Bidspirit auction | 1888. Pratt, Mara L. American

1888. Pratt, Mara L. American History Stories, Vol. I. Educational Publishing Company. - This antique hardcover educational book is titled American History Stories, Vol. I, authored by Mara L. Pratt, M.D. The work was published by the Educational Publishing Company, which maintained offices at 50 Bromfield St., Boston; 70 Fifth Av., N.Y.; and 262 Wabash Av., Chicago, as stated on the title page. The copyright page confirms a date of 1888. This volume is part of the Young Folk’s Library of Choice Literature series, which is listed on the back cover. The book is an octavo format, bound in light tan paper-covered boards with a blue cloth spine. The front cover features a prominent blue and red illustration of a bald eagle clutching a striped shield, an olive branch, and arrows. Internally, the text is accompanied by numerous black-and-white line drawings and woodblock-style engravings depicting historical figures and scenes, including Christopher Columbus and Native American life. The interior pages are printed on cream-colored paper. The back cover features a printed list of titles within the series enclosed in a decorative border. The book exhibits significant wear consistent with age and use as a school text. The exterior shows fraying and loss of material at the head and tail of the cloth spine (photo 3). The corners of the paper-covered boards are bumped and worn, exposing the underlying board material (photo 1). There is general surface soiling and staining to the covers. Internally, the binding remains intact, although the front hinge shows some loosening. The pages display scattered foxing and minor damp staining, notably a brown circular stain on page 1 (photo 7). Small chips and tears are present along the edges of several pages, particularly at the bottom margin (photo 10). The blue cloth on the spine is faded and lacks any visible title or decoration (photo 3).