or scholarly works and most novels were generally not printed in large numbers (500-750), but when a work became popular or the publisher brought out a cheaper edition (for example in a series or in a smaller format), the number of copies could increase to a couple of thousand per impression.

In the second half of the century the number of titles produced increased, but the average print-run does not seem to increase drastically, apart from a few exceptions. This period showed a rise in the print-runs of republished titles intended for a less well-to-do and general public: Gedichten by De Schoolmeester/Gerrit van de Linde (7000), Werken by P.A. de Genestet (15,000). The number of copies printed of literary series showed a very irregular pattern, depending on target group and price, and varied from 600 (Polycolor) to 10,000 (50 cents edition), individual titles achieved even higher print-run numbers.

With regard to (daily and weekly) papers, the abolition of the newspaper stamp marks the economic liberation of the press from the heavy tax yoke, resulting not only in a strong increase in the number of newspapers, but also in a strong increase of print-runs. Between 1870 and 1892 the circulation of Het nieuws van den dag rose from 5220 to 37,000 copies. The financing gradually changed as well, from a private enterprise of individual publishers (for example the Arnhemsche courant) to newspapers financed through limited liability companies. At the end of 1885 as many as 23 newspapers were published by newspaper companies. The oldest was the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche courant which was founded in 1843 by H. Nijgh and converted into a limited liability company twelve months later.


author: B.P.M. Dongelmans
 
 

Contents period 1830-1910

Financing, print-runs and prices
1460-1585
1585-1725
1725-1830
1910-heden

Additional studies

Blok H. W. - biographical data

Name: Blok, H. W.
Name: Hengel, W. J. van
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar
Name: Nijgh Periodieken
Name: Blok, Huibrecht Willem
address: Rotterdam
address: Schiedam
address: Almere
Period: 1933-1988
Period: 1988-1997
Period: 1997-1998

Bosch & Keuning - biographical data

Name: Bosch & Keuning
Name: Bosch Jbzn, E. J.
Name: In den Toren
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar Educatief
Name: Ambo
Name: Fontein, De
Name: Cantecleer
Name: Walraven, Van
Name: Callenbach, G. F.
Name: Versluys, W.
Name: Kok, J. H.
Name: Tirion
Name: NijghVersluys
Name: Bosch Jbzn, Evert Jan
Name: Keuning, Pieter
Name: Stoep, Dingeman van der
Name: Goudswaard, P. N.
Name: Visser, Aize de
Name: Willege, Wim van de
Name: Atema, J. J.
Name: Combo
address: Baarn
Period: 1925-....

BZZTôH - biographical data

Name: BZZTôH
Name: BZZTo^H
Name: BZZTôH Teater
Name: Uitgeverij BZZTôH
Name: Stichting Bzztôh Teater
Name: Stichting BZZTôH
Name: Gezamenlijke Esso-bedrijven Nederland (1983)
Name: Meulenhoff (1982-1987)
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar (1959-1987)
Name: NOVIB (1977-1992)
address: Den Haag
Period: 1924 - 1999
Period: 19XX
Period: 197X

H. Nijgh - biographical data

Name: H. Nijgh
address: Rotterdam
Period: 1839 - 1876
Period: geen

Ketting Peter Louis Marie - biographical data

Name: Ketting, Peter Louis Marie
Name: Warnier, J. H.
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar

Ketting P. L. M. - biographical data

Name: Ketting, P. L. M.
Name: Warnier & P. L. M. Ketting, J. H.
Name: Nijgh & van Ditmar Uitgevers-Maatschappij
address: Haarlem
Period: 1904-....?

Kok H. - biographical data

Name: Kok, H.
Name: Tjeenk Willink, H. D.
Name: Nijgh Wolters-Noordhoff

Leopold - biographical data

Name: Leopold
Name: Leopolds Uitgeversmaatschappij, H. P.
Name: Nijgh Bellettrie
Name: Leopold, Robbert Iwan
Name: Loot, Marten Cornelis
Name: Houten, Reinier van
Name: Kingmans, Cornelis Johannes
Name: Kok, Dick
Name: Houten, E. W. M. ten
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar
Name: Singel 262
address: Den Haag
address: Amsterdam
Period: 1923-1987
Period: 1987-....

Mouton - biographical data

Name: Mouton
Name: Nijgh Periodieken
Name: Kraayeveld, G.
Name: Docter, J. H.
address: Den Haag
address: Schiedam
Period: 1978-1980
Period: 1980-1980

Nijgh en Zn., H. - biographical data

Name: Nijgh en Zn., H.
Name: Nijgh, H. en J.C. Nijgh
address: Rotterdam
Period: 1875-1885

Nijgh, H. - biographical data

Name: Nijgh, H.
address: Rotterdam
Period: 1850-1874

Nijgh H. - biographical data

Name: Nijgh, H.
Name: Nijgh & Zn, H.
Name: NRC
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar
Name: Nijgh, Henricus
Name: Nijgh, J. C.
Name: Ditmar, W. N. J. van
address: Rotterdam
Period: 1836-1908

