Lizzie's Library

[mbhenty]

Anyone who knows anything about Lizzie Borden knows that she was a champion for animals, contributing a substantial amount of money to the cause.

Another champion for animal (and women's rights) was Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, author, religious novelist, temperance fighter, and polemic warrior for animal rights. She was also well ahead of her time advising women to get out of the kitchen and burn their corsets. And this was in the later half of the 19th century.

OK, why do I bring her up?

Recently we have been compiling a library of books for Maplecroft, searching for titles which Lizzie had in her library. These new acquisitions will be part of the Maplecroft experience once the home opens to the public some time next year.

Today we were excited to receive one of the books in the mail. Written by Mrs. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps. Quite a scarce title called LOVELINESS. What a great little book and how typical of Lizzie to have it in her library. Its a very narrow book, a story, novela in praise of a little dog. I tried looking for another copy for my own library but there is only one other one at the moment and it's in rough condition.

But this is one of the books in Lizzie's library, or a facsimile of one she owned at one time.

I'm sure you will find LOVELINESS Lovely. (click on picture to make BIG)

[twinsrwe]

What an interesting find, MB. Thanks for the information you provided.

So, Loveliness, was Published in 1899, and contains 73 pages.

I found this book, digitized by Google from the library of the New York Public Library and uploaded to the Internet Archive by user tpb. This sample goes from pages 1 through 43:
http://tinyurl.com/nnt266g

I also found this web site, which is a lot easier to read - This sample also goes from pages 1 through 43:
http://tinyurl.com/pn5dreu

[mbhenty]

Another of Lizzie's books came in today. (NOT a personal copy, you understand) But a title she had in her library. This one is called "Told in the Hills" by Marah Ellis Ryan. Cool name. From what little I discovered about Mrs Rayan was that she was an expert on American Native Indians, as well as an actress and novelist. Below are a couple of cool covers by Ms. Ryan. From what we heard, Lizzie had a substantial library. How many of Ms. Ryan's titles Lizzie owned or had on the self is unknown at this time. But one of them was Told in the Hills. I believe it was a romance which takes place in California. It was well received in its day and there were several editions and covers. The cover below we believe is the one Lizzie had. A 1905 edition of a title which made its first appearance in 1891. Also, I included a couple of Ryan titles as an example of her writing. Being into cover art, I find them very attractive.

[MysteryReader]

Thanks, MB for sharing! I don't think I've heard of any of the titles. They look like interesting reading, though.

[mbhenty]

As I have mentioned in another post, Lizzie's library was quite extensive. The only examples we have to her books are from the ones in the hands of the Fall River Historical Society, 92 Second street, Sales from eBay, and those in my library. But I have been told that the majority of her collection is still intact and owned by a Borden family member.

From those books that we know about we can conclude that Lizzie was a well rounded reader. Many of her titles appear to be light romances. But there are Biographies, travel, German studies, Sci-fi, poetry, and a little title called, World Famous Women, with a sub-title of, Types or Female Heroism, Beauty, and Influence, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time, Frank B Goodrich.

Below is one of the titles that just came in this week. Right off the Chest. By Nellie Revell. Below is a link to the book which includes a bio on Ms. Revell. Popular author in her day. Unknown today. The book deals mostly with Ms Revell's stay in hospital and the time she spent confined to bed for several years. A memoir of sorts.



http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDet ... n%3Drevell

[MysteryReader]

[quote="mbhenty"]. But I have been told that the majority of her collection is still intact and owned by a Borden family member.

Do you know whether there was a diary or multiple volumes in that collection?

[bob_m_ryan]

Which Borden family member?

[mbhenty]

No Mystery

The person who told me this, and if anyone would know he/she would, said very little about it, except that it was a good number of books—leaving me with the impression that she/he did not care to verify or let a lot of people know anything about it. So what ever volumes are in the collection is a....'mystery'.

He/she would not tell me which family member owns the books. This is intentional as to keep their privacy. I can appreciate that.

But there is this little treasure called, The house of a Thousand Candles. which once sat on LB's shelf.

A story about this guy who inherits a mansion in Indiana from his grandfather. Stipulation is that he must live in the house for a year to inherit it. Meanwhile all sorts of mystery and and suspense begin to happen to him. Along with talk of hidden treasure, problems with a girl's school run by nuns next door, bewitching, and of course romance. No good story is without romance, one of the essentials of a great novel....romance. Supposedly well written for 1905. If read, I'm certain that Lizzie Borden loved it. Cool cover art. I have a copy in my library but am yet to read it.

