These reproductions are primarily schoolbooks. They were the cause of this personal mania, since my nom de plume is schoolmaster George Wolfe. The original hardbound form could not be retained due to the high cost, since a class needs multiple copies for each subject. Enough subjects have been printed to give students an excellent idea of the material they would be studying. Various cover stocks colored similar to the originals are being used. The original title page is usually printed on the front cover. Depending on condition and length of the original, some are complete copies, and some are long excerpts, usually the first several chapters.
Our Whole Country, 1861, John Barber & Henry Howe, 5x8", complete, in 14 parts, about 100 p each. $7.00 each.
A very thorough history of the U. S., printed on the eve of the Civil War, with illustrations by the author, who spent 4 years and 16,000 miles visiting every part of the country. Many interesting excerpts from other sources (identified). Organized by state, each section starting with the state history, geography, descriptions of major cities, and biographic sketches, interspersed with epitaphs, accounts of local historic events, local industries, monuments, etc. Printed with title page on front cover, title & part ID on spine, & series contents on back cover.
Part I - An outline history of the U. S. from the Northmen in 986 through early 1861: pages 1-126; B&W U. S. maps for 1803 & 1861.
Part II - Maine: p127-163; New Hampshire: p165-204; Vermont: p205-228.
Part III - Massachusetts: p229-296; Rhode Island: p297-328.
Part IV - Connecticut: p329-384; New York: p385-456.
Part V - New Jersey: p457-497; Pennsylvania: p499-558.
Part VI - Delaware: p559-568; Maryland: p569-597; District of Columbia: p599-610; Virginia: p611-670.
Part VII - North Carolina: p671-696; South Carolina: p697-734; Georgia: p735-770.
Part VIII - Florida: p779-801; Alabama: p803-823; Mississippi: p825-842; Louisiana: p843-870.
Part IX - Tennessee: p871-901; Kentucky: p903-941; color U. S. maps of 1803 & 1861.
Part X - Ohio: p943-1012; Indiana: p1015-1053.
Part XI - Illinois: p1055-1110; Michigan: p1113-1165.
Part XII - Wisconsin: p1167-1210; Minnesota: p1211-1227; Iowa: p1229-1266.
Part XIII - Missouri: p1267-1301; Kansas: p1303-1320; Arkansas: p1323-1330; Texas: p1333-1384.
Part XIV - California: p1385-1414; Oregon: p1415-1422; Washington: p1423-1425; New Mexico: p1427-1444; Arizona: p1445-1452; Utah: p1453-1462; Nevada: p1463-1465; Colorado: p1467-1470; Nebraska: p1471-1474; Dacotah: p1475-1476; Indian Territory: p1477-1479; Census data and indexes: p1481-1496.
McGuffey's New First Eclectic Reader, 1863, Wm H. McGuffey, 4x7", 80p, complete, including covers. $5.00
Beginning reader and speller, series of 1857. This was the current edition at the start of the Civil War. Contains illustrated alphabet, and reading exercises with new words listed at the start of each lesson.
Osgood's Progressive Second Reader, 1855, Lucius Osgood, 4x7", first 52 of 216p. $3.00
Beginning lessons in reading and spelling. Similar in style to McGuffey's, slightly more advanced material.
Fifth Reader, 1864, Marcius Willson, 4x7", 30 of 540p. $2.00
Advanced reader, chapter on chemistry. This reader was used to introduce the student to the various technical and scientific subjects. Thus, the basic principles of chemistry are accompanied by quotations from classical literature.
First Class Reader, 1847, R. D. Emerson, 4x7", first 40 of 276p. $2.50
Advanced reader for older students, prose and poetry selections. Typical material for a sixth year student, usually considered difficult by modern students.
English Grammar, 1847, Roswell C. Smith, 4x7", first 36 of 192p. $2.00
Intermediate level lessons on parts of speech, parsing.
Speller & Definer, 1839, E. Hazen, 4x7", 212p, complete in four parts. $12.00/set or $3.50 each.
Part I- nouns
Part II- verbs & adjectives
Part III- multiple parts of speech
Part IV-miscellaneous.
Intermediate lessons: Sections progress from short to longer words. Each word is followed by a brief definition. Excellent for spelling bees.
Ray's Arithmetic, Third Book, 1856, Joseph Ray, 4x7", first 56 of 220p. $3.00
Introductory lessons on notation, Arabic numerals, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Intellectual Algebra, 1847, David B. Tower, 4x7", first 40 of 208p. $2.50
Good introduction to algebra for older students.
Practical System of Modern Geography, 1833, J. Olney, 4x6", 2 long excerpts:
Intermediate to advanced: Illustrated, no maps. A slightly condensed version with many of the long geography exercises deleted. Includes primary industries, crops, cities, and geographic features for each state or nation.
Part I- United States, 68p. $2.50 ea.
Part II- Old World, 87p. $2.50 ea.
System of Modern Geography, 1847, Augustus Mitchell, 4x7", 334p, complete in four parts. $20.00/set or $5.50 each.
Intermediate to advanced: Illustrated, no maps. A more detailed description than found in Olney.
Part I- Physical Geography
Part II- U.S.
Part III- Americas & Europe
Part IV- Asia, Africa, Oceania.
Mitchell's Intermediate or Secondary Geography, 1850, Augustus Mitchell, 7x9", 40p, maps only. $2.50
Intermediate or advanced: Separate set of U. S. and world maps, as used with many geography texts of the period, no text.
1st Book of History, 1843, Author of Peter Parley's Tales, 5x7", 192p, complete in four parts.
Intermediate: Illustrated, including maps. Written in a mixture of current travelogue and history with some geography included.
Part I- New England & mid states, $3.50
Part II- Southern & western states with U. S. History, $3.50
Part III- Americas, $3.50
Part IV- Chronology and maps $2.00
or $11.00 for set.
2nd Book of History, 1836, Author of Peter Parley's Tales, 5x8", 192p, complete in two parts. $10.00/set or $5.50 each.
Intermediate to advanced: Illustrated, including maps. Companion volume to 1st Book. Part I- Britain, partial France; Part II- remainder of Old World, maps.
Governmental Instructor, 1855, J. B. Shurtleff, 4x7", 175p, in three parts, 8p missing. $10.00 set
Advanced students: A comprehensive description of the current state and federal governments.
Familiar Lectures on Botany, 1838, Mrs. Almira Lincoln, 5x7", 105p, excerpts. $6.00
Prominent botany text. Appendices of more than 1,000 common native and exotic flower species, alphabetically by Latin genus and specie; vocabulary; and common names. Very good for compiling lists of period flowers.
Key to Knowledge, 1817, by A Mother (Maria Elizabeth Budden), 4x5", 178p, complete in three parts, printed on linen texture paper. $6.00 set
Or Things in Common Use, a child's encyclopedia: descriptions of sources and methods of producing everyday items, from amber to isinglass to woolen cloth, printed in London, home study, intermediate level. Told as a series of very well written conversations among a mother, her daughter, and niece. This was the only original on hand-laid linen paper. By 1830 the change to machine made paper, usually cotton, was nearly complete.