I don't want to do it unless I do it right, and my stack of "to-do" writings is long. But it's on the list, outlined, with a folder full of notes and citations already done. All in good time. Kevin @ Mac Donnell Rare Books 9307 Glenlake Drive Austin TX 78730 512-345-4139 Member: ABAA, ILAB ************************* You may browse our books at: www.macdonnellrarebooks.com -----Original Message----- From: Arianne . Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2017 3:50 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Mark Twain Scrapbook Kevin, I'm glad to hear you have already put together some notes on the scrapbooks. I understand that other projects may have priority, but I'm pleased to hear scrapabooks are in the line. THANKS Arianne laidlaw On Tue, Nov 14, 2017 at 6:21 AM, Kevin Mac Donnell < [log in to unmask]> wrote: > Yes, probably me. In my catalogue notes I cite Letters 5:145.n4 which > confirms that a statement dated 1-12-78 covering the last six months of > sales indicated that 26,310 scrapbooks had been sold by that time and > Twain > had been paid about $1,000. I don't have the source handy, but I also > record > that his profits eventually topped $12,000. I don't have a date handy for > that citation, but it's in my notes. > > Among my two dozen articles in progress, I have an outline and folder of > research on the scrapbook, including a mass of advertising data on them, > catalogues describing the formats, various patent records covering 1873 to > 1902, contemporary reviews, etc. The examples I have show how people did > and > did not use them, and reveal formats not included in Slote's catalogues > and > ads. I also have a lot of material on Dan Slote and his business. Slote > seems to have given them away to his female friends from time to time. > I've > invested a good deal of time (and a few $$) in my research, but two other > research projects are more pressing at the moment. I'll eventually get > back > to it and write up a full account. None of the accounts I've read on the > scrapbook are entirely satisfactory or give full accounts. > > I think the multiplier for late 19th century dollars is 25, so Twain > perhaps > made $300,000 in modern dollars from the scrapbook. That does not smell > like > failure to me. They also spread his fame in a positive way for 25 years. > > Kevin > @ > Mac Donnell Rare Books > 9307 Glenlake Drive > Austin TX 78730 > 512-345-4139 > Member: ABAA, ILAB > ************************* > You may browse our books at: > www.macdonnellrarebooks.com > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Alan Kitty > Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2017 7:06 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Mark Twain Scrapbook > > Someone - possibly you Kevin, considering your collection - mentioned that > p= > rofits were in the neighborhood of $10,000. By itself, the number sounds > lik= > e success. But over 20-30 years, maybe not so much. Is that a verifiable > num= > ber? > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > On Nov 13, 2017, at 9:23 PM, Kevin Mac Donnell > > <[log in to unmask] > OM> wrote: > >=20 > > The Mark Twain Scrapbook is nicely written up in a book on scrapbooking > > th= > at=20 > > I reviewed in the Forum a few years ago. As claimed in the > > advertisements,= > =20 > > it was a clear improvement over the practice of having to apply your > > own=20= > > > paste. That could get messy. I have over 50 examples--all different > > cover=20= > > > designs and sizes--and this includes some unused ones. The pages do > > often=20= > > > stick together, but this should not comes as a surprise for a book kept > > ov= > er=20 > > 100 years in a barn, house, or attic without the benefit of humidity > > and=20= > > > temperature control. I'd get a bit sticky myself, probably within days. > > Bu= > t=20 > > I have many more examples whose pages have not stuck together, and the > > glu= > e=20 > > is remarkably stable. The glue used in some self-adhesive photo albums > > of=20= > > > the 1970s is notoriously unstable and often reacts very badly and > > destroys= > =20 > > whatever is stuck in