The Lucile Project

...recovering the publication history of a single 19th century book.

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Rearranged by date of first appearance the list is:
Blue and Gold Series, [1894]-1896; Acme Library, 1895-1896; Half Morocco Bound Books: 1895-1896; Full Leather [i.e., morocco] Gift Books: 1895-1896; Eclipse Library: 1896; Twentieth Century Library/Series: 1896-1902; Alpha Library: 1897-1903; Half Calf Books for the Library: 1898-1902; American Library: 1898-1901; Antique Library: 1899-1905; Atlantic Library: 1900-1911; Two-Volume Sets: 1900-1902; Blue Bell Library: 1901-1902; Independent Series/Library: 1901-1911; Advance Library: 1902-1907; Full Leather [i.e., velvet leather] Library: 1906-1907; Greek Lamp Library: 1906-1911, 1913-1915.

1895-1896 PTLA:The Acme Library. A new library of standard books, by the best authors. Handsomely bound in cloth, gilt top, many being profusely illustrated. One Dollar.

1902-1907 PTLA: The Advance Library. Full Sized, 12mos. Retail, 50 cents per volume. Regular discount to the trade. The best titles from the pens of he most popular writers have been selected for this series. The mechanical part of the work is as near perfect as it is possible to make it. The books are printed on fine laid paper, free from ground wood and guaranteed not to become yellow with age. The text is in perfect, clear, readable type. The binding is linen book cloth, beautifully and artistically embossed in colors. In fact, it is the most attractive and durable series of standard publications on the market. [Cut].

1897-1898 PTLA: The Rand-McNally Alpha Library. A series of standard and popular works, carefully selected from the best authors. Bound in attractive green cloth cover, gold back and side stamps. Gold top. [Price not given].

1898-1899 PTLA: The Rand-McNally American Library. 8vos. Every Selection for this Series Is an Acknowledged Classic. Entirely new decorative features have been introduced, which are sure to please the taste of all cultivated Americans. The National emblems are artistically blended with other chaste and elegant designs on title-page and cover. Nothing approaching the novel and charming effects produced has ever been offered to the reading public of America. / These volumes are made uniform in size and style. They are printed in large type from new plates, on extra-wove paper, with deckle edges, having all the appearance of hand-work. They are exquisitely bound in a new style of English art-linen, with an insertion of rich moire silk ribbon made solid with the binding, crossing the front cover diagonally. The tops, side stamps, and back title are in gold. / The present is an opportune time for placing on the market this latest and greatest triumph of American bookmaking art. [Cut].
1900-1901 PTLA:[as 1899]. Retail, $1.50 per volume. Regular discount to the trade.

1899 PTLA: The Antique Library of Standard and Popular 12mos. This series comprises titles carefully selected from the standard works of the world's greatest authors, suitable for any library and attractive to readers of the most refined tastes. The books are well printed on extra laid paper, trimmed edge, equal to and indistinguishable from the best hand-made, and are bound in olive silk ribbed cloth, with richly ornamental and artistic gold and embossed side and back stamp, and gold topped. [Cut].
1900-1902 PTLA: [as 1899; same cut]. Price, $1.00 per volume. Regular discount to the trade.
1903 PTLA: The Antique Library [as 1902; same cut].

1900-1903 PTLA: The Atlantic Library of Standard and Popular 12mos. Price, $1.00 per volume. Regular discount to the trade. This series comprises titles selected from the standard and popular works of the world's greatest authors. The books are well printed on extra laid paper, trimmed edge, and are bound in olive silk ribbed cloth, with back stamp, and gold topped. [Cut].

1904-1911 PTLA: The Atlantic Library. Cloth, 12mo. Price, $1.00 per Volume. / Already to the front among the Rand-McNally libraries, The Atlantic Library is creating for itself a steadily increasing demand. It is another witness to the fact that there is always room in the market for good books when they can be supplied at a reasonable cost. The volumes included in the Atlantic Library hold a permanent and high place among the English Classics and they are, accordingly, issued in a form appropriate to the library. The books are printed on extra laid paper, with trimmed edges and gold tops and are bound in maroon silk-ribbed cloth [Cut].

1896 PTLA: The Blue and Gold Series. Exquisitely bound in various colors of best English linen cloth. Handsome gold design on front cover. Gilt top. Each in separate box. The best series offered at the price. $1.35 each. [Cut].

1901-1902 PTLA:The Blue Bell Library. Price $1.00 per volume. Regular discount to the trade. No library is complete until it contains all of the following books. The selection of titles and authors can not fail to please readers of the best books. The books are printed from large, clear, readable type on very fine laid paper, deckle edge, and are bound in heavy English book cloth, and have plain sides and fancy backs in gold. They are beautiful and valuable library books.

1896 PTLA: The Eclipse Library. A new select library of standard books, by the best authors. Handsomely bound in blue cloth, many being profusely illustrated. 75 cents each.

1895-1896 PTLA: Full Leather Gift Books. Finished in the handsomest manner throughout. Each book bound in morocco grained leather, and gilt edged. The best moderate priced full leather books on the market. Each in a separate box. Uniform price, $2.50.
1896 PTLA: as 1895, [with cut of Lucile].

1906-1907 PTLA: Full Leather Library. Illustrated. 12mo. Price, $2.50. An artistic novelty in standard fiction. Large size deckle edge, 12mo, bound in flexible velvet tan leather, edges extended, and handsomely embossed in original design in exact imitation of pyrography.

