Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-11-10

| tidSS HouSe- ana bringing us ~
lions to the attention Of people who are
often pleased with the opportunity To
| purchase. The general change III
| character of the agent is an incident
| of the marked development in the pup
| LEGATION and sale of subscription books,
which has been especially notable
| within the last ten years, and is still III
progress.
With the exception of expensive
works of reference, and Of some popu-
lar autobiographies, the subscription
DOCKS OF years ago We're chiefly OF the
Mother, Home and Heaven" order.
| which caused subscription works in
general to be looked down upon by the
better class of book-buyers and pub
fishers. OF the exceptions noted, the
most remarkable was the 'Encyclo-
paedia Britannica" the ninth and lasf
edition of which was the first edition
to be sold in this country by subscrip-
tion. and which had a phenomenal
sale, mostly between 1880 and 1890.
Previously the work had been sold
only to public libraries and persons of
wealth. while through the subscription
plan it was sold by agents all over the
country to professional men, and
others who would never have thought
of buying it otherwise. Still earlier.
an American cyclopaedia had been
sold by subscription, but works of this
character and memoirs OF popular
heroes We're, with few exceptions, the
only first-class books sold in this way
up to about ten years ago. The old
style subscription books, of the in
ferior grade were usually bound in
one or two volumes, at So or $40; in the
rare instances where new editions of
standard authors We're issued on this
plan they were decidedly expensive.
The most striking feature of the
change in the last decade is the print
ing of standard authors, to be sold by
subscription only. and yet at COM
paratively low price.
A number of first-class publishing
houses in New York and elsewhere
have taken up this line as Il part Of
their regular business. They also is
sue libraries" Of various kinds, and
series OF histories and biogra phies
These sets. which include from ten to
forty volumes, are much better than
the usual popular editions. being print
ed on Watermarked paper. from new
type. and are illustrated by good art
lists. II an ordinary edition is sold
over book store counters at an average
price OF $l50 a volume, the popular
subscription set is sold at 81 a volume,
ana the subscriber gets far better
work Not infrequently, where modern
authors are concerned. he could NOT
obtain a complete uniform library
edition in any other way. The belief
is expressed that this feature of the
subscription business has come To
stay" Book buyers are being edu
Gated up 10 it. more Of the high-class
houses are going into il, and those AL
ready in are devoting more money and
attention to its development.
\ number Of expensive high-class
works are now issued by subscription
solely. one prominent New York firm
has just published a new book of his
torical interest in three editions, of two
volumes each, at $50. at 500, at $50.
| There are $50 copies of the cheapest
| edition. 200 in the next. and only fifty
in the most expensive The higher
priced sets have special features. not
only being printed on larger ana finer
paper, but having extra illustrations.
Art works. distnctively. which were
popular some years ago. are now not
so much in demand, largely owing, 1t
! is said, to the fact that many inferior
works of this character We're formerly
| imposed at high prices upon people
who We're not good judges. Still, some
| high-class art works, Of particular in
| terest to certain elements in the COM
munity are brought out by we'll known
firms in Paris and this city. and sell
we'll at prices as high as $500 a set.
One of the most recent of these issues.
| which appeals to the religious, the art
loving. and the student of history. is
published in five editions, ranging in
price from $500 down to $50.
Some houses which publish perfodi-
Gals sell certain sets Of subscription
books with the magazine free for a
year. the idea. Of course. being to Sc
cure the recipient as permanent SUD
scriber to the latter. Another COM
paratively new feature of the subscrip-
| ton business is the sale of sets OF
books called libraries" through clubs
! formed by department stores of people
! who send in their names in answer to
| advertisements
A representative. Of high grade
publishing house said that the changes
| in the character of sales by subscrip-
ton had brought about a marked
change in the general character of the
! agents who sold the better class of
| works. Their business was better paid.
and there was a greater disposition 10
| make it a regular vocation. Formerly,
and now to some extent, he said, per
sons dropped into it because II re-
quired no capital, and because in il a
| man was his own master, 50 far as ms
time was concerned. They often soon
| dropped out again, after selling what
they could to their friends and &C
uuaintances Now the business at
tracted many intelligent and Weii-read
men. including college graduates. who
worked up a regular clientage among
their customers. Several agents of the
| speakers own house made $4,000 year
By the sale of comparatively low
priced works, and there We're probably
exceptional cases of men who made
more.
\ member of Il firm publishing SUB
| scription books exclusively, said: The
| nnGCihlp 10