Saleman’s Samples for Dummies
Jul 6th, 2012 by bachmann
Dating back to the mid-nineteenth century, publishers produces what has been commonly known as “salesman samples” or “dummies”. Booksellers used these samples in their door-to-door sales to entice customers and create interest in soon-to-be published titles. These sample books promoted the virtues of the publisher’s offerings, such as elaborate illustrations, or the use of high quality inks, stylish typefaces, durable paper, and/or in some cases, the choice of binding styles and cloth. The dummies emulated the structure of the common Jacob’s Ladder toy, enabling a salesman to flip back and forth between titles and highlighted illustrations. Ruled sheets were placed at the back of the volume to record sales transactions and the name and address of the subscriber. A prospectus sheet was often found at the beginning to help coach the salesman on the big sales-pitch.
“Our Matchless 50 cent book: On the opposite side you see the cover design of our beautiful Fifty Cent Book. It is bound in boards, with handsome lithograph covers, especially designed and engraved for us, and copyrighted. It is within itself a work of art, as is also the back cover to the book, both of which will charm the little folks. The complete book contains about 130 pages, making it four times as large as the specimen pages shown in the prospectus. NOTICE PAPER and PRINTING and BINDING ARE FAR BETTER THAN IS USUAL FOR THE PRICE.”
The specimen volume would advertise thematic works that complemented one another for gift-giving or personal library collections.
Typical prospectus
spine sample choices for one title
Chromolithograph Title Page Funny Stories
Cloth binding for American Pioneer Life
Eye-catching illustrations–HAWKEYE AND THE BEAR TAKE THE FOX PRISONER.
- Description:
- Funny stories and jolly plays for winter nights and summer days :a collection of catchy rhymes and amusing stories for our little ones to which is added the Child’s book of trades and Visit of St. Nicholas : [publisher’s sample]. Chicago, Ill. : Monroe Book Co., [1897].
- Persistent Link:
- http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:8730931
- Description:
- Fairy tales in easy words. New York : McLoughlin Bros., c1911.
- Persistent Link:
- http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:9829161
- Description:
- The Bluebell book of stories. New York : McLoughlin Brothers, [1903?].
- Persistent Link:
- http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:9829160
- Description:
- Animal friends. New York : McLoughlin Bro’s, [190-?].
- Persistent Link:
- http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:9829159
- Description:
- Shea, John Gilmary. The story of a great nation, or, Our country’s achievements :military, naval political and civil,. New York : Gay Brothers and Company, [1886].
- Persistent Link:
- http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:9826193
- Description:
- Half hour talks on character building :by self-made men and women : a stimulating volume for men and women in every walk of life. It will arouse to consciousness the spirit of moral adventure which leads to the power of initiative in the uplifting and building of noble characters : an entirely new and striking book, thoroughly human, interesting and sympathetic showing in a kindly way how to solve the problems and overcome the obstacles of everyday life : a practical book for every member of the family. [Chicago, Ill.?] : A. Hanning, c1910.
- Persistent Link:
- http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:9826916
- Repository:
- Widener Library
- Institution:
- Harvard University
