[SALESMAN'S SAMPLE BOOK] THE COMPLETE WORKS OF ROBERT BURNS [WITH PROSPECTUS]

Philadelphia: Gebbie & Co., Publisher's, 1886. Large 8vo.; in flexible tan cloth boards with decorative border in a thistle patterns and a vignette in gilt; the pagings are of course various; with an engraved portrait of Burns as frontispiece and sample sheets of text and poems as well as a number of sample engraved illustrations; with sample spines to two available styles of binding -- one in half calf over marbled boards, folded in at the upper board, and one in cloth attached to the rear pastedown; there are also a sample front and rear covers of wrappers for the issuing of the book in parts [this we have not seen before in a Sample Book]; the leaves of the pages for "Autographs of Subscribers" the subscription leaves are blank and are separated by lightweight mauve paper to prevent smearing.~~Laid in is a manuscript copy letter addressed to "Sir" from James Barclay of 747 Dorchester St. in Montreal, dates Aprl 9th, ‘86. The letter expresses pleasure at the first Volume and the prospectus" "It is beautifully printed and well illustrated & the plan is excellent & by the marginal notes it renders the most Scoth, even of the Poems, easily intelligible to an English reader."~~An unusual sample book, especially with the sample wrappers for the book in parts.~~The binding is a bit shaken, and the covers have some staining.