Reads: “Presented by the American Association of Book Sellers to Hopkins and Seymour for the Second best Specimen of Printing 1804.” Verso reads, “Charles 5th, 3. vol.”, From 1802-1804 the first American book fairs were held semi-annually in New York and Philadelphia to encourage cooperation among publishers. The fairs marked the birth of the American publishing industry. In 1804, the gold medal went to Rober Carr of Philadelphia for a bible. This silver medal was awarded to a new edition of William Robertson's classic History of the Reign of the Emperor Charles V (New York: Hopkins and Seymour, 1804)., Purchase of the Library Company with the help of Joesph Felcone, 1997.
Mr. Dobson was born in 1751 near Edinburgh, Scotland. He was married to Jean Paton in 1777 and they had three daughters. In 1784, he moved his family to Philadelphia, bringing large stocks of books with him. He quickly became a major bookseller but instead of using his profits to acquire more books, he embarked on publishing and established a thriving printing business. He is most famous for having published the earliest American version of Encyclopedia Britannica which he began reprinting in 1789. When it was completed in 1798, it totaled 18 volumes with over 400 engraved plates and was by far the largest book ever published in America. In his American version, the dedication to King George III was eliminated and information about American geography and history was added. He was also the first in the United States to publish a complete Hebrew bible and the first to publish secular music composed by an American (Francis Hopkinson). In 1822, he retired from book-selling due to ill health and he died in 1823.
