Buying an Honest House
Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., 1930. Hardcover. xv, [1], 151 p., frontispiece and 15 additional leaves of illustrations: many in-text drawings; 20 cm. Blue cloth with orange spine and cover titles. Illustrated dust jacket, mylar cover. Inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper: "To My Esteemed Friend Mary Black With the Best Wishes of the Author Dec. 25th 1949." Published at the beginning of the Great Depression, this book was dedicated "to the Many Americans Who are Endeavoring to Purchase Lasting, Enduring Homes." In the Foreword, the author quotes the chairman of the American Construction Council, Franklin D. Roosevelt, as saying "The average person does not get suitable value for his money in buying or bulding a home." Roosevelt had become president of the American Construction Council in 1922; he presumably was no longer an officer of the council when this book was published as he had been elected governor of New York state in 1928. Two years after publication, he became President of the United States. Book is in Very Good- Condition: cover is lightly soiled; faint dampstain at head of spine on cover and along upper edge near gutter of a few pages; otherwise clean and tight. Dust jacket is in Good- Condition: very faint dampstain at head of spine and upper edge of back section; chipping along edges; some loss along lower edge of front section; tear at head of spine without loss. Very Good - / good -. Item #003610
Price: $65.00