Charles Carrington (1857–1921) was a leading British publisher of erotica in late-19th and early 20th century Europe. Born Paul Harry Ferdinando in Bethnal Green, England in 1867, he moved in 1895 from London to Paris where he published and sold books in the rue Faubourg Montmartre and rue de Chateaudun. For a short period he was exiled to Brussels and published there. Carrington also published “academic” works about sex and flagellation, works of classical literature and books by famous authors such as Oscar Wilde and Anatole France. It is possible that he wrote and co-wrote anonymously and embellished many of his translations and other books he published with extra salacious material and commentary.

Carrington went blind as a result of syphilis and the last few years of his life were spent in poverty as his mistress stole his valuable collection of rare books. He was placed in a lunatic asylum and died in 1921 at Ivry-sur-Seine, France.

During his 26 years in business, Carrington published nearly 300 books.

More about Charles Carrington and a bibliography of his known publications.

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