Identification
Photo reference
3 uploaded photos
Overview
The photographed front wrapper explicitly names Novelty Job Printing Presses, Boston, publisher Benj. O. Woods & Co., and 1876. Page 3 identifies the firm as manufacturers at 49 Federal Street, Boston; page 1 advertises printing types, cuts, rules, borders, and supplies, with a New York branch at 11 Barclay Street. These details establish a manufacturer’s promotional trade pamphlet, not a printing press.
Story
The wrapper identifies Benj. O. Woods & Co., Boston, and bears the date 1876; the interior identifies the firm as manufacturers at 49 Federal Street and advertises printing supplies and a New York branch. The pamphlet documents Victorian promotion of small job-printing equipment and related supplies. No ownership history, acquisition receipt, inscription, or documented association is established.
Maker / Origin
Benj. O. Woods & Co., Boston (publisher and advertised manufacturer)
Condition & Value
The visible pale blue front wrapper and pages 1–3 show creasing, edge wear, and localized brown discoloration at several lower corners. These observations support a worn copy rather than an assumption of fine condition.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Printing-trade ephemera attracts specialist book collectors, printing historians, and letterpress enthusiasts rather than a broad decorative market. Original illustrated manufacturers' literature is generally more appealing than later reference reproductions, especially when complete and clearly described. The supplied research does not establish current sales velocity or a direct price level for this title. The substantially richer 1871 catalogue illustrates specialist interest but does not demonstrate equivalent demand for this pamphlet.
▲ Visible publisher imprint and 1876 date establish a specific historical trade-literature identity.
▲ Illustrated printing-equipment advertising offers focused appeal to letterpress collectors.
▲ Pale blue front wrapper survives with the title and manufacturer identification readable.
▲ Interior business addresses and supply advertisements add printing-history research interest.
▼ Original-printing status remains unverified; a later facsimile would fall outside the original-copy estimate.
▼ Completeness is unverified; confirmed missing leaves or wrappers would reduce collectible appeal.
▼ Visible creasing, edge wear, and brown discoloration limit fine-condition appeal.
▼ No verified direct sale supports the estimate, leaving substantial price uncertainty.
Best Venue
Photograph both wrappers, every numbered page, and close-ups of the final page and printing before offering the pamphlet. Ask a specialist books-and-ephemera department such as Dominic Winter Auctioneers to review original-printing status and completeness. If confirmed original and complete, an eBay fixed-price listing around $650 with offers enabled is a reasonable test, with approximately $425 as the provisional negotiation reference rather than a documented sale price. Avoid cleaning, trimming, or repair before specialist review.
Upside Potential
Confirmation of an original, complete copy with all illustrations, sound wrappers, and no significant repairs would support testing the $700 upper end. The much higher contextual catalogue price depended on extensive specimens and historical annotations; it does not justify a comparable premium here without similarly exceptional evidence.
Authenticity Risk
mediumThe visible wrapper imprint and interior business details are consistent with the advertised historical publication, but those details could also appear in a facsimile. The supplied views do not establish paper age, printing process, or the absence of a reproduction notice. Original-printing verification is warranted before sale at the upper end; no affirmative sign of deceptive fabrication is reported.