Earth Knowledge book, "Specimen"

Discussion in 'Books' started by daveydempsey, Oct 3, 2020.

  1. daveydempsey

    daveydempsey Moderator Moderator

    I found this cloth covered book, Earth Knowledge, Book III by McDougall's Educational Company limited.

    It is strung and knotted rather than stapled.

    It is undated but by looking at the maps I think it was published after 1902 and before WWI.

    It mentions German East Africa, Prussia and the Kaiser Wilhelm Kanal which is now the Kiel Canal, Danzig and has no mention of War

    It is rubber stamped on the inside.

    "With the publisher's compliments *SPECIMEN*
    Trusting this series may be adopted"

    Would this stamp mean it was some sort of advertising gift to a school or college hoping they would buy more to use for education ?

    I can only find one other similar but that is marked Book#I although offered for sale as Book #IV on Amazon.

    With it being marked *SPECIMEN* and no others around have I got a rarity ?


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    daveydempsey, Oct 3, 2020
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  2. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    Sounds like a reviewer's copy/salesman's sample of the textbook world. Would think the stamp has about the same effect on value as markings on an ex libris volume, negative. JMO based on reading used book descriptions & prices.
     
    Bronwen, Oct 3, 2020
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  3. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

    WHY would that stamp be a ‘negative’ when it sounds, at least to me, more like a ‘positive’ comment???
     
    Aquitaine, Oct 3, 2020
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  4. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    While I like books with some trace of previous history - owner's siganture, bookplate, etc. - collectors want pristine copies, without stamps from libraries or textbook salesmen. Ideally one would have a mark-free set of all levels of the book that were printed.
     
    Bronwen, Oct 3, 2020
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  5. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    komokwa, Oct 3, 2020
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  6. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    Yes. I think Specimen means it's a sample copy that publisher supplied to schools for review in hopes it will be purchased (in quantities) and used as part of curriculum. Does seem to be scarce. (I see University of Oxford and University College London both have copies of Book II in their libraries.) Oh, here you go... May be this edition: Book III -- 1910.

    https://www.google.com/books/editio...UKEwig2sCOzpnsAhXUJjQIHTa-BfwQre8FMAl6BAgOEAM

    Debora
     
    Debora, Oct 3, 2020
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  7. 2manybooks

    2manybooks Well-Known Member

    I agree with @Debora's analysis - a sample sent to schools for consideration. In general, we have not found much interest or value in early school textbooks. This one does appear to be scarce, but that may be because it was not accepted for general use. Children's books tend to be popular with the generations that grew up with them and remember them fondly.
     
    2manybooks, Oct 3, 2020
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  8. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    Debora, Oct 3, 2020
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