Sample Books: Philadelphia Rare Books

Philadelphia Rare Books & Manuscripts Company - Early Printed Books, Substantive Manuscripts, U.S. and Latin Americana, Mexico & New World Languages, Hispanica, Histories & the History of Ideas, Travels, Cookery, Law, Religion, & Bibles (All Antiquarian)

SAMPLE BOOKS

In the 19th and even into the 20th century, books were often sold door-to-door by salesmen (and -women) bearing "sample books" like those in this offering. These were mini-versions of the books being sold that had been specifically designed for an agent's show-and-tell—bearing, usually, the volume's title-page, table of contents, and most thrilling illustrations and "bits" (sometimes from proofs or early states), with standard and perhaps optional binding samples glued to the pastedowns. Also present might be "bound-in leaves of recommendations, advertisements, and conditions of sale, tipped-in sales speech slips, handbills, and broadside puffs, loosely inserted leaflets and pamphlets of sales advice, and leaves and chits of manuscript additions solicited by agents from their territories' influential citizens" (Arbour, xi).

Buyers should be aware that consecutive reading of extensive blocks of text is not possible with the "samples" below—they were DESIGNED to be tantalizing!

ENJOYABLE Dictionaries for Adults & Children

(Saleman’s Sample Book). Lewis, William Dodge, ed. The new Winston simplified dictionary and reference library. Philadelphia: Universal Book & Bible House, copyright 1937. 8vo (22.5 cm, 8.9"). Frontis., [approx. 145] pp.; 25 plts. [with] Brown, Thomas Kite, Jr., ed. The new Winston simplified dictionary for young people. Philadelphia: Universal Book & Bible House, 1937. Frontis., [approx. 126] pp.; 20 plts.
$150.00

The outer binding is red textured cloth with the front cover stamped in black and gilt, and the interior front cover sample for the children’s version is a different red textured cloth stamped in black. The leaves for subscribers’information are unused.

• Not in Arbour. Publisher’s cloth as described above, gently worn with corners rubbed and small scrape to front cover. Interior clean.

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