This one isn't too Bucks County specific, except that, like the trade cards I posted the other week, this tiny book is also in the collection at the Mercer Museum library. But ... aww. Lookit. Poor little beat-up baby.
It's called The American Sailor's Songster, and doesn't include a publication date (maybe a mouse chewed it off, heh), but was printed by Fisher and Brother in Philadelphia, probably in the early-to-mid 1800s.
At 3" wide by 4.5" tall, it's great enough just because of its size, but
the thing that snared my heart was the very-obviously at home repair to
the front cover. I'm pretty sure I can say that I've never seen
somebody repair a hardcover book with a needle and thread before. The
damage on the back cover looks like some mice got at it, though the
cleanly trimmed pages beneath are a little more baffling.
I was hoping a book titled "Sailor's Songster" would be filled with filthy nautical ballads but, alas, it was not to be. The most offensive thing in here is probably just a song in praise of Andrew Jackson.
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