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This 570 page book was edited
by Melville D. Landon (pseudonym of Eli Perkins) and highlights
vignettes by many of the late 19th century's best known humorists,
lecturers, and writers. Mark Twain, Bill Nye, Sam Jones as well as the
writings of many others are included in this large volume. George
Peck's contributions included a two page "biography and reminisces" as
well as an eight page lecture to his "Brother Agriculturists".
Twain was not happy about his unauthorized works appearing in Landon's
compilations. A turn of the century lawsuit against Landon for
infringement apparently ended in a settlement for the plaintiff Twain.
This book was published by a number of firms including several that
were mainly subscription houses. Although the copyright shows Belford,
Clarke and Co. 1890, that firm's book has not been seen. The earliest
book I have seen was published by F. C. Smedley and Co. It is also an
1890 edition.
Later Saalfield reprinted this book and retitled it American Lecturers
and Humorists.
A salesman sample book of this title from The Werner Company is shown
below. It shows three different possible covers. The first cover that
has the angel with gold gilt decoration has been seen in several
colors. All the publishers of this title used these three cover
formats.
There is also a fourth cover which is shown below that was published by
the Werner and Saalfield Companies.
Publishers:
(Known editions)
F. C. Smedley and Co., Chicago (1890, 1891, 1892, 1893)
Wabash Publishing House, Columbus, Ohio (1890,1891,1892)
J. S. Ziegler and Co., Chicago (1895)
The Werner Co., Chicago (1893, 1895,1896, 1900)
Riverside Publishing Company (1897)
The Saalfield Publishing Company, Akron, Ohio (1901, 1906)
F. C. Smedley and Co., Chicago
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Wabash Publishing House, Columbus, Ohio
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J. S. Ziegler and Company, Chicago
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The Werner Company, Chicago 1893
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This 1895 edition appears to be a deluxe one. It is much larger in size
at 10.5" x 8.75". There are drawings surrounding the text on each page.
The Werner Company, Chicago 1895
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Riverside Publishing Company, Chicago 1897
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Here is salesman's sample for this title. Although it was published by
Werner, it appears that the formats were part of all the other
publishing house's formats.
Werner/Saalfield Transitional book
This book has a Werner title page but Saalfield is at the base of the
spine. This edition was published in 1900. Interestingly it differs
from the other copies. It has illustrations on the margin of all the
text pages.
As is noted below, this Saalfield copy is cloth bound book with
marginal drawings and cost $2.75.
The Saalfield Company, Akron (These editions and
prices were also noted in 1899 in Werner ads)
This firm published Kings of the Platform and Pulpit into the teens.
Starting with its first publications in 1900 it published six formats.
Three large editions (8 x 10.5) with marginal drawings:
1. Cloth with gold gilt $2.75
2. Half Morocco
$3.50
3. Full Morocco
$5.00
Small editions without the marginal drawings
1. Cloth with
gilt $1.50
2. Half
Morocco $2.00
3. Full
Morocco $2.50
Here is a 1911 ad for the Saalfield edition. Note that by 1911 there
was just one format of this title being advertised.
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