[mbhenty]

One aspect of book collecting which I love to collect is cover art. Love cover art. The book above is such a candidate and when Lizzie was collecting, cover art was at its pinnacle.

In the late 19th century and early 20th there was a healthy school of 'Book Cover Designers', many who would sign the cover displaying their art.

The House of a Thousand Candles is one of them. Signatures are usually in the way of initials and signed in a surreptitious way and hidden in the art. If you look closely at the book in the post above you will see the initials RR for designer Rome Richardson.

One cannot collect everything, so the only book designer I collect is Margaret Armstrong, probably the most famous book designer. In collecting book art the text is optional. It's all about the cover.

Below are a load of cool cover designs. Study them closely and you will discover the artists initials. (none that I know of were in LB's library)

So next time you are in a antiquarian bookstore and you discover a turn of the 20th century book with a striking cover, look to see if it is signed. If you find one you are lucky. If you find a used bookstore, you are luckier.

[mbhenty]

more

[Aamartin]

Here is a PDF version of The House of a Thousand Candles free

http://www.classicly.com/download-the-h ... andles-pdf

[MysteryReader]

Thank you, Anthony!! I thought it sounded intriguing. MB- those covers are pretty. Kinda reminds me of some of my grandmother's books.

[mbhenty]

Yes, thanks Mr. Martin for posting that.



Still another.

This one, a novel by Henry Seton Merriman called WITH EDGED TOOLS. It is important to add that Lizzie must have enjoyed this author since it is known that she possessed two of his titles, the other being THE SOWERS. Both are novels. Probably soft romances. It is difficult to discover what the titles are all about since they have fallen out of favor over time, rarely read today, and reviews not easy to come upon.

The authors real name was Hugh Stowell Scott, but he wrote under the name Merriman.

I believe the covers below are the editions which Lizzie had on her shelf. These titles were very popular in their day and multiple editions with different bindings were issued in short time and order. THE SOWERS was even made into a silent movie in the mid teens. Today one often hears about how the "movie" did not live up to the book, or vise versa. This makes one wonder weather Lizzie read The Sowers and went to view the movie. More importantly what her opinion would have been about the two.

Again....... simple but wonderful cloth stamping and cover art.

[Franz]

What lovely books they are! Thank you!

I am thinking... Lizzie made a long jouney in Europe. Did she make any friendship here? In her library are there any letters of her European corrispondents conserved? If so, with the addresses available, maybe...

[mbhenty]

Yes Franz:


From what I know, and have read over many years, there is no history, contacts, or correspondence between Lizzie or anyone she may have met while she toured Europe. I'm sure there must have been, but no proof of it has survived or was made public over the years.

As far as Lizzie's Library is concerned, only a handful of titles have made it onto the market or donated as gifts. Perhaps 60 or more. Some are at the Historical Society, the Bed and Breakfast on Second Street, and a couple were sold on eBay a couple of years ago. There really are not that many. From what I have heard a couple of hundred books survive and are intact and in the hands of one or two family members.

And from all the letters written to Lizzie, or that Lizzie wrote herself, I cannot remember any coming from or going to Europe to someone she met on her European tour.

But a fella can't know everything. Prove me wrong and I will stand corrected.

[MysteryReader]

MB-

You can get a copy of both the books on Amazon. However, With Edged Tools, is a historical reproduction. The Sowers, is for sale, too. However, nothing is said about the book itself. There is one review and the person likened Hugh Stowell Scott to James Patterson and dealt with big issues.

[debbiediablo]

Here is a PDF version of The House of a Thousand Candles free

http://www.classicly.com/download-the-h ... andles-pdf

Thanks Anthony!

[twinsrwe]

As I have mentioned in another post, Lizzie's library was quite extensive. ...

I don’t know how true this is, but I was doing some research and came across the following (Highlighting and underlining are mine):

Lizzie Borden amassed a small fortune during her life. At her death, her book collection alone was valued at $1,134.75.
Sources: http://tinyurl.com/nnfuydx and here http://tinyurl.com/pwuc39q as well as here http://tinyurl.com/obg4l5o

What cost $1.134.75 in 1927 would cost $15,517.71 in 2015.
http://tinyurl.com/68gks8

[John Watson]

Thanks MB for reminding us that while there may be more to a book than its cover, sometimes the opposite is true. Your excellent examples are a good reminder of why printed books will hopefully never become extinct, despite the growing dependence on electronic books or digitized versions of the real thing. There's nothing like holding a good book in your hand or seeing it among others in your bookcase. Illustrated covers, examples like Road to Arcady and The Real Latin Quarter, are like icing on the cake. I too am a book collector, but since true crime is my passion, the few examples of cover art I possess are of a slightly morbid theme. Unfortunately, no such covers are found on the Lizzie Borden volumes in my collection. Thanks again.