1906-1907 PTLA: The Greek Lamp Library. The One Hundred Best Standard Books, Cloth, 12mo, price 50 cents per volume. / A particularly handsome book for libraries. Durably bound and printed from new clear plates on a fine laid paper free from ground wood. The selection of titles has been carefully made and everything possible has been done to make this the most popular selling line on the market.
1908-1909 PTLA: [as 1906, with number of titles increased to 150; cut].
1910 PTLA: [as 1906, with number of titles increased to 200; cut].
1913-1914 PTLA: The Greek Lamp Library embraces a selected list of popular standard titles. Cloth, 12mo, 50 cents per volume. A particularly handsome edition for libraries. Durably bound and printed from new, clear plates on a fine laid paper free from ground wood. The careful selection of titles has made this series the most popular selling line on the market. Adapted to schoolroom use. [Cut].
1915 PTLA: [as 1913, with added note: "average wt. 18 oz.; cuts of seven bindings, including styles from Twentieth Century and Advance Libraries (This was probably a remaindering of all series under one series name].

NOTE:John Kyrgier's web site Series of Series reports a copy of Cooper's The Pathfinder in the dustjacket shown below right. The cover of the book has the Greek lamp centered on the cover of the binding, thus confirming it in this series. The jacket's rear panal bears a long (but unnumbered) list of titles which includes both Lucile and The Pathfinder, both of which were included in the Greek Lamp Library by or before 1908. Kyrgier argues the jacket was generic to the series, i.e., it was used on all volumes over multiple years, the "tab" at the top of the spine cut away in printing to expose the actual title of the book enclosed. Note also, however, the repeated use of this design on the covers of titles in the Independent Series displayed below. It is not obvious how Rand McNally may have printed or used dustjackets for this or other series.

1898-1902 PTLA: Standard Books for the Library in Half Genuine Calf Bindings. 12mo size. This series comprises titles carefully selected from the standard works of the world's greatest authors, suitable for any library and attractive to readers of the most refined tastes. / The books are printed on extra laid paper, with deckle edges, and title pages in two colors. They are bound in half genuine calf with richly ornamental back stamps in gold, and gilt top, and are carefully hand-finished. They embody perfect style and design, superb finish, and great durability, at a moderate cost. Each volume boxed. Retail price, $1.75 per vol. [Cut].
1900 PTLA: adds "Regular discount to the trade."

1895 PTLA:Half Morocco Bound Books. These handsomely bound half morocco books are gilt top, with neat back and side stamps in gold, each book put up in a substantial paper box and particularly well adapted for libraries. Price, $1.50 each.
1896 PTLA: as 1895 [with cut].

1901 PTLA: The Independent Series of 12mos. Illustrated. Retail Price $1.00. Regular Discount to the Trade. Is composed of titles selected with careful discrimination from the standard works of the best authors. The special features of this series are the varied stampings and assorted colors of cloth. FOUR ARTISTIC DESIGNS are used in embossing the covers, giving an attractive variety of colors of ink and gold, and SIX SUPERB SHADES OF CLOTH - gray, red, olive, green, blue, and brown - make it the most desirable library published. An elegant window or counter display can be made with this series alone. The decorations are all of the latest and most approved style, and the books are printed on extra laid paper, with trimmed edges and gold tops. This series will unquestionably meet with the approval of those who appreciate a high class of literature and the most refined product of the bookmaker's art. [Cut].

1902-1903 PTLA: The Independent Series of 12mos. [as 1901; new cut].

1904-1907 PTLA:The Independent Library. Cloth, 12mo. Illustrated. Price $1.00 per Volume. The special features of the Independent Library are the varied stampings and assorted colors of cloth. Six artistic designs used in embossing the covers, and six shades of cloth - gray, red, olive, green, blue and brown - make it the most attractive and desirable library published. An elegant window or counter display can be made with this series alone. The decorations are all of the latest and most approved style, and the books are printed on extra laid paper, with trimmed edges and gold tops. This series will unquestionably meet with the approval of those who appreciate good literature and good bookmaking. [Cut of array of 24 bindings; Lucile is #174 of 350 titles].

1908-1911 PTLA: The Independent Library[as 1905; cut of five bindings].

Library Edition..

1899 PTLA: Rand-McNally New-Alpha Library of 12mos. The titles selected for this series are quite above the ordinary 12mo lines in literary merit. Only the most popular authors are represented in it. / In this library the endeavor has been successfully carried out to furnish, at a moderate price, an elegant and comprehensive series of high-class books, suitable for the library shelves. / They are all in uniform style, being printed in large type from new plates, on extra laid paper, with trimmed edges, and bound in English silk corded cloth, titles in gold, gold tops.

1900-1903 PTLA: New Alpha Library of 12mos [as 1899; cut]. Retail 75c per volume. Regular discount to the trade. [Cut].

1896-1902 PTLA: The Twentieth Century Library. This series comprises titles carefully selected from the standard works of the world's greatest authors, suitable for any library and attractive to readers of the most refined tastes. The books are printed from new plates on extra laid paper, equal to and indistinguishable from the best hand-made, and are bound in red polished buckram, with richly ornamental and artistic gold side and back stamp, and gilt topped. [Cut].
1900-1902 PTLA: adds "Retail $1.00 per volume.".

1900-1902 PTLA: Two-Volume Sets. Boxed, per set, $2.00. A selection of the best-selling standard and popular works by leading authors. Printed in large, clear type on fine grade paper, and bound uniformly in rich cloth with original design. Gilt tops. [Lucile is paired with Arnold's Light of Asia; cut].

Editions not identifed:

Last revised: 14 January 2022