About this Item
Size of binding: 9 ¾ x 12 ¾ x 1 ¼ (thick), 175pp., with handcolored, engraved titlepage, dedication page with colored coats-of-arms, Contents page, colored coat-of-arms of Ruf (Rueff) printed on coated paper with a tissue guard with text printed in red, and on p. 1 heraldic description of arms; fine, full-page black & white photo-engraved portrait of Frank A. Ruf (The American Historical Society. Eng. by E.G. Williams & Bro. N. Y.) + photo-engraved portraits of: Mrs. Alpha Haight Ruf, and a later, sepia-toned photo-engraved portrait of her; and engraved portraits of Caroline Haight Hatch-Adams and Alpha Haight Ruf (American Historical Society. Steel Engraving by Finlay & Conn), and another portrait of Caroline Haight Hatch-Adams (by Williams). Each family name mentioned in the Contents (see below) has a similar color-printed coat-of-arms plate on coated paper, some with details in metallic inks (silver) & with printed tissue guards; some have color-printed "lines of descent" pages on coated paper, as well. Other illustrations of earlier portraits, sites, homes, etc. (Zachariah Eddy home in Eddyville, Massachusetts; bust of Charles Sumner) are generally steel engravings (by Finlay & Conn, Campbell, etc.) printed on Japan vellum, as is the entire text (but not the colorplates). Initial letters, head & tailpieces in the text are hand-colored. Bound in full, dark blue crushed morocco leather with five raised bands on spine, gilt titles & floral tooling in compartments; front & back covers feature an inlaid, intersecting band in red morocco leather with laurel-leaf tooling, scallop-shell & ribbons; framing coats-of-arms which are also inlaid in blue, olive & red leathers (and red, olive & white on back cover), and richly gilt to form the Ruf (Rueff) arms on the front & Eddy arms on the back cover; four, double-lined gilt borders, dotted gilt line on cover edges; interior covers are doublures with wide, blue leather turn-ins with gilt borders, floral tooling; framing a central panel of red crushed morocco leather with five roses inlaid in white leather & gilt stems & leaves in the center of the panel; light blue, watered-silk endpapers, multicolored silk headbands; all edges gilt. In a sturdy (10 1/4" x 13 1/8") slipcase, which is covered in a blue, leather-grained, pebbled cloth. Semi-circular tan stain on lower front cover (just visible), edges of spine, raised bands, and corners & edges of covers show some age-related wear & rubbing, otherwise this is a fine (clean, unused) copy. Slipcase (which may be later than the book) is in fine condition. No printed limitation statement, printer's name or binder's stamp visible. May be a very small, special printing, or a number of specially bound copies for presentation to family members, or a copy custom-bound for just one owner. The earlier, first edition was published by American Historical Company in 1932. Rare item. Family names in the Contents: Haight (Line One); Plantz, Eddy (Line One), Sumner, Hall, Hatch, Haight (Line Two), Hitchcock, Ross, Parmelee, Fish, Titus, Washburn, Estabrook, Bullock, Ingraham, Downer, Bishop, Grafton, Hobart, Knight, Hunt, Webster, Hosmer, Harris, Clement, West, Franklin, Royce, Lathrop, Parker, Eddy (Line Two), Rowley, Palmer, Doggett, Stowers, Hull, Munson, Merriman, Beecher, Roberts. (Most of the above families have a color printed coat-of-arms & a color printed line of descent page; several variations of spelling are given for a few of the family names on the arms or descent plates). Scan shows part of the spine & part of the front cover, with the Ruf coat-of-arms visible. Weight: 6 lbs. Postage may be extra on this item. Seller Inventory # ABE-207981738
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