Page last modified: February 1, 2024

A Brief collectors history of
Weldon & Co / Goubaud and Son,
both at:
40, Bedford Street
Covent Garden
London
As related to Jules Verne Books

The Jules Verne books on the cover indicate the series: The Jules Verne Library, but ads IN the books indicate
a series name of Jules Verne's Wonder Books and also The Daisy Books. (Note: The Daisy Books, included more than just Jules Verne titles) and The Boys' Bookshelf when published by Goubaud!

The below ad by Weldon and Co., lists 8 titles to be published "During December" (1875).

  1. A Voyage to the Centre of the Earth
  2. Captain Hatteras; or, the English at the North Pole
  3. The Frozen Desert
  4. Round the World in Eighty Days
  5. Five Weeks in a Balloon
  6. At the Bottom of the Deep, Deep Sea (wouldn't it be fun to see 20k titled that!, but not seen!)
  7. A Journey to the Moon and Round Aboout It.
  8. Three Englishmen against Three Russians

And the ad announces "The Remainder of Jules Verne's Books will be published during the ensuing months."

The column "Received during the Month" indicates that Round the World in Eighty Days was published in February, 1876

Weldon and Co, seems to have only published Jules Verne books for a short time, Dec 1875 to April 1876!?
The below ad says: "During December" which would be Dec 1875.
We surmise that a copyright infringement notice by Sampson Low, in March 1876, forced Weldon to stop publishing Round the World in Eighty Days, which Weldon published in February 1876, and their announced upcoming Three Englishmen against Three Russians.

From The Bookseller, March 1, 1876:

After that, the company "became" (was bought out?) by Goubaud, that sports the same address! (see publication images above)

Note: Weldon and Co published a Fashion Journal (?) called Myra's Journal of Dress and Fashion, from June 1875 - "Received during the Month", The Derby Mercury, June 23, 1875, and the same column, "Received during the Month" , The Derby Mercury, March 29, 1876, indicated, Myra's Journal by Weldon and Co..
In an ad April 2, 1876 (Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper) there was an ad for Myra's Journal, published by Goubaud and Son, 39 and 40, Bedford-street, Covent-garden, and the ad ends: "The trade and public are requested to note the name of the present publishers of MYRA'S JOURNALS". This seems to be the date that Goubaud and Son started publishing what Weldon and Co. WAS publishing, including Myra's Journal AND the Jules Verne novels
Oddly enough, I have seen Myra's Journal of Dress and Fashion, published by Weldon and Co indicated in The Derby Mercury, April 5, May 31, and June 7, 1876! I cannot explain that!

As shown above, in March 1876, it is announced that Sampson Low & Co own the copyright to Around the World in Eighty Days and Weldon & Co have been required to withdraw their publication from sale. Weldon is also required to withdraw their announcement and publication of The Adventures of Three Russians and Three Englishmen which is also under the copyright of sampson Low! As well, the note in the ad shown higher up stating: "The Remainder of Jules Verne's Books will be published during the ensuing months" has to be amended to say "with the exception of those the Copyright of which belongs to Messrs Sampson Low & Co."

This below ad in a Weldon book, no longer lists Round the World in Eighty Days, which WAS number 4 in the above ad! So books with this catalogue must be Mar 1876 or after. (Round the world in Eighty Days published February 1876, and copyright infringement noted in March 1876) (but why the ad still says Weldon instead of Goubaud, I am unsure!)

An ad in The Bookseller, May 3, 1876 by Goubaud and Son, announces The Boy's Bookshelf, in handsome stiff wrapper, priced 9d:
Verne's Voyage to the Centre of the Earth and Verne's Five Weeks in a Balloon... to be followed by other Volumes of Jules Verne !

There is a lot of conflicting information around this time:
A listing in the Supplement to the The Bookseller, No. CCXXI, April 4, 1876, lists: Five Weeks in a Balloon (Boys' Bookshelf) 222 pgs, Weldon, 9d and just below that, Voyage to the Centre of the Earth, Goubaud, 9d

The following are the observed Weldon & Company publications


AND Books seen with the Goubaud and Son imprint include:

Addresses of the firm

Weldon and Co.:

  • September 1875 - Dec 1876 (at least)- 15 Wine Office-Court, E.C., London
    aka Wine Office Court, E.C.
  • overlapping above!
    December 1875 - 40 Bedford Street, Covent Garden, London
  • December 1876 - 15 Wine Office-Court, E.C., London

Goubaud and Son:

  • April 26, 1876 - 39 and 40, Bedford-street, Covent-garden, London
    aka 40 Bedford St., Covent Garden, London (only (?) in their Jules Verne publications!)

Images and information provied by Philip Hollaway

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