The Man Without A Country by Edward E. Hale (S.F. Public Library Copy), 1915 🇺🇸📜⚓️

This is a top-shelf documentary artifact of American literary and institutional history: The Man Without A Country by Edward E. Hale.

The volume is an authenticated illustrated edition published by Little, Brown, and Company, Boston. It is distinguished by its verifiable institutional history from the S. F. Public Library.

The copy's value is secured by the non-replicable chain of ownership and its function as a tangible record of a major American library’s mid-century collection.

2. About the Artwork/Book/Object 📖✍️✨ The novel tells the story of Philip Nolan, a young officer condemned to eternal exile at sea for his treasonous remark: "I wish I may never hear of the United States again!". The story is presented as a series of documents ("From the Ingham Papers") which lend it an air of false authenticity.

The core theme is the profound cost of forsaking one's national identity, which resonated deeply during the Civil War. The physical book features black-and-white full-page illustrations, including one titled "Nolan took the book and read to the others," highlighting the ritual of reading at sea. The original intent of the work was to contribute to the formation of a true national sentiment.

3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️ Edward Everett Hale (1822–1909) was a prominent American author, historian, and Unitarian minister. He was an active social reformer and a nephew of the renowned American statesman, Edward Everett.

Hale was part of the influential Boston literary scene, known for works that combined moral clarity with accessible narrative. He consciously utilized his talent for storytelling to write patriotic fiction during the Civil War to bolster Union morale. The original publisher, Little, Brown, and Company, is one of the oldest and most respected publishing houses in America, further cementing the book’s institutional pedigree.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜 The novel was conceived in the summer of 1863, during the most brutal year of the American Civil War. It was written expressly as a "contribution... toward the formation of a just and true national sentiment" at a time when the nation's integrity was at risk.

The physical book, printed in 1915, exists in the Progressive Era, shortly before the U.S. entered World War I. The story's renewed popularity during this time reflected America's growing sense of global power and the need to instill civic duty and patriotic solidarity in its citizens. The book functions as a tangible record of how American literature was utilized as a tool for national identity building across two critical centuries.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️ This volume is an essential acquisition for a curator of American Civil War History and Institutional Library Artifacts.

It is ideally suited for a collector who specializes in documented institutional copies from major American metropolitan centers. The S. F. Public Library stamp and inventory numbers transform this classic reprint into a highly specific artifact of San Francisco’s reading culture. The book belongs in a collection that prioritizes traceable narrative above mere physical perfection.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️ This book is approximately 110 years old, surviving World War I and the Great Depression.

Its scarcity is low as a later illustrated edition. The monetary value is sustained entirely by its Provenance Premium. The indelible stamp of the S. F. Public Library and the multiple inventory codes, including the processing date of 1-20-22 (January 20, 1922), provide a non-replicable chain of institutional history. This documentation elevates the volume from a common copy to a verifiable artifact of local American history.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨ The physical condition has been assessed directly from the provided high-resolution photography. The book is deemed to be in Good Antique Condition, with wear consistent with its long history of institutional use.

• Binding: Bound in original publisher's brown cloth.

• Text Block: The text block is secure and square.

• Markings: Features the faint, indelible Ex-Libris stamp of S.F. Public Library on the title page.

• Inscriptions: Contains several handwritten and stamped inventory codes on the copyright and rear free endpapers.

• Wear: The cloth binding shows typical fading and rubbing along the edges and spine ends.

• Internal Image: Contains a black and white frontispiece illustration that is fully intact.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• Mistaken for Fact: The story was so convincing that many contemporary readers believed Philip Nolan was a real person and that the account was historical fact, achieving Hale's precise objective of boosting patriotism.

• The Motto: Philip Nolan's tragic final words, "Bury me in spite of myself... in my own, my native land!" are a cornerstone of American literary patriotism.

• The Treason Connection: The fictional banishment of Nolan is rooted in the real-life conspiracy of Aaron Burr, who was tried for treason in 1807, providing a historical anchor for the narrative.

• Peruvian Influence: Hale noted in a postscript that a Spanish translation of the story proved useful in "quickening national feeling in the trials of Peru," demonstrating the story's unexpected global political impact.

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

• Object Type: Illustrated Antique Novel (Ex-Library Copy)

• Author: Edward E. Hale

• Title: The Man Without A Country

• Year/Period: 1915 (Illustrated Edition)

• Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company

• Place of Origin: Boston

• Format/Binding: Publisher’s Brown Cloth

• Edition/Rarity: Later Illustrated Edition, Documentary Artifact

• Transcription of Markings (Key):

  • Library Stamp: S.F. PUBLIC LIBRARY

  • Inventory Code: H161:9C / 1 76513

  • Checkout Date: 1-20-22 / yqt