A nicely preserved book
 

Saturday I found a copy of Samuel Goodrich's *A Pictorial
History of America Embracing Both the Northern and Southern
Portions* (1847, Hartford: House and Brown). From limited
research, this seems to have been the first printing of the
book, which was reprinted a number of times in the following
decade. This particular copy was wrapped in nondescript
soft leather in the manner that a dust jacket might cover a
book. Unfortunately, it was glued to the endpapers and
removal required time and gentle attention. But once
removed, the book itself shined. The front and back covers
are of a bright glazed leather and the spine is as perfect
as I have seen in a book of that age, with the gilt very
nearly as bright as it must have been when published. I
infer that the soft leather cover preserved the beauty of
this volume for most of its life.

--
Francis A. Miniter

Oscuramente
libros, laminas, llaves
siguen mi suerte.

Jorge Luis Borges, La Cifra Haiku, 6

A nicely preserved book
 

Nice find!


"Francis A. Miniter" wrote in message
...
Saturday I found a copy of Samuel Goodrich's *A Pictorial History of
America Embracing Both the Northern and Southern Portions* (1847,
Hartford: House and Brown). From limited research, this seems to
have been the first printing of the book, which was reprinted a number
of times in the following decade. This particular copy was wrapped in
nondescript soft leather in the manner that a dust jacket might cover
a book. Unfortunately, it was glued to the endpapers and removal
required time and gentle attention. But once removed, the book itself
shined. The front and back covers are of a bright glazed leather and
the spine is as perfect as I have seen in a book of that age, with the
gilt very nearly as bright as it must have been when published. I
infer that the soft leather cover preserved the beauty of this volume
for most of its life.

--
Francis A. Miniter

Oscuramente
libros, laminas, llaves
siguen mi suerte.

Jorge Luis Borges, La Cifra Haiku, 6