Catechism..History of the U.S.?

Question

I found an old schoolbook named Catechism of the history of the united states. A chronological table of American history from its discovery in 1492 to the year 1882. Fifth revised editionBaltimore;Published by John B. Piet & Co. It also says it was copyrighted 1882. The book is about 1 inch thick and 6 inches long and 4 inches wide. It is sewen together with thread. Can anyone tell me anything about this book?
Thanks, Bonnie

Answer 1

Per the Smithsonian Institution Libraries' Special Collections Department

- Step 1 is to determine the bibliographic identity and publishing history of your book.

For this, the Smithsonian Institution Libraries recommends the following resources:

* The National union catalog: Pre-1956 imprints (NUC) (London: Mansell, 1968-81), which is a published version of a combined card catalog for several hundred libraries in the U.S., including the Library of Congress. Each record includes the NUC abbreviations for the library(ies) that have a copy of the book.

* WorldCat from OCLC, Inc., a similar catalog developed as a computer database to which thousands of libraries in the U.S. and around the world contribute. It, too, lists the various libraries around the world that hold a copy of each book listed.

A large public or university library will probably have access to both of these catalogs. Your librarian may have to search OCLC for you, since it is not always available directly to readers. Whichever you use, there will be separate listings for each known or suspected edition of your author and title. You should be able to match your copy with one or another of these records (usually on the basis of imprint, i.e., the city, publisher, and date; but sometimes by other descriptive information). Then you will know exactly what you have and how it fits in to the publication history of the work.

- Step 2 recommends that a valuation be made by an expert such as an antiquarian or specialist bookdealer who knows the current market.

You may be able to find a local second-hand book dealer through your local yellow pages. If not, there are directories of book appraisers that you can contact, such as:

**The annual Membership directory of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America, indexed by geographical location and subject specialty. For a copy call or write the ABAA, 20 West 44th Street, New York NY 10036-6604; telephone [phone]; email [e-mail].
**The American Society of Appraisers will provide referrals to certified professional personal-property appraisers. Call or write the ASA, P.O. Box 17265, Washington DC 20041, or at 555 Herndon Parkway, Suite 125, Herndon VA 20170; telephone: [phone].
**The Appraisers Association of America, Inc. will also provide referrals to member appraisers. Call or write the AAA, 386 Park Avenue South, Suite 2000, New York NY 10016; telephone [phone].


There may be a fee for the appraisal or a commission based upon the sale of the book.

Also, note that:
Dealers usually need to see the book itself in order to identify and appraise it. If you are unable to show the book to the dealer in person, he or she will need a photograph or photocopy of at least the title page, the back side of the title page (also called the copyright page), the first and last pages of text, and the outer covers and spine in order to evaluate an individual copy. CAUTION: It is better to photograph the book (clear, close-up snap-shots are usually fine) than to photocopy from it because books are easily damaged when opened and pressed down on the copier's glass plate.