Merle's Crusade by Rosa Nouchette Carey (Inscribed Edition), 1900 👧📜📚

1. Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This is a 1900 W. L. Allison Co. edition of Rosa Nouchette Carey’s novel, Merle's Crusade. The book is an example of late 19th-century bookmaking and children's literature. The volume is an artifact for a collector of vintage books.

This edition is distinguished by a personal inscription from 1900, which documents its early ownership and provides it with a specific history. The book is an example of the popular literature of the era. The inscription makes this a singular volume with a verifiable record.

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2. About the Book 📖✍️✨

Merle's Crusade is a novel that tells the story of a young girl named Merle. The narrative explores themes of family and community. The book was originally published in 1894 under the title The Old, Old Story by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, before being reissued as Merle's Crusade by other publishers.

The physical book itself, with its red cloth binding and gold lettering, is an example of the publishing standards of the era. The book's content provides a look into the social and cultural values presented in children's fiction at the turn of the century.

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3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️

Rosa Nouchette Carey (1840-1909) was an English novelist and children's writer. She was a figure in the English literary scene of the late 19th century, and her works are considered examples of the children's literature of that period. Her writing was known for its focus on family and community.

The publisher, W. L. Allison Co., was an American publisher that specialized in reprinting popular fiction. The company was known for producing low-cost editions to make literature available to a wide audience. This volume is a product of this publishing strategy.

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4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

Published in 1900, and an inscription date of 1900 places this book in the context of the turn of the 20th century. 

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5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This book is intended for a collector of 19th-century English literature, a collector of Rosa Nouchette Carey's work, or a collector of books with personal inscriptions. 

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6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

This edition of Merle's Crusade is a later printing. 

The price is a direct reflection of the book's condition and its personal inscription for an item that is 125 years old. 

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7. Condition 🔎📚✨ This book is in fair condition, with wear consistent with its age.

• The interior text block is clean and the pages are intact.

• The book has a red cloth binding with gold lettering on the spine.

• The spine and corners show wear.

• The pages are heavily toned and show some foxing.

• The inside front cover has a personal inscription.

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8. Translation of Inscriptions/Ephemera (Conditional) ✍️📜🔤

This book contains a personal inscription in ink on the inside front cover. 

• Transcription: "Bernice Bruner, Xmas. '00."

This inscription establishes that this volume was a gift to Bernice Bruner for Christmas in 1900. This detail provides a specific record of the book's early life.

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9. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• Rosa Nouchette Carey was a popular English writer of the late 19th and early 20th century, known for her family stories.

• Merle's Crusade was originally published under the title The Old, Old Story in 1894.

• W. L. Allison Co. was known for publishing affordable reprints of popular fiction for a mass audience.

• The personal inscription in the book from Christmas of 1900 documents the book's history as a holiday gift.