Specimen Book (29 results)

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. Color Specimen Photos By Derek Fell, B & W, Line Drawings, Charts (illustrator). Copyright Date: 1976 Sm Octavo, 1976, PP.48, A Small Basic guide to Garden Methods.

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. Color Specimen Photos, B & W, Line Drawings, Charts (illustrator). Copyright Date: 1961 Sm Octavo, 1976, PP.48, A Small Basic guide to Planting In Containers.

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. Color Specimen Photos, B & W, Line Drawings, Charts (illustrator). Copyright Date: 1976 Sm Octavo, 1976, PP.48, A Small Basic guide to Shade Trees Very Good, Owner Name Stamped To Cover.

Softcover. 35 pp.; 12" x 5"; green wrappers. Light soil. Near fine condition.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. South Hadley Falls, MA: Hampshire Paper Company, 1930. Paper specimen book, ca. 1930, for Dartford Bond papers manufactured by Hampahire Paper Company (trademark for this paper was taken over by Byron Weston Co. of Dalton, MA in 1949. Illustrated hardcover, 10.75" tall, about thirty samples plus title page and introduction, plain glassine dustjacket. Looks and feels new and unused, no names or other markings, some age-darkening and minor edge chips to glassine dustjacket. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.

Hardcover. Condition: Good. First Edition. Boston: Machine Composition Company: The Composing Room of New England, 1941. 1941 type specimen book in blue cloth lettered in gilt, tabbed sections separated by color dividers, 11" tall. Pockets inside front and rear covers are empty. Soem rubbing to the extremities, good hinges, sound text block, clean pages with no names or other markings. First Edition. Hard Cover. Good. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.

Wrappers. Condition: Very Good. [n.p, n.d., ca. 1900?] [33 p.], original wrappers, cover-title, 2 tipped in specimens of letter sheets with Japanese print borders in colour, one of which is stamped, "Jin & Tamura, 72 Cordova St., Vancouver, B.C." Some damp staining, generally very good. The blank fly-leaf is stamped, "Compliments of J.S. Miller, M.P.P." An unusual artifact.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Half cream cloth with paper-covered sides, cover label, large 4to., 71 four-page specimen sheets each with a printed page and a description of the paper. One of 500 numbered copies of the second edition prepared for the American friends of Canson. Four page introduction and history of the company. Bookplate, business card affixed to the front paste-down, along with a small ink stamp. Paper clip stains to a few pages. Covers moderately soiled and worn, still a very good copy of this large paper specimen book.

Soft cover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. 46 leaves of type specimens, done in large sizes, mostly grotesques. 80 leaves of blocks, some full-page, some colour. The block feature various patterns, fruit, fish, shoes, fashion, cakes, dogs, etc). Grey card wrappers, titled in plum, stud-bound. Rare. A near fine copy. Not listed on COPAC. The types - mostly Stephenson Blake - include many showings of Granby, Glenmoy (1931), Scarab (1937), Thorowgood (1953), Thorne (1940s), Chisel (1940s).

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Livre pour un petit garçon bien sage, imprimé par Jules Didot aîné, en trente caractères; depuis les plus gros et les plus simples, jusqu'aux plus petits et aux plus compliqués, orné de douze estampes coloriées par Mr et Me Colin, et Mr Aubry, et d'une grande quantité de politypages. Ouvrage spécialement consacré à perfectionner les enfants dans la lecture, et à leur inspirer le goût du dessin. - Oblong 12°. (4 l), (1 p), 79 p; 12 non-paginated lithographic plates bound in-between the pages. Plates and pages partly handcoloured. paper-covered cardboard binding, back damaged and plates with a horizontal crease each. Pages foxed, in parts heavily. Overall very good condition for a children's book - Unique and very rare combination of a specimen book of Jules Didot's characters and a children's book designed to habituer les enfants à lire toutes sortes de caractères, depuis le romain et l'italique, employés généralement pour l'impression de tous les livres, jusqu'aux caractères d'écriture, en anglaise, en ronde et en gothique. - The only other copy I could trace on the market was sold at auction by Pierre Bergé in 2018 at 6.015.-.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Philadelphia, New York, Boston: Dill & Collins Co. Paper Makers, 1918. First edition, 1918. Book of graphic art by American designers as printed on specimens of Dill & Collins papers. Beautiful presentation, with full page color plates, tipped on samples, decorative initials, etc., with brief biographies of the artists. Includes list of artists and list of papers used at the front. Decorative hardcover, just over 11 inches tall. Covers have edgewear, small chip to spine head , good hinges, sound text block, clean pages, no names or other markings. Designers include: Bruce Rogers, Louis Fancher, W. P. Schoonmaker, Edward Penfield, Louise Ames Norman, Frederic W. Goudy, Ralph Fletcher Seymour and many others. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.

