John Allen, New York

This company published one series for juveniles.

Parley's Cabinet Library by Peter Parley (S. G. Goodrich)

Biographical Department

1. Lives of Famous Men of Modern Times
2. Lives of Famous Men of Ancient Times
3. Curiosities of Human Nature
4. Lives of Benefactors
5. Lives of Famous American Indians
6. Lives of Celebrated Women

Historical Department

7. Lights and Shadows of American History
8. Lights and Shadows of European History
9. Lights and Shadows of Asiatic History
10. Lights and Shadows of African History
11. History of the American Indians
12. Manners, Customs, and Antiquities of the American Indians

Miscellaneous

13. A Glance at the Sciences, Astronomy, Natural Philosophy & Etc.
14. The Wonders of Geology
15. Anecdotes of the Animal Kingdom
16. A Glance at Philosophy, Mental, Moral, and Social
17. Book of Literature, Ancient and Modern, with Specimens
18. Enterprise, Industry and Art of Man
19. Manners and Customs of All Nations
20. The World and Its Inhabitants

#1-5 were first published in 1843
#6-14 were first published in 1844
#15-20 were first published in 1845

"Bradbury, Soden & Co.” and "John Allen", published the first editions of the twenty volumes in 40 paperback editions as "Parley's Cabinet Library" between 1843 and 1845. Apparently John Allen was the agent for New York and Brooklyn. Each title noted above was originally printed in wraps in a Volume 1 and a Volume 2. Subsequently (in 1845 and later) either the publisher or a private binder bound each of the two volume wraps into one book. Later in the 1840's Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co. and J. E. Hickman published these titles only in one volume editions. Other publishers including G. H. Peirce and G. C. Rand, Rand and Mann, Geo. C. Rand, Geo C. Rand & Avery, Brown, Taggard & Chase, Brown & Taggard, Fred’k A. Brown & Co., Taggard & Thompson, Thompson, Bigelow & Brown, Thompson, Brown & Co. and John R. Walsh produced this series.

Original advertisements dated 1843 noted a book list that was different from the list of books that was actually printed.

Titles in the earlier advertisement which were not part of the Cabinet Library included:
18. Romance of Commerce, or Illustrations the Nature, Uses and Extent of Trade
19. Home in the Sea, or the Nature and Necessity of Civil Government Illustrated. (This book appears to have been published by William Robinson in 1842 under a slightly different name:
"The Young American: or Book of Government and Law; Showing their History, Nature and Necessity”. )
20. Miscellanies

This earlier list did not include: #16, 17, 18 (as shown above).


Beginning in 1843 the titles in the main list above were released in wraps. Every month a title which included two parts was sold for 25 cents each. After all of the 40 parts in wraps had been published, Allen produced 20 hard cover volumes each containing two parts previously printed.

Wraps. Salmon, white or yellow seen. Cover has title, series name and a simple design. Spine notes the series name and the title. 7" x 4.75".


Cloth. Brown. Blindstamped.
Most likely the two part cloth editions of both J. M. Allen and Bradbury, Soden & Co. were released at the same time. Interestingly an illustrated Bradbury, Soden title page has been seen in a 1944 J. M. Allen book. The significance is unclear since an illustrated title page for the same 1844 book with the John Allen imprint has also been noted (see below).

Leather bound Allen books were also published.