Guide to the Rudolph Ackermann Publications Prospectus, 1816 SPEC.RARE.MMS.0425 Finding aid prepared by Allison McPherson Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections

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2025 November This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2025-12-03T09:55-0500 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Rudolph Ackermann Publications Prospectus SPEC.RARE.MMS.0425 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections MMS 20 0.1 Cubic feet 1816 Rudolph Ackermann (1764-1834) was a publisher and manufacturer of watercolors and paper for painters at 101 Strand in London. The Rudolph Ackermann Publications Prospectus collection contains a single prospectus published by Rudolph Ackermann and printed by John Diggens in 1816. It contains information about works of art at R. Ackermann's Repository of Arts, and the prices for watercolors and drawing supplies. (1) oversize folder English Ackermann, Rudolph, 1764-1834 Acquisitions Information

Accession No. RARE.2025.0183: Source unknown, 2019 January

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Rudolph Ackermann Publications Prospectus, SPEC.RARE.MMS.0425, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University

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Processing Information

Processed by: Allison McPherson, 2025 November; Finding aid written by: Allison McPherson, 2025 November

Biographical Note

Rudolph Ackermann (1764-1834) was an Anglo-German bookseller, inventor, lithographer, publisher and businessman. He was born in Germany but moved to London to build his career as a coach maker and later established a print shop to help promote his coach making business. The print shop grew to include a drawing school, lithographic press, and also manufactured watercolors and paper for painters. Ackermann brought in artists and printmakers to produce prints and illustrations for books and magazines used in his printing and publishing business at 101 Strand in London. From 1809 until 1829, Ackermann published an illustrated British periodical called “Repository of the arts, literature, commerce, manufactures, fashions, and politics.”

John Diggens (-1833), also known as J Diggens, was a British publisher and printer from St. Ann's Lane in London. Diggens was known to print materials for Rudolph Ackermann.

With increasing demand for printed materials it was not uncommon for different printers to share printing jobs. The printer would be the individual or company that managed the physical printing of the materials, and the publisher would be the individual or company that financially supported the production costs of printing the materials. A printer and a publisher during the 1800s could either be the same or different depending on current availability and cost of printing.

Scope and Contents

The Rudolph Ackermann Publications Prospectus collection contains a single prospectus published by Rudolph Ackernann and printed by John Diggens in 1816. It contains information about works of art at R. Ackermann's Repository of Arts, and subscription information for Ackermann's circulating portfolios. The prices for watercolors and drawing supplies for sale are also included in this prospectus.

Ackermann, Rudolph, 1764-1834 Diggens, John, -1833 Advertising--England--London--19th century Printers--England--London--19th century Printing--England--London--19th century Prospectuses Publishers and publishing--England--London--19th century Strand, The (London, England)