Stiff boards. Condition: Very Good. Two volumes. n.d. 4to, pp. unnumbered. Previous owner name embossed on front cover, page edges sunned, scattered notes in pencil.

28pp., landscape 12mo, printed on rectos only of 28 leaves. Dimensions 21 x 15 cm. In brown card wraps with brown cloth tape spine over staples. In fair condition, on aged thick paper, with foxing to title leaf, and damp staining at foot of first and last few pages. Printed decorative border on front cover, with same border in black ink on title page, enclosing the title in block capitals in red ink: 'SPÉCIMEN | DE | CARACTÈRES, VIGNETTES | & FILETS | LINOTYPE'. Subtitle also in red ink in smaller font size in bottom right-hand corner: 'ENTIÈREMENT EXÉCUTÉ | SUR MACHINES | A COMPOSER LINOTYPE'. Title and page of 'CALIBRAGE' followed by twelve pages printed in black within red decorative borders; then six pages (plus page with section title) of 'Nos Séries de Caractères linotype pour Annoces et Titres'; then three pages (plus page with section title) of 'VIGNETTES | & FILETS | LINOTYPE'; then two pages of 'COMBINAISONS OBTENUS AVEC NOS FILETS ET VIGNETTES LINOTYPE'; and a last page explaining a 'Quadrillé fondu sur Linotype'. Specimens containing dates 1922, 1932 and 1932. Scarce: no record on COPAC or WorldCat, and none in catalogue of the Bibliothèque Nationale.

First Edition. HAPPY THOUGHT & GLEAMINGS FROM SHAKESPEARE & AESOP AND APPLICATIONS, Dempsey & Carroll, 1882, first edition, wear to lower front corner tip, else just about a vg copy in gold-gilt stamped cloth with gold-gilt page edges. A printers specimen book in both color and black & white. Inscribed by the firm on the f.e.p. Scarce.

Revised Edition. Attractive specimen book from Wendell Wilbur Fish, a native of Bakersfield, who in 1920 opened his first office in L.A. becoming one of the earliest "advertising typographers" in the area. In The Pacific Printer and Publisher,October 1922, we find a review of some of Fish's work: "[Fish]. has made a special study of good typography. He is recognized as an authority on the subject of typographical treatment of financial advertising for newspaper purposes. But he has also put into type some of the largest campaigns for firms of national repute, a versatility of treatment and design enabling him to get the highest utility as well as appropriateness into the printed message." We find little mention of Fish outside of these trade journals from the 20s and 30s. He must have been somewhat prominent for quite some time, with this revised edition of his collection of type appearing some 25+ years after he began in the trade. OCLC cites 5 holdings for 3 (likely only 2) versions of this specimen book, with just 1 on the revised edition at the Wolfsonian Library, FIU. 4to, 12.5x9.5" 83pp. Specimens printed in black on a variety of stock with decorative page borders of different colors. Original tan cloth covers, with 3-brad binding, spine lettering and fish logo in red, with blue lettering on front cover. Some toning to pages, single marginal tear to page 64. Boards bumped and worn. Very good.

