The United States Secret Service in the Late War Baker 1889 Hardcover

The United States Secret Service in the Late War by General La Fayette C. Baker is an 1889 illustrated hardcover issued by Waverly Publishing Co. of Chicago, with copyright credited to John E. Potter & Co.

This 398-page Civil War history follows Baker's experiences connected with the United States Secret Service Bureau, including wartime investigations, arrests, political conflict, and operations in the North and South.

It is a heavily used surviving copy with an elaborate patriotic pictorial cloth binding and full-page illustrations inside.

Details

• Item: vintage illustrated history book
• Title: The United States Secret Service in the Late War
• Author: General La Fayette C. Baker
• Illustrator: F. B. Schell, E. B. Bensell, J. M. Butler and others are credited on the title page
• Publisher: Waverly Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois
• Publication Year: 1889 copyright
• Format and Binding: illustrated cloth hardcover
• Dust Jacket: none present
• Pages: 398
• Genre: Civil War history and United States Secret Service history
• Language: English
• ISBN: no ISBN
• Dimensions: approximately 9 1/2 x 7 x 2 inches, as provided

Condition Grade: Fair

Positives

• Graded Fair: The book remains readable and usable but shows significant wear from age and handling.
• The elaborate illustrated front cover and spine decoration remain visible, including American flags, eagle imagery, and gilt, silver, red, and black design elements.
• The photographed text pages remain legible, and illustrated plates are still present.
• The book retains its 398-page text block and substantial late nineteenth century appearance.

Issues / Wear

• The cloth boards show heavy rubbing, fading, surface soil, staining, discoloration, fraying, and worn corners and edges.
• The rear board has noticeable staining, marks, and surface wear.
• The spine cloth is rubbed and worn, with fraying at the ends and loss to portions of the decorative finish.
• The page edges are strongly browned and darkened from age.
• Pages and endpapers show widespread spotting, foxing, staining, and age toning.
• The pastedowns and endpapers show particularly heavy discoloration and spotting.
• A pencil Christmas inscription from a mother to George dated December 25, 1990 is present according to the owner's notes.
• A card with the National Anthem was found tucked between the pages according to the owner's notes.

This 1889 Waverly Publishing hardcover keeps its patriotic pictorial cloth binding and full-page illustrations, and it suits a Civil War or espionage history shelf. If it's the right copy for you, it's ready to come home.