the album. Not so with the Mark Twain Scrapbooks. > >=20 > > The thing was a success and was produced from 1877 to at least 1901 > > (the=20= > > > date of the last catalogue I have listing them). > >=20 > > Kevin > > @ > > Mac Donnell Rare Books > > 9307 Glenlake Drive > > Austin TX 78730 > > 512-345-4139 > > Member: ABAA, ILAB > > ************************* > > You may browse our books at: > > www.macdonnellrarebooks.com > >=20 > >=20 > > -----Original Message-----=20 > > From: Martin Zehr > > Sent: Saturday, November 11, 2017 12:46 PM > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: Re: Mark Twain Scrapbook > >=20 > > Mark Twain scrapbooks are not in the rare category of Twain > > collectibles, > > as far as I can determine, and Kevin Mac Donnell can attest. They come > > in > > a= > > > variety of covers and sizes, with the "Mark Twain" trademark prominently > > displayed inside the front cover. They come up on ebay once in awhile > > and > > I've purchased three over the years, none which were expensive. They > > were= > > > available from the 1870s into the 20th century. The examples I have > > were > > used and are interesting artifacts to peruse, the owners inserting news > > items, bad poetry and personal items. An unused example would > > undoubtedly= > > > be more expensive, but undoubtedly less interesting. > > Martin Zehr > >=20 > > <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=3Demail&utm_ > source=3Dlink&utm_= > campaign=3Dsig-email&utm_content=3Dwebmail&utm_term=3Dicon> > > Virus-free. > > www.avast.com > > <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=3Demail&utm_ > source=3Dlink&utm_= > campaign=3Dsig-email&utm_content=3Dwebmail&utm_term=3Dlink> > > <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> > >=20 > >> On Sat, Nov 11, 2017 at 3:17 AM, Arianne . <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >>=20 > >> Thank y ou so much. One of his scrapbooks plays a large part in > >> my interest in Twain. I've never checked, but I wonder if any blank > >> ones ever come up for sale. I imagine plenty of used ones might. I > >> assume the collection of scrapbooks held by the Mark Twain Project > >> in Berkeley contain examples of scrapbooks the family created before > >> the patent and some they made after. > >>=20 > >> THANKS! > >> Arianne Laidlaw > >>=20 > >> On Fri, Nov 10, 2017 at 11:38 AM, Robert M Ellsworth > >> <[log in to unmask]>= > > >> wrote: > >>=20 > >>> Here is a direct link to the Google Patents page for the > >>> =3D91Improvemen= > ts > >> =3D > >>> in Scrap-books=3D92 patent, from which you can download a PDF copy if > >>> th= > e=20 > >>> =3D > >>> online documentation is too hard to read (as it very often is!) > >>>=20 > >>> https://www.google.com/patents/US140245 > >>>=20 > >>> The idea is rather interesting: he covers the whole page with =3D > >>> water-soluble glue or mucilage, and a user moistens just the area > >>> where=20= > > >>> =3D > >>> something is to go, presumably most easily with a small brush or blot > >>> of= > > >> =3D > >>> paper. Contemporary ads appear to show something between the treated > >>> =3D= > > >>> gummed pages, perhaps material to which the gum left exposed between > >>> =3D= > > >>> pasted items won=3D92t self-stick in humid locations. Presumably > >>> there > >>> i= > s > >> =3D > >>> some care to provide =3D91adhesive=3D92 that will not stick until > >>> desire= > d, =3D > >>> perhaps dusting with (dyed) cornstarch or similar material to form > >>> what=20= > > >>> =3D > >>> parents with diapered children might know as =3D91a barrier > >>> layer=3D92. > >>>=20 > >>> The accounts I=3D92ve read say that he made ample profit from this =3D > >>> invention, and my guess is that the name recognition was a large part > >>> of= > > >> =3D > >>> the attractiveness. Perhaps it would still be, if anyone decided to > >>> =3D= > > >>> =3D93re-introduce=3D94 these with modern materials =3D85 I can think > >>> of > >>> a= > few=20 > >>> =3D > >>> improvements just looking at the patent drawings.=3D > >>>=20 > >>=20 > >>=20 > >>=20 > >> -- > >> Arianne Laidlaw A '58 > >>=20 > -- Arianne Laidlaw A '58