Most unpaginated, though each of the 11 almanacs ~ 40 pp. Yellow printed wrappers for each. Publisher "Specimen Copies" leaflet tipped-in to ffep. Illustrated with cuts. 8vo. 8" x 5-1/8" Ayer an enterprising young druggist who hailed from Groton, CT. By his mid-to-late 20s he owned his own business, and in 1843 he introduced Cherry Pectoral, for pulmonary complaints, to great acclaim & demand. The other 'cures' offered herein appeared over the next 24 years. Ayer took in his brother, Frederick, as partner in 1855, the firm then becoming J. C. Ayer & Co.; with this transformation began the extensive print advertising for which the firm would become known. "J.C. Ayer & Co. (later just Ayer & Co.) continued to manufacture medicinal products under the management of Frederick Ayer until his retirement around 1893. Frederick Ayer was still president of the company when he died on March 14, 1918. The company continued to operate in Lowell under the management of family members and professional managers until it finally left Lowell around 1943." [Cliff Hoyt website]. This particular volume used, no doubt, as a multilingual 'salesman's sample' book, giving examples of the divers language editions of Ayer's Almanac. We note the volume not recorded by Romaine, nor Zinman. OCLC records 4 holding institutions of this volume, though none west of the Rockies. General shelfwear. Bit of biopredation to boards. Overall, a Very Good copy. Original publisher's black cloth spine over printed buff paper boards [rear board advert for 5 medicines, captioned, noting directions printed in 17 languages, including Latin, Greek & Chinese]. Yellow advert eps: front, "Ayer's Hair Vigor" & "Press Notices --- 1880"; rear, adverts in Chinese (?) for "Ayer's Ague Cure", "Ayer's Cherry Pectoral" & "Ayers's Compound Concentrated Extract of Sarsaparilla." 1st edition thus, i.e., for this year (Atwater S-87.9).

Condition: Fine. Number of books: 22.

A fine early twentieth-century example of a nursery specimen book, produced in this case by Vredenburg & Co. of Rochester for Hiram H. Gurney & Co. Gurney & Co., based in Auburn, Me., received horticultural orders through a network of agents who used such specimen books in their canvassing. This book highlights the printing company's versatility with tinted and enhanced photographs as well as the striking lithography for which these specimen books are known. Laid in are a number of salesman's order blanks for 1911 as well as an agent's certificate from the company, affixed to the front free endpaper. Original black buckram with "Hiram H. Gurney & Co." stamped in gilt on the upper board. Small loss to one corner of upper board, occasional wear to plates. Three-inch closed tear to one plate. Generally quite clean. Very good.

Bennekom/ Amsterdam, G. Schreuders, n.d. (1907), (4) text-pages and 54 coloured, monochrome and b/w specimen-plates designed by K. van Leeuwen, lithography by "Typ. Amst. Boek- en Steendrukkerij v/h Ellerman, Harms & Co., loose as issued in original clothbacked board portfolio with cloth ties, decorated in red, yellow and brown by K. van Leeuwen, oblong folio (28,6 x 37,8 cm.). = Lommen, Theosophy and Lettering Klaas van Leeuwen's Letterboek voor den teekenaar en ambachtsman, 1907 (2025), p.6-7: "In the explantory notes, Van Leeuwen sets out his principles and describes the numbered sheets individually. With this publication, he aims to 'provide letter examples for those who have to use letters in their trade, either by executing them directly or providing a drawing for them. After all, the various ways in which letters can be applied in the former - painted, carved, engraved, or cut in stone - all rely on hand lettering, which is why it has been treated exclusively in this book. As opposed to the printing letter, we could therefore speak of the drawn letter here. Van Leeuwen also took geometrical constructions as a basis in his lettering: 'To (.) obtain unity of form in analphabet in the easiest way, it is necessary to draw the letters on simple basic forms, which for our alphabet are the square and the circle. From the circle and square with its diagonals and centre lines, the core shapes of our letters are developed.' Most of the designs are presented in a series of three sheets, successively depicting the construction, a letter overview/ alphabet and a fictional application, with room for minor variations. Each sheet is surrounded by an ornamental border."In 1988 a monograph on the designer was published on occasion of a large memorial exhibition by Margriet Knol: Klaas van Leeuwen 1867-1935 (Assen: Drents Museum). Stamp on title-page and inside portfolio. (Ambachtsschool Amsterdam). Backstrip partly worn.

