Elliot Stock (1838 - 1 March 1911) was an English publisher and bibliophile who collected first editions. The publishing company that bore his name was in business from 1859 to 1939. His father was wealthy but died when Elliot was in his infancy. After education at

Amersham Grammar School Dr Challoner's Grammar School (also known as DCGS, Challoner's Boys or simply Challoner's) is a selective grammar school for boys, with a co-educational Sixth Form, in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England. It was given academy status in January ...

, Elliot Stock first worked for the firm of Piper, Stephenson, and Spence and then in 1857 became an apprentice to Mr. B. L. Green, a book-seller at 62, Paternoster Row. In 1859 Stock acquired the business. B. L. Green was the brother of Dr. Green of the Religious Tract Society. In its early years, the firm of Elliot Stock was primarily engaged in publishing religious works. In 1866 Stock married Fanny Bellin, the daughter of

Samuel Bellin Samuel Bellin (London 13 May 1799 – 29 April 1893 London) was a British printmaker. He was the son of John Bellin of Chigwell, Essex, and born at Doctors' Commons in London. He trained under the Huguenot James Basire the younger (1769–1822 ...

, an artist and engraver. Stock became an amateur painter and poet and acquired many artistic and literary friends and acquaintances. He was also a bird-watcher and athlete (winning a silver cup in rowing). In 1877 Stock published facsimile first editions of ''

The Pilgrim's Progress ''The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, to That Which Is to Come'' is a 1678 Christian allegory written by John Bunyan. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of theological fiction in English literature and a progenitor of the ...

'', '' The Compleat Angler'' and George Herbert's ''The Temple''. Every effort was made to recreate the actual type, paper, and binding of the original works in these facsimiles. Stock's firm published many other notable facsimile first editions, such as those for ''

Robinson Crusoe ''Robinson Crusoe'' () is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published on 25 April 1719. The first edition credited the work's protagonist Robinson Crusoe as its author, leading many readers to believe he was a real person and the book a tr ...

'', '' Rasselas'' and '' The Vicar of Wakefield''. ''The Antiquary'' was published by the Elliot Stock company from December 1879 to 1915. The monthly ''Book-Prices Current'' was started in 1887 by the firm of Elliot Stock and became a standard reference for book dealers and collectors. Elliot Stock and Fanny R. Bellin were the parents of four sons and a daughter. Their son Ernest Elliot Stock (1869–1957) was the author of ''The Ring of Ug, and Other Weird Tales'' and publications on climbing in the Alps.

References

External links

* (63-page book of poetry) {{DEFAULTSORT:Stock, Elliot 1838 births 1911 deaths Publishers (people) from London 19th-century English poets 19th-century English businesspeople