[mbhenty]

Yes Twins:

At 15 thousand dollars in today's money, at 25 dollars for a hardcover book, would add up to just about 600 titles. I suppose that was possible, though the article does not give us the source of their conclusion. (I easily have around 2000+ plus titles in my library. Most are in boxes for lack of room)

My reliable mole reported to me that several hundred copies of Lizzie's books sit on someone's shelf somewhere. So the articles estimate may indeed be true, though articles and newspaper accounts usually air on the side of exaggeration or mis-information—when sources are not included.

I would imagine that around Lizzie's death the average hardcover book was selling between 2 dollars and 3 bucks. That being true, 450 titles would equate to around 11 hundred dollars, the figure reported.

[mbhenty]

You're welcome JW.

Funny thing about the books I collect for their cover art. I rarely ever read them, unless the topic fits into my field of collecting or interest. Today cover binding are just bland and all the art is into the dust wrapper. All of the cover art I collect is stamped into the cloth, thus most are 19th century publications.

For me there is a pleasure, appreciation, and delight in holding a hardcover book in my hand. But what do I know. I'm an old guy. Hopefully some of these traits will ring with today's younger readers, and though much of their reading will almost certainly be done on electronic book, some hardcover copies will make it to their hands and shelfs.

Most cover art on books dealing with Lizzie Borden have their example in dust jackets and paperback issues. Some absolutely clever. Thought the art may be crafty, cunning, and slick none have the allure and charm of 19th and early 20th century cloth gilt and colored ink publications.

[mbhenty]

Below is another title from Lizzie's library. Again, a romance.

The Inner Shrine was written anonymously and no author is given. (though it was written by Basil King)

Below are two examples. One is the cheaper Grosset and Dunlap reprint. The cover and spine is done in black ink instead of gilt. The gilt copy is the true first edition—published by Harper and the copy Lizzie had on her shelf. Published in 1909 it was a very popular title in it's day and a top seller.

Also, here is a soft review from Goodreads.


(This was the best selling book in the USA in 1909, a century ago. I downloaded it from Project Gutenberg after reading John Scalzi's piece about the bestsellers of yesteryear, and how they are forgotten. (Does anyone want to join me in reading Florence Barclay's The Rosary next year, a century after it topped the charts?)[return][return]The Inner Shrine is probably a decent enough novel in the romance genre, and people who like that sort of thing today will probably enjoy this as well. After an opening couple of chapters in France, where the older heroine's first husband dies in murky circumstances, we then shift to New York, where the challenge becomes to unite three pairs of lovers sundered by circumstance and social codes (all are, or have been, very rich). You probably aren't going to read this, so I shall reveal that the 'Inner Shrine' of the title is a woman's heart, which can be unlocked by the three words 'I love you.' That is probably the crucial data point that will help you decide if you want to read this book or not)

[mbhenty]

Here are a couple of clever if not interesting "Lizzie" covers, including one from a German publication.

Look how Evan Hunter's title depicts Lizzie's dress as an axe. Love the back cover. The German edition of Walter Shatterthwait's Miss Lizzie is real funny.

[mbhenty]

And to bring an end to my "mad" posting here. Which I will do by ringing my own bell—dong, dong)

Below are two covers of the novel The Girl with the Pansy Pin.

One is the paperback edition and the other the Limited Deluxe Edition.

Both covers were designed by me.

The pin with the shadow of the axe was my attempt at being clever, like the blood dripping from the letter S.

The copy of Lizzie's face was inspired by a Hatchet Magazine cover, which I made my own. (I even designed a tie out of it which I wear every once in a while)

Much of the credit must go to Stefani Koorey, editor of the Pear Tree Press, who brought it all together from pencil and pen and into the computer.

Book covers and ties are not my expertise you understand, but it was fun trying.

[Franz]

... Your excellent examples are a good reminder of why printed books will hopefully never become extinct, despite the growing dependence on electronic books or digitized versions of the real thing. There's nothing like holding a good book in your hand or seeing it among others in your bookcase...

Totally agree.

One day collecting printed book will become a snobish hobby!

[mbhenty]

You are probably right, Franz.