An extensive nursery sample book, displaying fruits and flowering shrubs in a series of chromolithographic and pochoir stenciled plates. The plates are by two Rochester firms, J.W. Thompson and Stecher. Several of the chromolithographs are dated copyright 1888. The Thompson firm was active from 1876 to 1891. The handsome color plates show apples, peaches, pears, grapes, cherries, berries, and several flowering shrubs, as well as a walnut tree with sample nuts displayed. The eleven later plates were produced by Julius Bien in New York, dated 1901, and come out of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Yearbook. A handsome and large collection of early fruit plates. Seventy-seven leaves (one partial and detached), plus eleven later plates laid in. Oblong. Contemporary black morocco, gilt. Extremities rubbed, corners lightly worn. Front inner hinge broken, spine detached from text block. Light soiling and wear to plates. Still, good.

A specimen book of fruits and flowers compiled for the Chase Brothers Nursery Company of Rochester, consisting of handsome chromolithograph plates printed primarily by the Mensing & Stecher Co. and its successor, Stecher Lithography Company. Rochester was a hot spot for nurseries in the late 19th century. There is no titlepage, but the cover is stamped in gilt: "Chase Brothers Company, New England Nurseries, Rochester, N.Y. No. 2511." The specimen book displays a variety of apples, grapes, berries, roses, shrubs, and trees on offer by the firm. Oblong octavo. Contemporary brown morocco, gilt. Extremities rubbed. Internally clean and bright. Very good.

The plates are primarily printed with pochoir and stenciling, in a style typical of the early work of the Thompson firm, which was active from 1876 to 1891. Books such as this were used to sell fruit trees and shrubs, displaying the handsome fruits in vibrant colors. This volume is comprised primarily of apples, with several plates showing pears, plums, peaches, grapes, cherries, raspberries, and several shrubs. A nice, early specimen. See Raphael's OAK SPRING POMONA 65 for an album with similar Thompson plates. Oblong. Contemporary black cloth. Cloth worn at extremities, lightly frayed. Hinges cracked. Light soiling to some plates; children's doodles on the blank verso of some leaves. About good.

Salesman's specimen book for the Rochester Nursery Co., advertising a wide selection of apples, plums, grapes, trees, roses, and several varieties of berry, all shown in eighty-two full color plates. The book is marked as "No. 101" on the inside of the front cover. A nice example of chromolithographic fruit plates. Oblong. Original black cloth, stamped in gilt on cover. Light wear and soiling to binding. Minor dampstaining to contents. Very good.

Salesman's nursery sample book containing 146 chromolithographic for over a dozen types of plants, including many varieties of fruits and flowers. This book offers an extensive selection of apples, peaches, grapes, roses, and trees, among other things. A nice example. Contemporary leather wallet-style binding; leaves in three tri-fold sections, joined by pink linen straps. Moderate wear to binding, one clasp lacking. Minor soiling. Some contemporary manuscript notations. Very good. In a blue cloth clamshell case, leather label.

Extensive salesman's nursery specimen book from the Hoopes Bro. & Thomas Company nursery of West Chester, Pennsylvania, containing one hundred twelve chromolithographic plates. This book contains a mixture of plates, primarily from the Vredenburg and Rochester Lithograph Companies, both located in Rochester, New York. The plates range in date from the 1880s to the early 20th century. Specimens on offer include and extensive selection of plums, pears, cherries, apples, peaches, grapes, berries, roses, flowering shrubs, and trees. Original black cloth, wallet-style binding. Heavily worn. Folds open into eight panels, with each row of plates connected with pink linen straps. Some light wear and soiling to plates. Some contemporary notations. In a cloth clamshell case. Good.

