MENTAL PHOTOGRAPHS: AN ALBUM FOR CONFESSIONS
CARTE DE VISITE EDITION WITH TIPPED IN PHOTOS $750. USD
On the cover: "Mental Photographs CARTE-DE-VISITE EDITION." On the title page: "MENTAL PHOTOGRAPHS AN ALBUM FOR CONFESSIONS OF Tastes, Habits, and Convictions EDITED BY ROBERT SAXTON Carte-de-Visite Edition For 76 Photographs of 23 questions each NEW YORK HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY 1877."
From the Preface: "This Book is intended to serve as a record for the tastes and characteristics of friends; in short, for their mental photographs, just as another class of Albums serves to keep their physical ones... "
Our survey of the internet saw editions of this book from many different years, including a modern reproduction. Some have some of the sections filled out, but we could not locate any copies with photographs affixed. That makes this edition a truly unique volume.
Copies of this book are in the Library of Congress and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This copy has 69 pages to be filled out. Of those 69 pages, 28 were filled out. 24 were filled out with answers in German. 4 were filled out with answers mostly in English. 20 of the filled out pages have a photograph attached. 1 filled out page has a drawing attached. 7 filled out pages have no image attached.
41 pages are blank (printed questions, but no answers and no images).
10 pages have been removed (The title page indicates there should be 76 pages, so perhaps 3 of the removed pages were not for filling out).
The 23 Questions: 1. Your Favorite Color? 2. Flower? 3. Tree? 4. Hour in the day? 5. Season of the year? 6. Names, male and female? 7. Poets? 8. Prose authors? 9. Character in romance? 10. Character in history? 11. What book (not religious) would you part with last? 12. Where would you best like to live? 13. Your favorite occupation? 14. The trait of character you most admire in man? 15. The trait of character you most admire in woman? 16. The trait you most detest in each? 17. If not yourself, who would you rather be? 18. Your idea of happiness? 19. Your idea of misery? 20. The sublimest passion of which human nature is capable? 21. The sweetest words in the world? 22. The saddest? 23. Your motto?
Some of the English answers: 5. Oyster season. 6. My own + my sweethearts. 7. Shakespeare, Byron. 7. I never read rubbish. 8. Thackeray, Dickens. 10. Guy Fawkes. 11. My confession album. 11. My cheque book... 13. It depends on the weather. 13. Darning stockings. 14. A true gentleman. 14. Manliness. 14. Straightforwardness. 15. Modesty, combined with firmness. 15. Good temper. 16. Deceit. 16. Sulkiness. 16. Flowery language + kleptomania. 17. Nobody. 18. Waltzing. 18. A handsome girl with a million of money. 19. Sitting out a dance. 20. Self sacrifice. 21. I love you. 21. It remains to be seen. 21. Barley sugar. 22. It remains to be seen. 22. Fare thee well. 23. Waste not want not.
Hardcover. Approximately 8 1/4 x 7 inches. The front and back covers show some wear, and there is some foxing on the pages inside. However, we are not book dealers and cannot comment on the condition of this item. Please use the photos provided for that purpose.