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1900 antique SALESMAN SAMPLE 5 child books set CHINA BIBLE FAIRY TALES ALPHABET
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AI-assisted research disclaimer: This description was prepared with the assistance of AI tools using the photographs provided. Dates, edition details, and publication history should be independently reviewed by buyers for complete accuracy.
Rare and highly unusual circa 1900 traveling salesman sample binder containing five juvenile and religious book samples used for subscription or door-to-door book sales. The set is housed in its original flexible cloth-over-board salesman sample binder with folding presentation panels and original closure hardware. The binder measures approximately 7.25 x 10 inches.
Unlike complete editions, these are intentionally abbreviated salesman sample books created to showcase the appearance, illustrations, bindings, typography, and selected contents of the full published volumes while remaining lightweight and portable for traveling salesmen. The samples feature decorative front covers, exposed sample spines mounted inside the covers, selected preview pages, illustrated plates, advertising/prospectus material, and incomplete text blocks as originally manufactured.
Included titles are:
- The Beautiful Story of the Bible for Young People
- All Aboard for Fun
- True Stories About Boys and Girls of All Nations
- Good Old Fairy Tales
- Chinese Horrors and Persecution of the Christians
The collection contains colorful Victorian / Edwardian decorative bindings, engraved illustrations, chromolithographic imagery, decorative endpapers, and promotional sample pages. Particularly striking is the “Chinese Horrors and Persecution of the Christians” volume with dramatic scenes related to missionary-era China and late-19th-century conflict imagery. The juvenile and fairy tale titles include attractive illustrated material intended to appeal to families purchasing deluxe home libraries.
An excellent surviving artifact of early American subscription publishing and book marketing history. These salesman samples were working tools carried door-to-door and were often discarded after use, making complete surviving binders increasingly difficult to find today.
Condition is antique used with expected age and handling wear throughout. Flexible cloth-over-board binder shows rubbing, edge wear, fraying, corner wear, surface discoloration, and general age wear from use. Sample books show toning, handling wear, scattered looseness, and incomplete construction as issued for salesman presentation purposes. Please examine all photographs carefully for condition details and exact contents.
An outstanding display piece for collectors of:
- salesman samples
- subscription publishing
- antique juvenile books
- missionary / China material
- Victorian advertising
- decorative bindings
- publishing history
- fairy tale books
- early educational material.
CONDITION: Mottled cover, some tears on endpapers and a couple of pages, a couple of pages detached but included, but clean, light antique wear on books and pages. See listing description and photos.
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LOC:
LOC2: BOOKBOX15-TMKTK-F250419BDS165
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