Nijgh, H. - biographical data

Name: Nijgh, H.
address: Rotterdam
Period: 1 januari 1837 - 1851

Nijgh Henricus - biographical data

Name: Nijgh, Henricus
Name: Nijgh, H.
Name: Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar
Period: ....-1895

Nijgh Periodieken - biographical data

Name: Nijgh Periodieken
Name: Weekbladpers Groep
Name: Mouton
Name: Nijgh Periodieken Holding
Name: Blok, H. W.
address: Schiedam

Nijgh & Van Ditmar - biographical data

Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar
Name: Blok, H. W.
Name: Stols/J. P. Barth, A. A. M.
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar Educatief
Name: Nijgh, H.
Name: Nijgh, Henricus
Name: Ditmar, W. N. J. van
Name: Nijgh, Johannes Carolus
Name: Ditmar, N. M. A. van
Name: Nijgh J.Czn, Henricus
Name: Ketting, Peter Louis Marie
Name: Piek, Johannes Theodoor
Name: Zijlstra, Doeke
Name: Dam van Isselt, E. W. P. van
Name: Houten, E. W. M. ten
Name: Siebelink, A. J. J.
Name: Bouwman, T. G. G.
Name: Hinke, H. H.
Name: Nijsen, J. G. N.
Name: Langbroek, A. T.
Name: Reijt, Vic van der
Name: Roelants, H. A. M.
Name: Weekbladpers Groep
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar Belletrie
Name: Leopold
Name: Nijgh-Wolters-Noordhoff
address: Rotterdam
address: Den Haag
address: Amsterdam
Period: 1864-1940
Period: 1940-1962
Period: 1962-1987
Period: 1987-....

Nijgh-Wolters-Noordhoff - biographical data

Name: Nijgh-Wolters-Noordhoff
Name: Nijgh-Wolters-Noordhoff Universitaire Uitgevers
Name: Broekhuis, H. M. J.
Name: Kok, H.
Name: Wolters-Noordhoff
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar
address: Rotterdam
address: Groningen
Period: 1972-1977
Period: 1977-1978

NRC - biographical data

Name: NRC
Name: NRC Handelsblad
Name: Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant
Name: Nijgh, H.
Name: Nijgh, Henricus
Name: Nijgh, Johannes Carolus
Name: Nijgh J.Czn, Henricus
Name: Baas, Ferdinand
address: Rotterdam
Period: 1843-....

Onderwijs Orientatie - biographical data

Name: Onderwijs Orientatie
Name: SOO
Name: Meulenhoff, J. M.
Name: Muusses, J.
Name: Noordhoff, P.
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar
Name: Mantgem & De Does, Van
Name: Thieme & Co., W. J.
Name: Spruyt, H. J.
address: Den Haag
Period: 1961-....?

Roelants H. A. M. - biographical data

Name: Roelants, H. A. M.
Name: Roelants-Europrint
Name: Roelants, Koninklijke Nederlandse Boekdrukkerij H. A. M.
Name: Roelants, Hendrik Adriaan Marius
Name: Roelants, Henricus Johannes Cornelis
Name: Jonker Roelants, Jan
Name: Roelants Jr, H. A. M.
Name: Jonker Roelants, H. L.
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar
address: Schiedam
address: Veendam
Period: 1846-1999
Period: 1999-....

Schrijver W. P. N. - biographical data

Name: Schrijver, W. P. N.
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar
Name: Mouton & Co.
Name: Samsom
Name: Belinfante
Name: Sijthoff, A. W.
Name: Tjeenk Willink, H. D.

Singel 262 - biographical data

Name: Singel 262
Name: Arbeiderspers
Name: Querido
Name: Wetenschappelijke Uitgeverij
Name: Claus, H.
Name: Dekker, A.
Name: Visser, Rienk
Name: Menco, H. S.
Name: Jong, P. F. M. de
Name: Weekbladpers Groep
Name:
Name: Agon
Name: Arbeiderspers, De
Name: Atheneum Polak & Van Gennep
Name: Leopold
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar
Name: Viergang, De
Name: Dedalus
address: Amsterdam
Period: 1971-1998

Smits H. L. - biographical data

Name: Smits, H. L.
Name: Nederlandsche Boek- en Steendrukkerij
Name: Fokker, A. L.
Name: Nijgh, Willem Jacob
Name: Kruithof Kremer, J.
address: Den Haag
Period: 1853-....?

Universitaire Pers Rotterdam - biographical data

Name: Universitaire Pers Rotterdam
Name: Dam van Isselt, E. W. P van
Name: Broekhuis, H. M. J.
Name: Oostveen-De Haan, L. van
Name: Oerlemans, W. J.
Name: Nijgh & Van Ditmar
Name: NijghVersluys
address: Rotterdam
address: Den Haag
Period: 1963-1976
Period: 1976-....

Images about Nijgh H.


Advertising bill for "Nijgh's nieuw beweegbaar prentenboek" (movable picture book), Rotterdam, 1861


More images about Nijgh H.

 
 
 
 
 
Handbook Images Persons Studies Books Collections Auctions Glossary