Phillips & Sampson, Boston
Phillips, Sampson and Company

Moses Dresser Phillips (1813-1859) was a native of Charlton, Massachusetts. He worked in Worcester in the 1830’s in the Clarendon Harris bookstore where he learned the book business. He moved to Boston in 1845.

Moses Phillips

Charles Sampson (1817-1859) was the named partner in the Lewis and Sampson publishing firm in the 1840’s. Lewis and Sampson was located at 122 Washington Street in the early 1840’s until 1845. This is the same address that Phillips and Sampson was at in 1845. In addition some of the books published by Lewis and Sampson were later published by Phillips and Sampson.

Thus it would seem that the Sampson in these two firms is the same person and that Phillips & Sampson succeeded Lewis & Sampson in 1845. They formed what was a new breed of publishers as they sought out customers in the far reaches of the United States and not just the stodgy New Englanders and East coast types.

Two imprints have been seen:
Phillips & Sampson 1845-1849
Phillips, Sampson and Company 1849-1859

Phillips, Sampson & Company co-published a number of titles with J. C. Derby, a New York publisher. These books were printed between 1854 and 1857.

Only three addresses have been seen for Phillips & Sampson:
1845-1846 122 Washington Street (publishers, booksellers and stationers)
1847-1854 110 Washington Street
1855-1859 13 Winter Street

This firm founded the Atlantic Monthly in 1857. This was probably its highest achievement. It's lowest point was probably the refusal to publish Uncle Tom’s Cabin (An associate, William Lee, noted that this anti-slavery book probably would not sell very well and might antagonize existing southern customers. Lee went on to be a founding partner of Lee and Shepard.)

Here is an advertising cover.

Phillips & Sampson published three T. S. Arthur titles.

The two "Advice" books were published yearly between 1848 and 1854. A number of different cover designs have been noted. These books are not first editions. The first editions were published by Elias Howe. (Of note is that they are frequently incorrectly stated as first editions by book dealers)

I have only seen a few different editions but it appears that the same design was used for both “Advice” books. These books were published with fancy gold gilt covers and spine designs as well as plain covers with embossed designs (which are the same as the gold gilt designs).

Advice to young ladies on their duties and conduct in life.

1848 (7.5” x 5”)
1849
1854 (6.25” x 4)

Advice to young men on their duties and conduct in life.

1853 Plain cover
1853 gold gilt cover

Story Book for Girls and Boys 1848
This 141 page book is a reprint. Phillips and Sampson only published one edition.
(Note that the name on the cover is the one time owner of the book.)