The Album Writer's Friend

New York: J. S. Ogilvie and Company, 1881. Very good. Text block shaken and beginning to separate from spine; some light browning, extremities a little rubbed.. A fascinating look into the Victorian practice of album- and card-making: J. S. Ogilvie's Album Writer's Friend is comprised of "more than three hundred choice selections of poetry and prose, suitable for writing in autograph albums, Valentines, birthday, Christmas, and New Year cards" (title-page). Excerpts are organized into several sections, including: "Dedication Verse suitable for inscription on title pages of albums"; excerpts of "sentiment and affection" for loved ones; excerpts for birthday cards; "humorous" excerpts; and a number of miscellaneous lines of verse. Ogilvie (1843-1910) published writers as well as dime novels, how-to books, and two biographical works on Garfield.

Small 8vo (6.5" by 4"), pp. 64 in original publisher's cloth stamped in black.