Search Results: the plowshare and the american reporter by parkhurst henry m

Washington, D.C.: Henry M. Parkhurst, 1853. Book. Very Good. Hardcover. First Edition. 12mo (11 x 17cm). pp. [3], 1-172; [1] -8; [1] -68.; "woodcut" print to page 4. Begins with Year 4, Nr. 11 of the Ploughshare (note that the title spelling changes to 'Plowshare' with Year 5 Nr. 28), running to Year 5 Nr 34. ( Jan. 1852 to Dec. 1853.) Followed by 2 issues of The Cosmopolitan, printed entirely in Parkhurst's new alphabet. Followed by issues 16-30 of The American Reporter. A fascinating work as most of the text is printed phonetically; includes articles on a diverse theme from Chess to Slavery. Original red cloth binding with gilt lettering to the spine and blind stamped decoration, with a little general wear and rubbing, faded to tan on the spine. Contents clean and tight, front free end paper excised, pencil signature to the head of the title page and small autographed number, 3 perforated stamps, a little reading wear, otherwise unmarked. Overall a very good copy..

Washington, D.C.: self, 1853. First Edition . Hardcover. Good. 1st in book form, 12mo, a good copy in original blue cloth. Spine very faded, chipped at top; binding is holding well. There is a waterstain on the lower third of many pages throughout the book. Begins with Year 4, #11 of the Ploughshare (changes to 'Plowshare' with Year 5 #28), running to Year 5 #34, Jan. 1852 to Dec. 1853. It is written entirely in phonetically spelled English, using many odd characters. The content ranges from political essays to chess. He also has articles on an entirely new alphabet he developed, the Cosmophonetic alphabet. Then there are 2 issues of The Cosmopolitan, which are printed entirely in that alphabet. Follows issues 16-30 of The American Reporter, again printed phonetically; it includes reports from Congress and discussions of the development of his phonetics. The methods and characters he used do look very similar to the phonetic pronunciation guides now used in dictionaries, and he may have been… Read More

Washington D. C.. Very Good. 1853. Hardcover. A collection of three periodicals using the phonetic alphabet edited and compiled by Henry Parkhurst. This book contains: The Ploughshare, Volumes 4-5, Numbers 11-33, Jan. 1852 to Nov. 1853; The Cosmopolitan, Volume 1, Numbers 1-2, 1853; The American Reporter, Volumes 5-6, Numbers 16-31, Jan. 1852 to April 1853. Each periodical is paginated separately: 172pp, 8pp, 68pp. Faded purple boards with blind embossed border and phonetic symbol on spine. Boards have moderate sunning and wear; text block has light foxing and soiling; a poorly executed wood block is located on 4pp. These periodicals use the phonetic alphabet, a standardized representation of sounds of the spoken languages devised in the mid 19th century, and was sometimes used as a teaching mechanism to learn how to read. The Cosmopolitan periodical is written entirely in a strange set of symbols, titled "the Cozmofonetic Alfabet" (a portion of this periodical happens to be the… Read More

Washington [D.C.]: Henry M. Parkhurst, 1853. 16mo (6.5" x 4.5") consisting of bound issues from year IV, no. 11 to year V, no. 34 of The Plowshare, two issues of The Cosmopolitan, and year V, no. 16 to year VI, no. 30 of The American Reporter, as issued. Pp. [4], 172, 8, 68; text in "reform spelling" characters, The Cosmopolitan entirely in the cosmophonetic alphabet; original green publisher's cloth, gilt, very good and sound. Established in 1849, The Plowshare was a vehicle to propagate Parkhurst's reformed spelling system, which attempted to more accurately express the pronunciation of words. The articles themselves cover a number of subjects dear to the editor's heart. Included are articles on phonography generally and his system of cosmophonography particularly, astronomy, civil rights, chess, universal language, and the occasional foray into mysticism (Parkhurst would later publish the pamphlet Diana, a foundational text of the mysto-sexual practice of Dianism).