Technical info requested on WT printing/binding (any Bethelites out there?)

by cathyk 17 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  cabasilas

  Conkey was in Hammond, Indiana which is very close to Chicago. I found more about the history of Conkey here:

  http://www.hammondindiana.com/history/industry.htm

  At one point it was considered the largest bookbinder in the world. It was later sold to Rand McNally but closed in the 1980s.

  Watchtower researcher Ken Raines confirms that Conkey bound the Studies in the Scriptures set as well as the book Angels and Women:

  http://www.premier1.net/~raines/killer.html

  I'm sure with the large runs that Russell had bound by Conkey he got a very good price.
• 

  cathyk

  Cabasilas,

  Very good -- I'll check out the references. This info will help me frame questions for the folks at Bethel.

  Cathy
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  cathyk

  Found another bit which explains the Chicago connection:

  The Conkey Bindery Company started out, located on the old Monroe Street in the Chicago Loop area. One of the first customers of this fledging young company was the Chicago Daily News. Newspapers were folded and wrapped for delivery to the post office. -- from http://www.hammondindiana.com/20thcentury/time_capsule33.htm

  Cathy
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  cabasilas

  I'd be very curious if records exist from Conkey which show how much Russell paid for the binding of his books. I recently saw a picture of a slide from the Photo-Drama which claimed the IBSA published the books "at cost." I wouldn't be surprised but if "cost" included many more things than just binding. Now that I think about it, I believe there's something in the 1918 Rutherford trial which details the cost of binding of The Finished Mystery. Anyone have access to that?
• 

  stev

  So far as I know, those early convention reports are not online. They are very rare. Pastor Russell's convention sermons might be online.
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  stev

  Pastor Russell's Convention Report Sermons are online in a pdf file.

  http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/russell/crs.pdf

  There are no photos, and the other sermons by other speakers are not included.
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  cathyk

  I found this site, which mentions a member of the Conkey publishing concern in connection with Rutherford's trial:

  http://www.exjws.net/museum/jfrtrial2.htm

  He was called as a witness, since Conkey printed The Finished Mystery.

  Cathy
• 

  cabasilas

  Very interesting. So, they called in the president of Conkey to testify. I remember that Witness, Inc. published the entire trial and I believe there were documents in it which showed how much the Society paid for the binding. Seems like it was much cheaper than what it was sold to the public. I could be wrong. I'd like to confirm that again. Thanks for finding that Cathy!