Platform Echoes: Or, Leaves from My Note-Book of Forty Years
Language: English
Published by A.D. Worthington & Co., Hartford, Connecticut, 1885
- First Edition
- Hardcover
- Used
Seller: Christine's Cabinet, Providence, RI, U.S.A.Christine's Cabinet
AbeBooks seller since June 23, 2026
Condition: Used - Good
US$ 65.00
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
Platform Echoes, or Leaves from My Note-Book of Forty Years, by John B. Gough, with an introduction by Rev. Lyman Abbott, D.D., was published in Hartford by A. D. Worthington & Co. in 1885. Gough was the most celebrated American temperance orator of the nineteenth century, a reformed alcoholic who delivered more than nine thousand lectures to an estimated nine million listeners across America, Canada, and Great Britain over a forty-year career, and this volume gathers his reminiscences, journal entries, and platform addresses into a substantial illustrated memoir running to xxviii plus 639 pages. The book was issued for sale only by subscription, a premium format typical of the period for a work of this scale. The binding is a handsome example of 1880s American publisher's cloth: rust-brown boards with a blind-stamped decorative border, a gilt-lettered title panel to the front board, and an elaborately gilt-decorated spine reading "Platform Echoes, or Living Truths for Head and Heart," all still bright and fully legible. The endpapers carry an attractive bellflower-and-vine pattern in sage and cream. Condition issues to note: the front hinge shows a short crack at the top of the gutter where the free endpaper meets the pastedown, and the cloth at the head of the spine shows some fraying, both consistent with a book of this age and thickness that has seen genuine use rather than sitting shelved. The text block itself remains clean and tightly bound, with only light, even toning to the pages, and all illustrations are present and sharp, including the steel-engraved portrait of Gough facing the title page and a second, softer photogravure-style portrait near the opening of Chapter One. The front free endpaper carries a period ownership inscription, dated the year of publication: "Mr. F. B. Fowle's Book, presented to him by his wife, Mrs. J. F. Fowle (Davis), September 12, 1885," accompanied by a small hand-drawn ribbon banner signed "Ira F. Fowle." This is a charming domestic gift inscription contemporary with publication, though it records a private family exchange rather than any connection to Gough himself. A well-preserved, richly illustrated example of a major primary source for the American temperance movement, suited to collectors of nineteenth-century social reform history, Victorian gilt cloth bindings, and American subscription-published memoirs.…
Seller Inventory # ABE-1782922118101
Bibliographic details
- Title
- Platform Echoes: Or, Leaves from My Note-Book of Forty Years
- Author
- Gough, John B.
- Publisher
- A.D. Worthington & Co., Hartford, Connecticut
- Publication year
- 1885
- Condition
- Good
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- Illustrator
- Various Eminent Artists
- Edition
- 1st Edition
- Seller catalogs
- 19th-Century America Reform & Social History
Christine's Cabinet
Providence, RI, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since June 23, 2026
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 3 to 5 business days | 5 to 14 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | US$ 0.00 | US$ 0.00 |
Payment methods
Store description
Christine's Cabinet is an independent antiquarian bookshop specializing in illustrated first editions, fine bindings, and Victorian & Edwardian literature with documented provenance. Run by a single bookseller with 12+ years in book arts, printmaking, and book repair — currently teaching bookbinding at RISD Continuing Education, joining the Providence Art Club as an instructor this fall, 2026.
Specialty
Victorian & Edwardian Literature — first editions, illustrated editions, decorative bindings Fine Bindings & Design — Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts movement, elaborate gilt work Illustrated & Decorative Books — hand-colored plates, wood engravings, premium production values Literary Classics — canonical works in original cloth, presentation copies, period editions Natural History & Scientific WorksSeller's business information
RI, U.S.A.
Terms of sale
Christine's Cabinet is an independently operated antiquarian bookselling business based in Providence, Rhode Island, registered as a single-member LLC. Every book offered for sale has been personally examined, assessed, and photographed by the bookseller directly, drawing on more than twelve years of experience in book arts, fine printing, printmaking, and book repair. Condition is graded honestly and specifically using the standard terms Good, Very Good, and Near Fine, with any defects, repairs, restorations, or notable wear disclosed in the item description rather than glossed over. Editions, printings, and points of issue are verified to the best of the bookseller's knowledge and ability before a book is listed, and any uncertainty in dating, edition status, or attribution is noted plainly in the description itself. Prices are set using confirmed comparable sales and market data rather than optimistic estimates, reflecting a considered assessment of each book's condition, rarity, and desirability at the time of listing.
Orders are processed and prepared for shipment promptly following payment, and every book is packed individually and with care appropriate to its age, binding, and fragility, using materials intended to protect the item through transit. For orders shipped to the European Union valued at €150 or less, applicable VAT is collected at checkout and duties are handled on a Delivered Duty Paid basis; buyers will not be charged additional customs duties upon delivery for these orders. For orders shipped to the European Union valued above €150, and for international orders generally, any customs duties, import taxes, or fees levied by the buyer's own country upon arrival are the buyer's responsibility and are not included in the item price.
Returns are handled in accordance with AbeBooks' Return Policy. Buyers are encouraged to review photographs and condition notes carefully and to reach out with any questions before completing a purchase, so that every transaction begins with a clear and accurate understanding of the item. Christine's Cabinet stands behind the accuracy of every description and is committed to representing each book honestly, so that collectors and readers alike can buy with confidence.
Shipping terms
All domestic orders within the United States ship via USPS Priority Mail at no additional cost, with shipping built into the listed price of each item. International orders ship via USPS International, with a standard shipping rate of $36.00 or Priority International service available for $46.00; buyers may select their preferred service at checkout where offered. Books are typically processed and shipped within 48 hours of payment, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Every item is packed individually according to its age, binding, and fragility, using materials appropriate to protect the book through transit, including rigid mailers or boxing for larger or more delicate volumes. Tracking information is provided for all orders.
For orders shipped to the European Union valued at €150 or less, applicable VAT is collected at checkout and duties are handled on a Delivered Duty Paid basis; buyers will not be charged additional customs duties upon delivery for these orders. For orders shipped to the European Union valued above €150, and for shipments to other international destinations generally, any customs duties, import taxes, or fees assessed upon arrival are the responsibility of the buyer and are separate from the shipping cost shown at checkout. Please allow additional time for delivery on international orders, as transit times vary by destination and customs processing.