Casemate Publishers
The year 2001 marked a turning point for military history publishing in North America. Combined Publishing sold its US operations to the Perseus Books Group and folded them into the Da Capo imprint. David Farnsworth, who served as sales director at Combined Publishing, took charge of the distribution operation. He established Casemate Publishers and Book Distributors LLC that same year. The new company began distributing books across North America for other publishers with a focus on military history. By 2001, Casemate had already started producing its own titles alongside distribution services. The output grew steadily from those early days to reach approximately 75 book titles per year.
July 2007 brought significant change when Casemate supported a management buyout of Greenhill Books and Chatham Publishing. Lionel Leventhal Ltd transferred the distribution operation and sales team to this new venture. The result was the creation of Casemate UK Ltd later that month. This division became responsible for selling and marketing military history and art books throughout the region. Trade press outlets like The Bookseller reported the move in October 2007. Publishers Weekly also covered the expansion in their October 8 edition. The UK branch allowed Casemate to handle multiple publishers under one roof while maintaining specialized focus areas.
December 2011 saw Casemate acquire Oxbow Books from its founder David Brown upon his retirement. The deal included both the UK-based publisher and its US operation known as The David Brown Book Company. Oxbow had been founded in Oxford back in 1983 and remained headquartered there after the sale. The company now publishes around 80 books annually within the archaeology field. In 2013, The David Brown Book Company changed its name to Casemate Academic. This rebranding signaled a shift toward serving academic institutions and major publishers across the United States market. Specialist sales and marketing efforts expanded alongside the existing distribution network.
The year 2015 brought another major acquisition when Casemate purchased International Publishers Marketing from Books International. They merged this with their Athena brand to form Casemate IPM. Caroline Carpenter reported on the transaction in The Bookseller during November 2012 though the actual deal occurred later. A second purchase followed in August 2019 when Dufour Editions transferred its distribution business to Casemate. John Maher covered this event for Publishers Weekly on August 2nd of that year. These moves made Casemate IPM the largest distributor of Scottish Irish and Welsh publisher books in the US. Dufour continued publishing under its own imprint while relying on Casemate for distribution services.
Casemate has published more than 500 titles focused entirely on military history since its founding. Many of these works are memoirs written by participants or historical overviews of specific battles and campaigns. The company targets enthusiasts hobbyists students instructors researchers and members of armed forces organizations. Their Philadelphia suburbs headquarters supports both domestic and international distribution networks. Over time they have built a reputation for producing printed materials that serve niche audiences within the broader field. Each title reflects careful selection based on subject matter relevance and audience demand rather than mass market appeal.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When was Casemate Publishers founded and by whom?
David Farnsworth established Casemate Publishers and Book Distributors LLC in 2001. The company began operations that same year after Combined Publishing sold its US operations to the Perseus Books Group.
What major acquisition did Casemate make in December 2011?
Casemate acquired Oxbow Books from founder David Brown upon his retirement in December 2011. This deal included both the UK-based publisher and its US operation known as The David Brown Book Company which later became Casemate Academic in 2013.
How many book titles does Casemate publish annually now?
The company produces approximately 75 book titles per year through its distribution services and own publishing arm. Oxbow Books alone publishes around 80 books annually within the archaeology field following their 2011 acquisition.
Where is the headquarters of Casemate Publishers located?
Casemate maintains its headquarters in the Philadelphia suburbs. This location supports both domestic and international distribution networks for military history and academic materials.
When was Casemate UK Ltd created during the Greenhill Books buyout?
Casemate UK Ltd was created in July 2007 when the company supported a management buyout of Greenhill Books and Chatham Publishing. Lionel Leventhal Ltd transferred the distribution operation and sales team to this new venture later that month.