Barnum, Richardson Company was established in 1830 in Salisbury, CT. The company was based on a foundry that remelt pig iron. Barnum, Richardson and Company, as it was first called, was a small firm specializing in the production of clock and sash weights, plow castings, and other small items. In the 1860s there were several reorganizations and name changes. The company merged and expanded into the turn of the century and was purchased in 1920 by the Salisbury Iron Company. The Salisbury Iron Company went out of business in 1923 and shut down what was then the last of Connecticut's iron furnaces.
Barry Moser had already established a reputation for himself as the premier American engraver of woodcuts in the 20th century before he turned to working primarily on designing and illustrating children's books. Moser has worked on over 200 books. He is the winner of an American Book Award. Barry Moser takes an active role in the design of any book that he illustrates, often contributing to type choice, layout, and cover design.
Beach, Calder, Anderson & Alden was a law firm founded in 1919 in Bristol, Connecticut. The collection consists of documents relating to the firm's representation of Bristol Brass Company and E. Ingraham Company.
Materials related to children's book authors and illustrators Betsy and Guilio Maestro. The materials include illustrations, manuscripts, and notes related to works published by the pair.
The papers of poet, translator, journalist, playwright, and blogger Bill Costley contain manuscripts, correspondence, diaries, notebooks, periodicals, clippings, audio tapes, photographs, and memorabilia documenting his work and life from 1964 to 2013. Additions to the collection are expected and will be added through time.
The Bill Thomson Papers contain artwork spanning from his high school days in Southington, CT to his recent picture books, Building with Dad, Chalk, Baseball Hour, Karate Hour and Soccer Hour. The collection contains sketches, models, finished artwork and illustrations from his work as the illustrator working with his wife Diann, who is the graphic designer for their firm Thomson Illustration and Design.