Copeland and Day

The publishing firm, Copeland & Day, was established by two young men, Herbert Copeland ( -1923) and Frederick Holland Day (1864-1933) in 1892 or 1893 to issue books of literary merit "as they should be manufactured in times when paper, type, and binding have reached almost perfection." Located at 69 Cornhill Street in Boston, the firm described itself as "Publishers Importers and Vendors of Fine Books." Most of their publications were in the field of general literature, and of the 96 books issued by the firm, 54 were volumes of poetry, 23 volumes of fiction, and 11 volumes of essays. The two men retired from the publishing business in 1899.

Fred Holland Day was the son of Lewis Day, a successful leather merchant in Norwood, Mass., whose wealth allowed the younger Day to run the business without a strict concern for profit. A person of some eccentricity and reserve, Fred Day was noted for his ability in photography and his collection of Keats. His venture in publishing seems to have been prompted by his interest in William Morris' work at the Kelmscott Press in England. Copeland, an 1891 graduate of Harvard, drew upon his college acquaintances and previous associates at "Youth's Companion" to build up their list of authors.