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FINN, Francis. Tom Playfair. Erzahlung aus dem Leben eines kleinen Amerikaners. Von Francis Finn, S.J. Fur die deutsche Jugend bearbeitet und mit einer Erklarung des amerikanischen Biellauf-Spieles (Baseball) versehen von Franz Belten, S.J. Mainz: Verlag von Franx Kirchheim, 1896. First German edition. 12mo., orig. green cloth dec. in gilt, (iv), 288pp. With a frontispiece printed in colour. Near fine. This is a German translation of Frank Finn's book published in English as "Tom Playfair: Or Making a Start" (NY: Benzinger, c.1891). This is a German translation of Frank Finn's book published in English as "Tom Playfair: Or Making a Start" (NY: Benzinger, c.1891). A literal translation of the German title would be "Tom Playfair: A Narrative from the life of a young American adapted for German Youth and with an explanation of the base-running game" by Franz Belten. |
We have been able to locate a few copies of the U.S. edition in RLIN as well as a French translation but we have not located a German translation. The listings of the Deutsche Bibliothek (Frankfurt) lists a German edition dated 1919 but not this Maniz, 1896 edition. We can not locate this edition in any of the reference sources available to us. The chromolithograph frontispiece is curious. The U.S. edition makes no mention of a coloured frontis simply stating "illustrated." The frontis in our edition depicts a scene in a railway car and includes several boys and a black porter; a sign on the wall is in English leading to the supposition that the frontis is perhaps copied form the U.S. edition. Copies of the U.S. edition c.1891 are held by the New York Public Library and the Lib. Assoc. of Portland Oregon; a 1892 edition is held by LC, Spokane Public, East Cleveland Public; a 9th edition 1893 is held by the Boston Public Library. The use of the English "Baseball" in the title seems to imply that even at that early date the term was not unknown in Germany. The story involves a young boy, Tom Playfair, who is sent off to St. Maure's boarding school in order to develop into a "good Catholic young man." Two full chapters are devoted to the formation of a baseball team and the playing of a game with full details. This is a fine copy of a rare book.
$600.00
$600.00
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