1931 The Edwardians

Christian Bernhard Tauchnitz founded his Leipzig publishing firm in 1837 at the age of 20. His specialism was publishing foreign language books, particularly English. He began his firm at a defining period for English literature, as popular authors were producing a wider range of work in differing genres and forms. 

 

Tauchnitz built a good reputation with many leading British and American authors which lead him to be the principal publisher of English Language books in continental Europe from 1840 to 1940. In some instances authors sent Tauchnitz their proofs in order for them to be published at the same time as the British publisher, or in some cases before. In nineteenth century  Britain, an author's work could be published by several different publishing houses leading to the production of their novels in a variety of formats. By Tauchnitz owning the publishing rights to nearly all the leading British authors for the first time there was a consistent format.