The Magic retailer Man by I.G. Edwards (1972) hardcover book

I. G. Edwards - The Magic Man: The Life of Robert Houdin

New York: Thomas Nelson, 1972. First edition, fourth printing (1974). Hardcover. 8vo. Red cloth binding. 169 pp. Unprepossessing ex-library copy, which circumstance is adduced in the form of stickers, stamps, and the appendage of Dewey Decimal razzmatazz upon the endpapers and textblock edges. Also there is general wear and scuffing evident along covers and textblock edges, diagonal stripes of scotch-tape residue on boards' exterior and pastedown pages, etc. Let's put it this way: this book won't be winning any cleanliness contests. HOWEVER, the dust jacket is actually very nice under its heavy duty libray mylar. The librarian--it is a surprise!--has forgotten to glue the jacket flaps to the book covers, so there is no institutional stigmata on it in any form (and retailer it really is a jacket that one has to admit is beautiful). Look, this book is a hot commodity and you obviously want it so just buy it already.