The Binny & Ronaldson Papers contains correspondence relating to their type-founding firm, including letters from the noted publisher John Binns, and author Joel Barlow, as well as to their ceramics factory, the Columbian Pottery. The financial records hold material documenting both business and the pair's personal lives, such as invoices for the funeral and burial of Binny's first wife Elizabeth (d. 1812)., The Library Company holds copies of A Specimen of metal ornaments cast at the letter foundery of Binny & Ronaldson (Philadelphia: Printed by Fry and Kammerer) in 1809, and their Specimen of printing types from the foundery of Binny & Ronaldson, Philadelphia in 1812., On deposit at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. For service, please contact the Historical Society at 215-732-6200 or http://www.hsp.org., Archibald Binny (1762-1838), type founder, was a native of Portobello, near Edinburgh, Scotland, and immigrated to the United States in 1796. James Ronaldson (1768-1842), also born near Edinburgh, arrived in America in spring 1794, and opened a bakery in Philadelphia in 1795. After losing his business in a fire in 1796, he joined Binny in partnership as Binny & Ronaldson type founders. Binny and Ronaldson were also partners in another endeavor, the Columbian Pottery, which was located on Cedar (now South) Street in Philadelphia, and operated from 1808 through about 1814. Binny retired to St. Mary's County, MD, in 1815, and Ronaldson continued in the type founding business through 1831.
Creator
Binny & Ronaldson
Date
1805
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | MSS McA MSS 006, https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/Islandora%3A64353#page/1/mode/1up
