Black Dog Publishing assets bought by St James’ House

The assets of Black Dog Publishing and sister company Artifice Books, recently gone into liquidation, have been bought by St James’s House Media Group.

The companies' joint liquidators, Neil Bennett and Alex Cadwallader at Leonard Curtis Business Solutions Group, said they had been able to sell the assets of the companies "shortly after being appointed" on 24th January due to Black Dog Publishing and Artifice Books' "solid reputations within the industry".

The publishers, which previously supplied bookshops, galleries and organisations with high-end illustrated books (respectively on the visual arts, and architecture, art and design), ceased trading on 5th January 2018 with all 22 employees were made redundant.

The company, founded in 1993 by director Duncan McCorquodale, blamed "cash flow problems and considerable creditor pressure" for its demise, which forced the company into voluntary liquidation, according to a statement from Bennett at Leonard Curtis Business Solutions Group.

The liquidators said previously that Black Dog owed a total £784,445 to creditors, including nearly £50,000 to HM Revenue and Customs and just short of £7,000 to Islington Council. Employees are also owed more than a month’s wages and there are outstanding balances payable to international printers.

St James’s House Media Group, an "unconnected" party to the previous owners, is part of a creative media group that delivers "bespoke solutions", business and marketing expertise to a global client base including brands, governments and campaigning bodies. The company is based in London and claims to attract 700 new clients every year.

The company is yet to comment on the purchase of Black Dog Press and Artifice Press.