J. Q. Preble, New York

John Q. Preble (1826-1909) moved with his family from Bowdingham, Maine to Worcester, Mass. when he was eighteen years old. In Worcester he worked in Jonathan Grout's book bindery. Later he spent time in Wisconsin in a fancy goods business. He returned to Worcester when he was about 22 and began the manufacture of Reward of Merit cards and other specialty items. Around 1850 he moved his manufacturing plant to New York City.

Preble expanded his lines into embossed stationary, envelopes and blank books. In fact, by 1853 Preble was one of the largest by volume envelope manufacturers in New York City. The firm published a number of juvenile series and chapbooks and toy books from about 1851 to 1865.

Here are an advertising cover and letterhead from J. Q. Preble & Co. in 1876.
This was well after it stopped publishing any juvenile series. The firm failed in 1889.