Lord Baltimore Press collection
Abstract
The Lord Baltimore Press Collection consists of correspondence, business documents, employee information, and written histories of the press.
Dates
- 1883-1957
Creator
- Lord Baltimore Press (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use
The reproduction of materials in this collection may be subject to copyright restrictions. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine and satisfy copyright clearances or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections. For more information visit the MCHC’s Rights and Permissions page.
Historical Note
The information included in this history was primarily taken from the collection,
especially: Hugo Dalsheimer’s “Talk before the Litho. Club of Baltimore,” March 15, 1954 and "Historical Data on The Lord Baltimore Press," 1906.
January 26, 1875
Louis E. Levy patents “Levytype Process.” Levy, Isaac Friedenwald, and William Deutsch begin Levytype Photo-Engraving Company at 103 W. Fayette Street. Shortly after, the company is renamed “Isaac Friedenwald.”
April 1, 1877
Levy withdraws from firm, taking engraving plant with him.
circa 1880
“Isaac Friedenwald” buys “Dell and Knapp,” a bookbindery. Theodore Knapp joins “Isaac Friedenwald.” “Isaac Friedenwald” buys the building at 105 W. Fayette Street.
December 1886
“Isaac Friedenwald” moves to 32 South Paca Street and begins a folding box department.
November 1, 1890
Sheriff ousts “Isaac Friedenwald’s” management because the business affairs had been poorly managed. Simon Dalsheimer, Isaac Friedenwald’s brother-in-law, becomes manager.
November 4, 1890 - February 1, 1891
Nathan Billstein, later one of the master printers in the country, assists “Isaac Friedenwald” during business reforms.
December 1891
“Isaac Friedenwald” moves to Abell Building at Baltimore, Eutaw, and Redwood Streets.
August 11, 1893
The Friedenwald Company is formed and it purchases the “Isaac Friedenwald Company.”
February 1903
Nathan Billstein, his brother Dr. Billstein, and Simon Dalsheimer take over management of The Friedenwald Company.
1906
The Friedenwald Company moves to Greenmount and Oliver Streets and the name is changed to The Lord Baltimore Press.
1922
Nathan Billstein retires.
1931
Nathan Billstein dies.
1943
Hugo Dalsheimer, son of Simon Dalsheimer, becomes President of The Lord Baltimore Press.
1946
The Lord Baltimore Press purchases a building at Fleet and Haven Streets for storage.
1948
Simon Dalsheimer dies (90 years old).
March 23, 1951
Offices move to Edison Highway.
1959
Hugo Dalsheimer retires.
circa 1970
The Lord Baltimore Press is sold to International Paper.
1978
Hugo Dalsheimer dies.
Extent
0.4 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of George Dalsheimer.
Separated Materials
There were several photographs and cartoons that were removed from the collection to the Photographs Department.
Scope and Contents
The Lord Baltimore Press Collection consists of correspondence, business documents, employee information, and written histories of the press. The documents cover the period from 1883-1957. The Lord Baltimore Press was located in Baltimore City, originally on Fayette Street and after several relocations the Press settled at Edison Highway where it remained until the early 1970s when it was purchased by International Paper.
A bulk of the collection focuses on business and employee documents. Included in the collection are several receipts, checks, and printing estimates along with a business analysis (1898-1899) and financial statements (1907-1910). Most of the employee information centers around the employee strike of 1906 and the employee contracts of 1917. In both cases there were disagreements regarding the pressman’s wages between members of the “International Printing Pressmen and Assistant’s Union” and The Lord Baltimore Press. The correspondence between the Press and the Union provide insight into the relationship between businesses and employee’s unions.
One of the collection’s major weaknesses is that there is a gap between the last document (July 1957- Loveless, Herschel to Stapleton, Robert- located in General Correspondence, 1888-1957) and the sale of The Lord Baltimore Press to International Paper in the early 1970s. The Press had had some financial trouble in the early 1900s but that was supposedly fixed by the addition of Simon Dalsheimer as Manager according to Hugo Dalsheimer’s “Talk before the Litho. Club of Baltimore,” March 15, 1954 so the cause of the sale is unknown.
People central to the creation and management of The Lord Baltimore Press were Louis Levy, Isaac Friedenwald, Nathan Billstein, and Simon and Hugo Dalsheimer. There is not much information on these men apart from their involvement in the business.
All newspaper clippings were copied to acid-free paper and the originals were discarded.
Creator
- Lord Baltimore Press (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the Lord Baltimore Press collection
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- Dacia Gauer
- Date
- 2000-03
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Revision Statements
- 2020-03-24: Manually entered into ArchivesSpace by Sandra Glascock
Repository Details
Part of the H. Furlong Baldwin Library Repository
H. Furlong Baldwin Library
Maryland Center for History and Culture
610 Park Avenue
Baltimore MD 21201 United States
4106853750
specialcollections@mdhistory.org