The more I collect, the longer my nose gets.

The photo below is part of my Arctic collection. Most are first editions on exploration of the Polar regions, including such places as northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland, etc.

There are some who may confuse book collecting with pretentiousness or snobbery.

When it comes to collecting books, most collectors are oblivious to such prejudicial labels. They are much to busy reading, caressing, admiring, and sniffing their collection. As any collector may tell you, they are trilled when someone displays interest in what they collect and are delighted to "show and tell" you all about it.

On the other hand, be forewarned. Never ask a book collector to borrow one of his titles. It's like someone asking you to borrow their child's liver. "What, you, touch one of my books? How absurd! Not going to happen."

In some cases you are fortunate if he/she even lets you pull a volume off the shelf.

Thus, pride may be misinterpreted as snobbery.

Now, if you say, "You are a snob" I may have my feelings hurt. But if you rephrase that and say, "You and your book collection—you are a snob" I will fluoresce with pride.

[Franz]

Wow, mbhenty, this is only a very little part of your library, right?

[mbhenty]

Thanks Franz.

I'm such a show-off. Any chance I can get to share my hobby.......

Arctic and Antarctica is my principle field of collecting. What you see above is about half of my Polar books. Other fields I collect are: Boy's books, Cover art, Annie Brassey, Madeira and the Azores, Ray Bradbury, John Dunning, Heritage Press books, some horror, Travel, and miniature books....any book that catches my fancy.

Below is a photograph of part of my Boy's books collection. Adventure books written for boys, most of them British, between 1860s and the 1920s.

Running out of room, I took the doors down on my kitchen cabinets and placed books there. My kitchen became library number two. Books before food. Good way to diet.Going out for supper? Buy a book instead.

I have since taken them down and boxed them.

Click on the photo and it will pop for you.

[mbhenty]

But to get back to Lizzie's Books.

Lizzie was in the habit of underlining, bracketing, and drawing wiggly lines to hallmark lines and paragraphs she found interesting.

Lizzie was definitely a romantic, a sentimentalist and if you read between the lines, an idealist.

Just read what she tabbed below.

There is almost a sadness to what she labels, nostalgic reflection or desire.

The passage she labels below is a good example.

It was taken from a romantic novel Called Nancy Stair, which takes place in Scotland in the 18 century.

The pencil markings were made by Lizzie and the copy of Nancy Stair below was her personal copy with her handwritten initials on the free endpaper.

Click on image to read. But you already new tat.

[Franz]

...Going out for supper? Buy a book instead...

Fortunately I am not your girlfriend. Just kidding.

[twinsrwe]

... The pin with the shadow of the axe was my attempt at being clever, like the blood dripping from the letter S. ...

I had to check my copy of your book, and sure enough, I now see the axe, which I didn't notice before!!! The blood dripping from the letter S stands out nicely, but the axe is extremely subtle. I think you went beyond an attempt at being clever to being ingenious!!!

[mbhenty]

Thank you greatly, Twins. You are too kind.

Yes, There was much talk between the author and the publisher about including or not including an axe.

I think the axe thing has been overdone, but at the same time realize the importance it has in Lizzie Lore. The same is true of blood as a symbol. These were emblems difficult to avoid when you think of designing a book cover which has to do with murder. I dare say if you blurt out the word "axe" and expect some one to reply with one syllable, it may just be "Lizzie Borden." (Hmmm, that's two syllables, or is it three)

I played around with the axe definition, making it darker and lighter, until I was happy that it was definitely there, but at the same time, did not scream out at you.

Below is a crude markup or first cover idea which I pasted together one night....for laughs and giggles. It is what the ultimate cover evolved from. Not being an artist I had to find ready made images and paste them together. With the glory of photoshop everything came together and the level of artistry was greatly enhanced.

The symbols in use were an axe, pansy, and blood. All allegories to the crime. In time I thought it important to tone down the gore and amplify the flower. And it is the Pansy that should shout out at you. After all. There are many who would rather think of Lizzie in a field of flowers than a pool of blood.

[twinsrwe]

Thank you greatly, Twins. You are too kind.

Yes, There was much talk between the author and the publisher about including or not including an axe.

I think the axe thing has been overdone, but at the same time realize the importance it has in Lizzie Lore. The same is true of blood as a symbol. These were emblems difficult to avoid when you think of designing a book cover which has to do with murder. I dare say if you blurt out the word "axe" and expect some one to reply with one syllable, it may just be "Lizzie Borden." (Hmmm, that's two syllables, or is it three)

I played around with the axe definition, making it darker and lighter, until I was happy that it was definitely there, but at the same time, did not scream out at you.

