Thomas Y. Crowell Co. (New York, US)
Series dates: 1895-1918
Size: 5″ x 7.25″
Crowell’s What is Worth While Series consisted of inspirational and religious works, all brief and most likely intended as gift books. It seems to have been named after one of the titles published in the series (What is Worth While, by Anna R. Brown Lindsay). Titles were .35 cents, with selected titles available in a “Fine Edition” for .60 cents (The Publishers Weekly, vol. 60, Part 2, 1901, p. 115). There were at least 65 titles (see jacket below). By 1918 only a few titles were listed as available, and the price was .25 cents (Publishers Weekly, vol. 93, part 1, 1918, p. 169)
Jackets were common to the series. The spines were blank (leading a previous, probably original owner, to ink in the book title on the jacket spine). The title and author are on the front cover. A list of new Crowell titles is advertised on the front jacket flap.
The series name and 65 titles are listed on the back of the jacket. The rear jacket flap is blank. The jacket is the only place the series name is indicated on the book; the book itself does not include the series name.
A decorated fake leather binding includes the title and author on the front. The spine and back of the book are blank. The design on the book cover varied from book to book. All were vegetatively themed.
The title page:
The copyright page with the date (1898). “C.J. Peters and Son, Typographers, Boston.”
