Arthur Wisner Rushmore

The Ideal Book is the concerted effort of three parties, the author, the maker, and the ultimate possessor. There are only two real requisites—knowledge and good taste. So simply is the Ideal Book produced—so simple it is as to defy production.

The above words penned nearly seventy years ago reveal a great deal not only about the professional publishing sentiments of Arthur W. Rushmore but also about the character of the publisher himself. Rushmore worked as head of book production and manufacturing for more than two decades at Harper & Brothers before becoming a director of the prestigious publishing house in 1942 (Retires 1). Spurred on by the ideal defined in the above quote and the inability to make quality books that “within the economic barrier[s]” of commercial publishing, Rushmore opened a private press he operated from his home called The Hind Press (Publishing 1). The private press, named after the flag-ship of Sir Francis Drake, served as a laboratory in which his printing ideas were explored, and produced over 200 volumes of which many were chosen as American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) “Fifty Books of the Year” selections.

Rushmore’s commitment to quality in all aspects of publishing from paper selection to typeset style helped the House of Harper build its prestigious reputation and success during his tenure there. However, modern publishing came of age duri

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et in ATF Garamond by Rushmore with a title page in black and red and cream laid antique paper. Genevieve Taggard is also little known today but her works were also published by Harper’s and hand-set at Golden Hind, as were those of the English poet Edmund Charles Blunden. Rushmore also hand-set many children’s works at the Golden Hind which were given the Harper’s imprint, including works from Hans Christian Anderson, Walt Disney, Lois Lenski, H. A. Rey and a host of others. Basically a filmmaker, Walt Disney found himself in the publishing business because of his success in animated films. One of Disney’s biggest and initial success was The Three Little Pigs. The success of this animated film would change the course of his life forever. In 1933, the book was hand-set in Futura type by Arthur and Edna Rushmore, including a hand written colophon by Rushmore that is signed by the couple and four-color lithograph drawings from Walt Disney. By 1942, after twenty years of achievement and success as head of the design and production of books at Harper’s, Arthur Rushmore was elected to the Board of Directors. He would remain in this position until he officially retired from the Board in 1953. PRIVATE PRESSES: THE GOLDEN HIND
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Approximate Word count = 10035
Approximate Pages = 40 (250 words per page)