The Wild Wild West by James Daugherty is a 1948 illustrated hardcover special edition published by E. M. Hale and Company by arrangement with David McKay Company.
This oversized book uses rhythmic verse, bold black and white drawings, and colorful illustrated endpapers to tell a highly stylized story of the American frontier. The text shown is clear and easy to read, and the artwork fills much of the pages.
The book also reflects the language and portrayals of its 1948 publication era, including dated depictions of Indigenous people and frontier conflict.
Details
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Item: illustrated book
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Title: The Wild Wild West
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Author: James Daugherty
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Illustrator: James Daugherty
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Publisher: E. M. Hale and Company, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, by arrangement with David McKay Company
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Publication Year: 1948
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Edition and Printing: Special edition. Exact printing not confirmed from photos.
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Format and Binding: Oversized orange cloth hardcover with pictorial front cover
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Dust Jacket: None
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Pages: Unnumbered. No page numbers printed in this copy.
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Genre: Children's history, Western Americana, illustrated verse
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Language: English
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ISBN: not confirmed from photos
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Dimensions: 11 x 8 1/2 x 1/4 inches
Condition Grade: Good
Positives
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Graded Good: Complete and intact with noticeable wear and ownership marks, while remaining readable and visually strong.
- The orange cloth cover remains bright, with the black and red pictorial design sharp and easy to see.
- The black and white interior artwork is crisp, and the colorful illustrated endpapers retain strong color.
- The binding appears sound in the photos, and the pages shown are attached and legible.
Issues / Wear
- Minor spotting and staining are visible on some interior pages.
- Pencil writing is present on an illustrated endpaper.
- An ownership or institutional stamp is present on the rear inside board, according to the condition notes.
- Light surface wear and small marks are visible on the orange cloth cover.
Condition Grade Key
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Near Fine: Almost perfect. Very minor signs of age only.
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Very Good: Shows light use. Sound and attractive with minor flaws.
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Good: Complete and intact. Noticeable wear consistent with age and use.
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Fair: Shows significant wear. Readable or usable but clearly used.
Collector's Notes
Copyrighted in 1948, the book uses verse and large frontier illustrations throughout. It gives a clear look at the period's popular picture book treatment of American history.
James Daugherty is credited as both writer and illustrator in contemporary review coverage. It suits readers who collect his work, Western Americana, or illustrated children's history.
This copy has a bright orange pictorial cloth cover and colorful illustrated endpapers. Those features give it strong shelf presence even with the pencil writing and ownership stamp inside.
The pages shown remain clear and the book opens well for viewing. This is a copy that can still be read and handled, not only displayed.
