Marder, Luse, & Co. was founded in 1855 as the Chicago Type Foundry and Printer's Warehouse by C. G. Sheffield as branch of Elihu White's New York foundry, Farmer, Little & Co. This was the first type foundry to operate in Chicago. In 1863 the firm was purchased by John Marder, a bookkeeper for the firm, David Scofield, and John Collins Marder’s father-in-law who was also an employee of the foundry. The new company provided foundry type, electrotypes, stereotypes and letterpress printer's supplies. A. P. Luse became a partner in 1869 it became Marder, Luse & Company.