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The American Speaker (1811), First Edition
$940
£714.17
€820.73
CA$1,320.35
A$1,437.16
CHF 761.50
MX$17,284.05
NOK 9,682.29
SEK 8,872.75
DKK 6,130.80
About the Item
This is a rare and historically significant American schoolbook, highly desirable to collectors of early American imprints and educational history.
A rare and important piece of early American educational history: The American Speaker, a collection of popular, parliamentary and forensic eloquence, explicitly compiled for use in seminaries in the United States. Published just over two decades after the U.S. Constitution, this book was central to teaching rhetoric and public speaking to young citizens in the new republic.
Title: The American Speaker: A Selection of Popular, Parliamentary and Forensic Eloquence
Compiler/Author: Anonymous (Uncredited, as common for school readers)
Publisher: Published by Birch and Small (A. Small, Printer), Philadelphia
Publication Date: 1811
Edition: First Edition (Confirmed by the 1811 Copyright Entry for the District of Pennsylvania)
Format: Small format (duodecimo or 12mo), bound in contemporary full calf leather.
Content Notes: The Introduction explicitly states the aim is to infuse patriotism and support for the highest and most honorable stations in the republic.
Binding: Features a simple original red leather spine label with gilt lettering (partially visible).
Condition Assessment
The book is in Fair to Good Antique Condition, a remarkable survival given its intensive use as a schoolbook from the early 19th century.
Exterior: The contemporary full calf leather binding is heavily worn and scuffed, with significant rubbing, chipping, and cracks along the joints, typical of a book over 210 years old. The binding, while worn, is intact.
Interior: Pages display heavy, notable browning, tanning, and extensive moisture staining (water rings/tidemarks) throughout, particularly on the endpapers and title page, a signature of early schoolbook usage.
Provenance: Features significant early American ownership inscriptions on the endpapers, including names and a clear dated entry of "March 21st, 1820"—a valuable piece of provenance confirming its early use in the decade following publication.
- Dimensions:Height: 7.25 in (18.42 cm)Width: 4.5 in (11.43 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1811
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. See product description.
- Seller Location:North Palm Beach, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU7517247531142
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