Dorothy Brown; A Story for Girls by Nina Rhoades (1909 Hardcover)

• Author: Nina Rhoades
• Illustrator: Elizabeth Withington
• Publisher: Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Co., Boston, MA U.S.A. 1909

The majority of the author's works are centered about tenement living in New York City. The heroines are young girls. This novel is not different. Dot has been abandoned with a neighbor by her father. Kind people help support her as she goes on an adventure which results in her learning her true identity and restoration to her family.

I found little verifiable biographic information about Nina Rhoades. One bookseller stated she lived 1863-1940. At the end of the novel, there are advertisements for five other titles by this author published by Lothrop, Lee and Shepard wherein she is referred to as Miss Rhoades. This is after 1909 which would indicate she never married (unless Rhoades is a pseudonym...).

This copy is unique with Elizabeth Withington as illustrator. In the other titles, Bertha G. Davidson was the illustrator.

Hardcover has tan cloth boards, gold & black lettering with illustration on front cover & spine using green, black and white ink. The front cover illustration features a young girl in gay 1890's attire sitting in the forest with New Hampshire's Old Man of the Mountain in the background. The Old Man is also on the spine. There is no jacket and probably none was issued. Interior has torn front gutter, some pages are unbound and book has been wet. Book has been dried w/o page degradation, but mold stains exist. All 8 B&W illustrations are where they should be.

No names or markings in book. Rear paste-down has Brentano's Bookseller stamp pasted in.

Without the water damage and loose binding, book would be Near Fine.

• Size: 12mo - over 6¾ - 7¾" tall, 416 pp.
• Condition: Near Fair Hardcover without Dust Jacket

Copyright 1909. Stated Published August, 1909. 1st edition thus implied but not explicitly stated. Of course no ISBN, LCCN printed. Advertisements in rear of book imply MSR is $1.00.

Notes on Condition/Edition ratings:

Fine – means like new, but any book produced over 10 years ago isn't “brand new”.  Booksellers needed some word to describe this...

Very Good – How you or I might take care of a book, closer to “as new” than standard.

Good – How someone else might take care of a book. Also referred to as “standard.” The most likely condition

for books of this age, shows the book has been read or previously owned.

Acceptable – How a child, student or a librarian might take care of a book. (Either trying to make sure

someone doesn't steal it by plastering ownership everywhere, filled it with copious notes or

a book that has been damaged.)

Poor – Combination of “acceptable” factors above. Most likely with water damage as well. Might have

missing pages (you should ask).

Near – Means “almost” in an optimistic sense. e.g., “Near Fine” means very good, but on the high end.

1^st Thus – Unique somehow, maybe 1^st paperback, new illustrator, misprint or even the 1^st edition. A collector

might desire this copy.

Thanks for looking!