The Sources for the Studies on the Development of the Publishing Market and Book Prices in the 18th-century Poland

Abstract

The article focuses on the book production in the 18th century, referring to the preserved documents enabling studies on the publishing process, and the development of book prices at the final period of the noble Polish Republic. Preserved account books present management strategies of publishing companies, the cost of materials, and ways to price the work of typesetters and printers. The other source consists of inserate prints announcing publishing subscriptions, and giving accounts of subsequent editorial and printing works. These materials are extremely valuable, as there are only a very few of them preserved in Poland due to changing fortunes of the printing houses.