Ladies' Garment Cutting and Making: A standard textbook, giving instruction in all branches of ladies' garment cutting, dress cutting, modelling and practical tailoring by F. R. Morris.

Ladies' Garment Cutting and Making: A standard textbook, giving instruction in all branches of ladies' garment cutting, dress cutting, modelling and practical tailoring by F. R. Morris.  Hardcover book (no dust jacket) published by The New Era Publishing (no date, possibly 1930s to 1950s), 445 pages with black and white illustrations.

If you read this blog regularly, you’re probably aware that I’m a bit of a stickler re the condition of books I have for sale.  At least, I like to think that I’m a stickler. If you’re going to sell a book it’s a lot easier if it’s clean and in one piece and if you’re a book buyer wanting to buy a book, you generally want it to be clean and in one piece.  In other words, the condition of a book can be important if you want to sell it.  There have often been books that I’ve found over the years where the condition has let the team down, so much so that I’ve left the book behind to happily moulder away on the shelf where I found it.

This particular copy of this book is in shocking condition and I ummmmed and ahhhhed for quite a while before finally succumbing to its allure.  Here’s what I wrote in my ebay listing regarding the condition:

“This book is in poor condition.  The cover is in poor condition.  There is wear to the edges, corners and to the top and bottom of the spine. There is shelf wear overall, including scuffs and marks.  The front cover has considerable bubbling and wrinkling to the cloth (has possibly come loose at some stage and then repaired).  The cover is looking very worn (see scans).  The book itself is in poor condition.   There is wear, marks and stains to the outer edges.  The front and back endpages have extensive wear including, marks, writing, creasing, insect damage, sticky tape etc and wear to the hinges (cracked, or beginning to crack).  There are a few marks in the book and there is yellowing of the pages.  Overall a poor copy.  PLEASE NOTE: This rare book is very worn and aged.  If you prefer clean new looking books, DO NOT buy this one.”

Some photos of the book:

 

This is the only copy of this book that I have ever found, in other words it’s not a common title and according to the usual book websites, it’s worth $$$.  I had sort of figured this out even as I was contemplating forking over my $, as my book selecting skills (and the title page) had lead me to believe the book was a little bit more than a casual housewifes guide to knocking up a few aprons.

“The object of this work is to present to students, ladies’ cutters, dressmakers and all engaged in the trade of cutting and making ladies’ garments a practical cutting system for tailored garments, dresses and evening dresses, etc.”

The other factor behind letting down my stickler guard, was that I have had more than one inquiry about vintage sewing books over the last few years.  So it was a matter of:

Rarity + Value + Content + Demand - Condition  = possible SALE. 

This is the allure that I wrote about above, it was so intense that the stickler guard was let down and I succumbed to the temptation.  I now have a mouldering expensive book for sale.