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SAMPLE BOOKS
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 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!
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Choices, Choices! — “The Best for All!”Bible. English. Selections. 1873. The illustrated polyglot family Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, together with the Apocrypha ... To which are appended, a concordance, the Psalms of David in metre, and also an illustrated Bible dictionary. Philadelphia: Quaker City Publishing Company, 1873. Folio (30.7 cm; 12.125"). Frontis., [approx. 126] pp., [17] plts.
Click the images for enlargements. bright full-color and illuminated full-page lithographic presentations of the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments, color-framed and illuminated Register pages for the inscribing of marriage, birth, and death dates, and heavy pink-paper “Family Portrait” pages offering room for the insertion of up to 16 photographs or cartes de visite. Samples of 15 full-page engravings of important biblical moments or influential people represent the much larger number to be had upon purchase of the actual Bible, these being truly lovely though mostly unsigned — and apparently they were to be printed on very good paper, for the examples here are almost entirely unfoxed.
more than 20 substantial tables, indices, epitomes, and short histories promised — enough being given of some of these latter to send a modern reader/researcher in the intersection of social and religious history in search of a full copy.
black-letter German-language edition to be sold without the multipart illustrated dictionary of the English edition but with other “valuable matter” promised in its stead; two leaves and the title-page of this are provided. At the very end, following the (blank) lined pages bound in for subscribers’ names, are eight smaller leaves of sales pitch and samples for the firm’s various Webster’s dictionaries.
Binding(s): Spine plain and the volume with very heavy sculpted boards, front cover in brown leather and rear one in black French morocco, each with arabesque panelling and biblical quotations surrounding a pointed oval containing the words “Holy Bible.” Front cover with quotations, oval and title, and other elements gilt; back one stamped in blind with oval and its contents only gilt; silk endpapers and all edges marbled. Two sample spines have been glued to the front pastedown, and an alternate front cover in black French morocco is glued to the back one; the second cover is gothic-ecclesiastical in style and its gilt “HOLY BIBLE” is crossed with a narrow banner reading, “THY WORD IS TRUTH.” 
A rather dizzying explanation of the binding permutations offered is bound in before the front fly-leaf.
• Not in Arbour, Canvassing Books. Bound as above, with rubbing especially to edges, spine, and back cover; offsetting from spine examples to front fly-leaf. Light to moderate age-toning depending on paper. A production that tells us something significant about the Bible book agent's sales calls: that is, 
with so much to show/share the bookseller's visits would not have been short and they would have been their own entertainment. (37245)
ENJOYABLE Dictionaries for Adults & ChildrenLewis, 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.
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. (6954)
For POST-1820 AMERICANA, click here. For COMMERCE / TRADE / 
For CHILDREN'S BOOKS, many
37 Examples ofCurwen Papers, Plus Notes & HistoryMcKitterick, David; Paul Nash. A new specimen book of Curwen pattern papers. Andoversford, Gloucestershire: Whittington Press, 1987. 8vo (27.5 cm, 10.8"). xii, 105, [3] pp.; 4 double-sided plts. (some col.), 32 color-printed samples. Portfolio: 5 fold. ff.
Click the images for enlargements.
one of just 85 copies bound by Smith Settle in quarter morocco and Curwen paper, with an accompanying portfolio containing five additional full sheets of pattern paper. The portfolio sheets were designed by Marx, Bawden, Lowinsky, and Friedlander, the latter contributing two patterns. The main volume was set in 12-point Monotype Lutetia (borrowed from the Libanus Press) and printed on Zerkall mould-made and Colorplan papers, with the plates and reprinted pattern papers done at the Senecio Press.
Provenance: From the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.
• Quarter dark blue morocco and vividly color-printed paper–covered sides with gilt-stamped title on spine, portfolio in matching paper, both housed in publisher's plain slipcase; portfolio spine and corners showing minor wear, main volume bright and fresh. Top edge gilt. One portfolio sample leaf with two short tears from one edge, papers otherwise in beautiful, crisp condition, as are the text pages of the main volume. A special copy in lovely condition. (39552)
For BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS, click here. For ART REFERENCE, click here. For ILLUSTRATED BOOKS, click here. For COLLECTED PRESSES
A Famous Designer's TRAVELOGUE of
His TRIP TO CHINA in 1984Miho, Jim. Kromekote opens up a whole new world. [New York?, Cincinnati?]: Champion International Corp., [1985]. 32mo (near miniature: 10 cm; 3.9375"). [48] ff.
Click the images for enlargements. 
handsome, well-chosen color photograph opposite on each facing leaf's recto.
Colophon reads: “Design [by] Miho. Printing [by] Hennegan Co. Cincinatti [sic]. Paper: Cover, Kromekot 15 cover/.010 Text, Kromekote enamel / 90 lb. Box, Kromekote Lith / 60 lb. Colorcast boxwrap, red on red.”
The near-miniature travelogue book is contained in a larger box measuring 19 x 19 x 2 cm (7.375" x 7,375" x .75").
WorldCat locates fewer than ten reported copies worldwide.
• Book in fine condition, box very good. A fascinating, evocative little production. (36984)
For CHINA, click here. For VOYAGES, TRAVELS, & books on“EXOTIC” PLACES, click here. For ART REFERENCE, click here. For COMMERCE / TRADE / For “GIFTABLES” — mostly $150
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PRB&M/SessaBks |  |
