Hello, I just purchased this book on eBay to add to my war history book collection. When I was flipping through it I realized it was missing skipping pages (not missing actual pages). When I got to the end of the book I realized it is a salesmans sample. So I dont know if I should be annoyed at getting the salesman copy since it isnt the actual complete book ... or if I should be happy since it is kind of rare to stumble across salesman samples. The book is "The Peoples War Book and Atlas Autographed Edition" - Copyrighted 1920. Does anyone know if salesman samples like this are more valuable. I cant find others online of this book. Normal copies range from $35 to $100 it seems.
Salesmen's copies are just that, copies that salesmen show. Typically used by door to door salesmen or those showing subscription books. They are incomplete by varying degrees. Some are as you describe, others may be slimmed down editions that have only some chapters, sometimes with blank pages in between. They usually contain some great photos/illustrations, maybe a map, and gaudy title pages. The salesman typically showed off the volume as a teaser "You get the COMPLETE book if you buy now...". He could also lend it to a perspective customer to review as no one would realistically keep/steal a very incomplete copy. Yours was not a 'lender' copy, the salesman would record his orders in the volume. These types of book are uncommon but not valuable. As I'm a history buff, I want the real deal, not a salesman copy. If the volume was not listed as a salesman copy, you have an argument to return it. Or you could keep it as a curio.