Below is a crude markup or first cover idea which I pasted together one night....for laughs and giggles. It is what the ultimate cover evolved from. Not being an artist I had to find ready made images and paste them together. With the glory of photoshop everything came together and the level of artistry was greatly enhanced.

The symbols in use were an axe, pansy, and blood. All allegories to the crime. In time I thought it important to tone down the gore and amplify the flower. And it is the Pansy that should shout out at you. After all. There are many who would rather think of Lizzie in a field of flowers than a pool of blood.

You’re welcome for the compliment, MB.

I agree, the pansy pin should definitely be the main symbol that catches ones eye, and you certainly accomplished that with the cover you went with.

I came across a newspaper article from The Boston Globe that I think you will find interesting, since it describes Lizzie's pansy pin. (Highlighting is mine.)

Lizzie Borden Sourcebook, page 206:

New Bedford, June 5. – Before a stern and grim-looking bench of judges as ever sat in Puritan New England of old, Miss Lizzie Andrew Borden was put on trial for her life, in the Court House in New Bedford, this morning. --- Those who saw Miss Borden for the first time were much astonished. Her newspaper portraits have done her no justice at all. Some have made her out as a hard and hideous fright, and other have flattered her. She is, in truth, a very plain-looking old maid. She may be liked to a typical school marm, plain, practical, and with a face that shows the deep lines of either care or habitual low sprits, and the transitory marks of a recent illness.

Beside her on her right sits her custodian. She was dressed in black, excepting for a blue plume of feathers, two blue velvet rosettes in her hat, and a large enameled pansy pin at her throat. Her dress was a black brocade, with two rows of narrow velvet ribbon round her cuffs and around the bottom of her basque, and three rows of the same ribbon above the edge of her skirt.

A common sense, broad-toed, brand new shoe peeped out from under her dress, and she wore black cotton gloves. Her dress fitted her as perfectly as if she had been measured for it in Paris, but it was of a very old fashion, having the front of the basque puffed with great fullness. Excepting her rather loud pin she wore no jewelry. Her black straw hat was poke shaped, and of no existing fashion. Her beautiful, fine, nut-brown hair, soft and glossy to a degree, was pulled back into a long roll behind her head.

And now the difficult thing is to describe her face. Like her dress, it was that of a lady. She has large brown eyes, and a fine high forehead, but her nose is a tilting one, and her cheek bones are so prominent that the lower part of her countenance is greatly overweighted. Her head is broadest at the ears. Her cheeks are very plump, and her jaws are strong and conspicuous. Her thick, protruding lips are pallid from sickness, and her mouth is drawn down into two very deep creases that denote either a melancholy or an irritable disposition. She is no Medusa or Gorgon. There is nothing wicked, criminal, or hard in her features. Her manner in public has often been described as if she were callous, or brazen. It was not so to-day. She behaved like a self-possessed girl, with all the grit that comes of American blood, which has flowed pure in her family during centuries. She was modest, calm, and quiet, and it was plain to see that she had complete mastery of herself, and could make her sensations and emotions invisible to an impertinent public. …

Source: http://tinyurl.com/nu5jnkh

[mbhenty]

Thanks for that Twins:

Yes:

The Girl with the Pansy Pin deals mostly with the adventured and life of Lizzie Borden, the murder, and its possible suspects. There is only one chapter about the actual court activities. Even then it does not touch on any testimony. Just on Lizzie's appearance—the complexion of the court and its people. Though the book is fiction, this chapter was written with actual true newspaper accounts about the court case and Lizzie Borden's presentation, including similar descriptions as the one you have written above. The author did not want to write about the trial since it has been done so many times before. In the trial chapter Julian Ralph and Elizabeth Jordan were thrown in. There was going to be a love affair between Ralph and Jordan as a side story, but that was left out. Too distracting and the book was too long as it was. It could have easily been a thousand/plus pages. But writing had to stop somewhere.

[twinsrwe]

You're welcome, MB. Thank you for the additional information regarding, The Girl With The Pansy Pin.

We have so little information regarding Lizzie's pansy pin, that I thought the article I posted at least gave us a tiny bit of insight as to what the pin looked like. I also thought it was interesting that this newspaper article also gives us a detailed description of what Lizzie wore on the first day of her trial, as well as a detailed description of her facial features, and the manner in which she presented herself.