author
Thaddeus Davids
d. 1894
A 19th-century New York ink maker and writer, he turned practical expertise into a surprisingly lively history of ink and its many uses. His work offers a window into the world of writing, printing, and business in an earlier America.
1 Audiobook
The History of Ink, Including Its Etymology, Chemistry, and Bibliography
by Thaddeus Davids
About the author
Born in Bedford, New York, in 1810, Thaddeus Davids became a prominent businessman whose family firm grew into one of the largest ink companies of its time. He is closely associated with New York's manufacturing world in the 1800s, where ink was essential to everything from penmanship to publishing.
Davids is remembered by readers today for The History of Ink, Including Its Etymology, Chemistry, and Bibliography, first published in 1860. The book reflects both his practical knowledge of ink-making and his curiosity about the materials behind everyday writing, making it appealing to anyone interested in books, calligraphy, printing, or the history of ideas.
He died in New Rochelle, New York, on July 22, 1894. Though not widely known as a literary figure, his writing preserves a fascinating slice of 19th-century industrial and cultural history.