James Herrick Gipson, RIP

On February 19, after a long illness, James Herrick Gipson passed away. He and his press, the Caxton Printers Ltd. of Caldwell, Idaho, for many years occupied a unique position in the country. James Gipson was both realist and idealist in outlook. The success of his publishing enterprise was based on a mixture of these two characteristics. The profits from the commercial aspects of the business— state and country printing and the state agency for the distribution of text books for the public schools, etc. —made it possible for him to bring out books that he felt were worthwhile but were likely to result in a loss. Many an author with real ability was therefore able to get his first book published by the Caxton Printers and subsequently thereby to gain the attention of some leading New York, Boston or Philadelphia publisher. Moreover, many writers were attracted to the firm on account of the pains taken at every stage in the production of a book. As Jack Conroy of Chicago pointed out in a Foreword to Vardis Fisher’s The Caxton Printers of Idaho; “The Caxton Printers expend on each book the same loving care and painstaking craftsmanship characterizing the handicraft of . . . that earlier Caxton when he printed [in 1474 or 1475] Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye, the first [book] with English text.” As the years passed and the reputation of the firm grew it was sought out especially by writers of Western Americana. Fisher’s Tragic Life and certain other of his Western novels were published by Caxton in the 1930s and 1940s.

James Gipson was largely a self- educated man who did not even finish high school. Admitted as a special student at the University of Idaho in 1903 he had one year of higher education, although he was to return to the University in 1956 to receive the honorary degree of D. Litt. It seemed absolutely necessary for him to return home to take charge of the business end of the family print shop. As a result, in 1907 the Caxton Printers was incorporated and over the entrance to the publishing house soon after there appeared a bust of William Caxton, the first English printer. In that year James married Esther Sterling, who was a devoted companion during the remainder of his life. The home that they occupied for many years was a bibliophile’s delight and a housekeeper’s despair—books everywhere (many of them deluxe editions) in bookcases, on chairs, and even piled almost to the ceiling.

LG

About the Author

Lawrence Henry Gipson

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On February 19, after a long illness, James Herrick Gipson passed away. He and his press, the Caxton Printers Ltd. of Caldwell, Idaho, for many years occupied a unique position in the country. James Gipson was both realist and idealist in outlook. The success of his publishing enterprise was based on a mixture of these two characteristics. The profits from the commercial aspects of the business— state and country printing and the state agency for the distribution of text books for the public schools, etc. —made it possible for him to bring out books that he felt were worthwhile but were likely to result in a loss. Many an author with real ability was therefore able to get his first book published by the Caxton Printers and subsequently thereby to gain the attention of some leading New York, Boston or Philadelphia publisher. Moreover, many writers were attracted to the firm on account of the pains taken at every stage in the production of a book. As Jack Conroy of Chicago pointed out in a Foreword to Vardis Fisher’s The Caxton Printers of Idaho; “The Caxton Printers expend on each book the same loving care and painstaking craftsmanship characterizing the handicraft of . . . that earlier Caxton when he printed [in 1474 or 1475] Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye, the first [book] with English text.” As the years passed and the reputation of the firm grew it was sought out especially by writers of Western Americana. Fisher’s Tragic Life and certain other of his Western novels were published by Caxton in the 1930s and 1940s.

James Gipson was largely a self- educated man who did not even finish high school. Admitted as a special student at the University of Idaho in 1903 he had one year of higher education, although he was to return to the University in 1956 to receive the honorary degree of D. Litt. It seemed absolutely necessary for him to return home to take charge of the business end of the family print shop. As a result, in 1907 the Caxton Printers was incorporated and over the entrance to the publishing house soon after there appeared a bust of William Caxton, the first English printer. In that year James married Esther Sterling, who was a devoted companion during the remainder of his life. The home that they occupied for many years was a bibliophile’s delight and a housekeeper’s despair—books everywhere (many of them deluxe editions) in bookcases, on chairs, and even piled almost to the ceiling.