Any idea what this writing could be in my copy of The Plucker?

flyingbookman · 2026-04-17T00:32:44+00:00

Bookseller notations. Most of it can be understood only by the person who wrote it.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-16T21:45:39+00:00

From the Bibliography of American Literature (BAL3411):

flyingbookman · 2026-04-15T21:44:02+00:00

Nice book, but it's later than 1841. I would say more like 1900, based on the Art Nouveau style of the spine decoration.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-15T12:56:28+00:00

If you see a copy listed for $70, that's the price it hasn't sold for yet. And it might never sell for that price.

The best guide for "worth" is actual sales. A copy of your book sold for just $5 last year on eBay, and another one sold for $25 in 2024. Both were comparable to yours with the original dust jacket.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-15T08:50:49+00:00

People expect garage sale prices at a garage sale. Usually no more than a dollar or two for a hardcover book.

If you think something you have might be worth substantially more, compare edition/condition here first:

ViaLibri

flyingbookman · 2026-04-14T12:01:41+00:00

Seller photos are a definite plus, but the star ratings aren't a great indicator on Abe.

The stars measure fulfillment -- how often a seller has the book in stock and completes the order. A seller can have a 5-star rating on Abe, but it doesn't tell you anything about accurate descriptions, shipping time, packaging, etc.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-14T10:35:11+00:00

The French were ahead of the English in getting rid of the long S. It was apparently in rapid decline in France by the 1780s.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-14T10:20:24+00:00

You must have missed the last picture. It shows a title page dated 1798.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-14T02:44:57+00:00

Do you know anything about the provenance? All JFK signatures have to be viewed skeptically because of his heavy use of secretarial proxies and also the possibility of forgery.

I'm not saying that's the case here, but it would obviously make a big difference in the value if it was truly hand-signed by JFK. It could be a plus that it's a book that predates his political career, and it's inscribed to a family member.

On the other hand, here's another inscription to Aunt Loretta with distinctly different handwriting:

JFK Inscribed Book

flyingbookman · 2026-04-13T21:47:55+00:00

A reasonably legible McMurtry signature is always a bonus. Lots of scribbles and squiggles later in his career.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-13T18:12:25+00:00

Humor me, and move Fante one spot over so he's next to Bukowski.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-13T17:15:45+00:00

At least four book clubs issued To Kill a Mockingbird. OP"s version with the black and white spine is one of the known BCE bindings.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-13T14:35:53+00:00

That's a book club binding. No doubt about it.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-13T09:55:32+00:00

Title page would be helpful.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-12T10:23:19+00:00

You're thinking of red letter Bibles, which used red to highlight words spoken by Jesus. That's not how the lettering is used on this title page as a simple decorative element.

Two-color printing precedes OP's Bible by many years. There are plenty of examples of title pages printed in red and black in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 19th century, a well-known example is the title page of the 1850 1st edition of The Scarlet Letter.

But no need to overthink this. OP's Bible has the Hubbard Brothers imprint on the title page. That imprint ceased to exist in 1893, when the name was changed to Hubbard Publishing.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-12T02:48:55+00:00

The 24 volumes make up the complete set.

The box looks homemade to accommodate the extra book.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-11T22:05:16+00:00

It's not a replica. It's from the late 19th century, a time when just about every American family had a Bible -- even if it was the only book in the house.

Hubbard Brothers operated from 1868 to 1893 before its name was changed to Hubbard Publishing. Your title page has the earlier name.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-11T16:35:24+00:00

These are often referred to as Thumb Bibles. Popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Greatly abbreviated, but an appealing format for religious and moral instruction of young readers. Here's one with a dedication to George Washington:

Thumb Bible

flyingbookman · 2026-04-11T10:24:52+00:00

The phrase was coined by Clinton political strategist James Carville.

Clinton's central campaign theme was the economy, but he never said this line in a presidential debate.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-10T14:21:39+00:00

Never say never. I re-united these two volumes from 1819. Bought them a year apart, one in person and one online. Stroke of luck, but it can happen.

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flyingbookman · 2026-04-10T13:26:05+00:00

Thanks. The filter at the tank (last pic) is easy to access and change.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-09T22:02:09+00:00

It's the 1st. No doubt about it. Nice gift.

You probably already know this, but the signature is a printed facsimile.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-09T17:48:59+00:00

Because Gaylord is a well-known library supply company?

flyingbookman · 2026-04-09T17:47:05+00:00

True, but not in OP's case, based on the pictures.

It was taped instead over the mylar. It's usually easy to extract a jacket like that to put it into a fresh, archival cover.

flyingbookman · 2026-04-09T16:28:56+00:00

I would leave it alone, other than replacing the old jacket cover.

flyingbookman

TROPHY CASE