Nursery specimen book containing forty-eight color plates, showing a wide selection of fruits, trees, and flowers. Specimens offered include a wide variety of grapes, berries, roses, and trees. Oblong. Original black cloth covers. Hinges cracked internally. Plates dampstained, with some offsetting. Good.

An extensive album of Rochester fruit plates, in a nursery specimen book for the Chautauqua Nursery Co. of Portland, New York, displaying a wide array of fruits, including many varieties of grapes, as well as trees, roses, and other flowers. Although there is no titlepage, as typical with these books, there is a printed label on the front pastedown, completed in manuscript, indicating that this book was carried by Mr. Frank Gasco, a certified sales representative for the nursery. Most of the plates are chromolithographs printed by the Rochester Lithographing Co., though a few are by D.M. Dewey or Stecher, both also of Rochester. Chromolithographic plates. Oblong octavo. Contemporary calf, cover gilt, expertly rebacked in matching calf. Light scattered soiling, a few leaves with minor edge tears. Very good.

Condition: very good. n.p. (Osaka?) 190-? 26x39cm; later makeshift card binding that appears to be from a printer; 76 colour lithographs. Definite signs of use, occasional tears but nothing too serious. These are rare. Specimen hikifuda do float around but this is because busy fingers have dismembered every sample book they can find. Here series and numbers are stamped on the back but are not consistent; still I found only three places where offsetting shows that a sample is missing, including the first plate.Hikifuda - small posters or handbills - were usually produced with the text panel blank. The customer, usually a retailer, had their own details over printed, so the same image might sell fine silk or soy sauce.From what I can see, if you wanted fine, delicate printing you went to Kyoto; if you wanted commercial publishing on a huge scale you went to Tokyo; and if you wanted brash, vivid to the point of lurid, advertising you went to Osaka. This particular set is marked by the bold and busy colours, strongly marked borders, ornate design and occasional extra embossing. More expensive series than standard? I would have guessed most to be earlier but I found two dates: 1911 and 1915, and the aeroplanes are a give away. *This item might cost more to post than quoted by abe.

Condition: very good. Osaka c1902. 25x37cm original string tied wrappers, title label; 60 colour lithographs. Some minor signs of use, stains and blotches; a remarkably good copy. Now this is rare. Specimen hikifuda do float around but this is because busy fingers have dismembered every sample book they can find. I knew they once existed because I've had a few individuals, each time noting the stab holes in the margin with some indignant grief. This is complete as issued.Hikifuda - small posters or handbills - were usually produced with the text panel blank. The customer, usually a retailer, had their own details over printed, so the same image might sell fine silk or soy sauce. The colophons that have survived the trimmer in this book date between 1899 and 1902. Each hikifuda is numbered on the back but not in any sequence. I haven't deciphered a printer's name in the colophons but I'm sure someone literate can.From what I can see, if you wanted fine, delicate printing you went to Kyoto; if you wanted commercial publishing on a huge scale you went to Tokyo; and if you wanted brash, vivid to the point of lurid, advertising you went to Osaka. I hope other printer's albums of Osaka advertising art have and will survive the breakers but I won't be holding my breath for the next one.The splendidly flamboyant and assertive modern young woman in stripes toward the end of the album is unlike any other I've seen from this period. A special copy (on heavier paper) of that was my first hikifuda purchase and is still my favourite. And since this album has just doubled the number I've handled, that's saying something. Another shows a hardworking young couple with the main caption 'Shiobara Tasuke' - who was a rags to riches merchant of the 18th and early 19th century. This makes sense but doesn't explain why the cheerful young woman is about to blithely put a cleaver through her kimono and/or arm while the falcon and the naval artist does explain why Japan has such a tradition of impossible bird's-eye views. There's stuff to learn here. *This item might cost more to post than quoted by abe.