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The Transfiguration of Miss Philura, by Florence Morse Kingsley, (RARE, Hour-Glass Stories Edition), 1901 📜⏳✨

Name: The Transfiguration of Miss Philura, by Florence Morse Kingsley, (RARE, Hour-Glass Stories Edition), 1901 📜⏳✨
Brand: Wall Antiques
Price: 55.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$55.00

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1. Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This 1901 antique edition of "The Transfiguration of Miss Philura" by Florence Morse Kingsley is part of the Hour-Glass Stories Edition published by Funk & Wagnalls Company. This volume is a verifiable artifact from the turn of the 20th century, notable for its decorative binding.

The book is a sound acquisition for a literary collection, offering both historical context and aesthetic appeal. The presence of a prior owner's inscription and ex-libris tag adds a personal history to the volume.

2. About the Book 📖✍️✨

"The Transfiguration of Miss Philura" tells the story of a timid woman who undergoes a significant transformation after embracing a new philosophy. Guided by this new thought, Miss Philura sheds her anxieties and discovers a newfound sense of confidence.

Kingsley’s narrative explores the theme of personal growth and the potential for positive transformation, even in unexpected circumstances. The story is a concise work, typical of the Hour-Glass Stories Edition format which catered to a general readership with its small size and short length.

3. About the Author ✍️🏛️

Florence Morse Kingsley was a prolific American author of sentimental novels and short stories. Her works, including "The Transfiguration of Miss Philura," often explored themes of personal transformation and romantic relationships.

Kingsley’s stories were known for their lighthearted humor and optimistic outlook, appealing to a wide readership in the early 20th century. This volume represents a tangible connection to the career of a popular author of her time.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

Published in 1901, this book belongs to a period in American literature when lighthearted, inspirational fiction was popular. The book's thematic focus on "new thought" philosophies reflects a significant cultural trend of the time. This spiritual movement emphasized that mind and thought could heal and transform lives.

As part of the Hour-Glass Stories Edition, the book represents a publishing trend of producing small, compact, and quick-to-read narratives that were both affordable and aesthetically pleasing. This format made literature accessible to a broader audience who sought concise, engaging stories.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This book is for a scholar of early 20th-century sentimental fiction or a curator of decorative book bindings. The volume’s intricate window motif, vines, and roses on the pictorial cloth binding make it a collectible item for those who appreciate early book art.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

This 1901 First Printing of the Hour-Glass Stories Edition is 124 years old. Its value is in its condition, literary history, and decorative binding. The pictorial cloth binding, with its intricate design, is a classic example of early 20th-century decorative book art.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

Used hardcover edition with a decorative pictorial cloth binding.
The pages are age-toned but remain clear and legible.
The binding shows visible wear consistent with its age, including rubbing, scuffing, and some loss of the original finish, particularly on the spine and edges.
The colored stamping shows some fading but remains largely discernible.
A prior owner inscription and a small ex-libris tag are on the front endpaper.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

The Hour-Glass Stories Edition series was an innovative concept by Funk & Wagnalls Company, intended to provide short, high-quality fiction for busy readers.
The book’s decorative binding, with its window motif, vines, and roses, is a reflection of the popular Art Nouveau style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Florence Morse Kingsley was a prolific writer, publishing over 40 books and countless short stories throughout her career.

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