VERY RARE & CHARMING 1828 POCKET GUIDE BOOK to LETTER-WRITING & CORRESPONDENCE.

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NEWTON’S FAIR PRICE BOOKS ON EBAY. Over the next few weeks I will be listing a number of antiquarian and scarce second hand books on eBay. I have researched the going rates for volumes in a similar condition on various internet book sites and intend to start my items off at a fraction of those prices. DETAILS OF THIS ITEM: The Universal Letter-Writer and Complete Correspondent: Being an extensive Collection of Letters and Answers on LOVE, COURTSHIP, MARRIAGE, BUSINESS, TRADE, FRIENDSHIP etc., etc., etc. Pub: W. Wilton, London, 1828. 12 x 7 cm. 160 pages. Exceptionally rare. There is currently not a single copy of this book for sale on the 140-million-volume Abebooks antiquarian bookdealers' website, nor can I find any other references to it on the internet. Utterly charming period item in gentlemen's pocket / lady's reticule size. Sweet, crisply printed title page and frontispiece. Please excuse blurry, mobile phone photos. Jam-packed with goodies. Introduction on Letter-writing style is followed by hundreds of specific and fascinating examples, all titled - viz. 'From a Gentleman in town to a young Lady in the country whom he had seen the previous day for the first time - declaring his passion', or 'From a young Lady peremptorily forbidding the addresses of a Gentleman who had offered her an insult'. Or this one: 'From a Daughter to a Father, wherein she dutifully expostulates against a match which he had proposed to her with a Gentleman much older that herself' - there are scores of lovely examples like this, many with 'Favourable' and 'Unfavourable' alternative answers. Other chapters are on business and trade correspondence, letters for servants, letters of courtship and invitation etc. Other unusual eventualities are covered, and there is a specimen letter 'From a person afflicted with the Dropsy, to be admitted into an Hospital' - note the lovely, period 'an' ! There is a fascinating chapter of formats for formal cards, invitations and 'Complimentary Cards', viz. 'Miss Dickers's respectful compliments to Lady Morgan, entreats the honour of her company this afternoon to take tea. Monday Morn.' or 'Miss Posford's compliments to Miss Runder, hopes she got safe home, and is in health after the fatigue of sitting up so late. Friday Morn'. This is still the Georgian age of Jane Austen in the tone and in references to Vauxhall pleasure gardens and the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane etc. Also in the tone of genteel sociability, all just on he cusp of the Victorian Age but still looking back to the 18th century. Talking of Kings and Queens, the book ends with formal styles of address to Royalty, Nobility, Ambassadors, Corporate Bodies etc., etc. CONDITION. The book is in unusual condition. The book seems hardly to have been used and is fresh, crisp, clean and tight with front and back cover printing legible and unrubbed - BUT at some stage the front cover has become detached all along its hinge and now hangs onto the the rest of the volume by two ribbons of paper partially torn from the first free endpaper ; please note and study this damage before bidding. An expert bookbinder/repairer should be able to do something about this and to restore the volume to something like original condition. It is certainly worth it. Note a previous bookseller's price of £45 pencilled in the front with a bibliographic note. MY STARTING PRICE: Given the extreme rarity, general good condition (apart from cover) and great charm of this delightful little book, a staring price of just under £25 does not seem unreasonable. INTERNET PRICE COMPARISON: Can't make one: see above. MY STARTING PRICE: £24.99. NOTE: I will presume that most people looking at one of these listed books will know it already - or have some knowledge of the general subject matter - and I will illustrate it with only one or two photographs and the minimum of wording. I hope that my comments can be taken with confidence; I have a Fine Arts degree from the University of Cambridge and have been collecting and ... read more

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