Ten Years Among the Mail Bags

"Ten Years Among the Mail Bags - or, Notes from the Diary of a Special Agent of the Post-Office Department" by J. Holbrook. 1856; Shepard, Clark & Co.; Boston. The book features engraved portraits and full-page illustrated plates by F.O.C. Darley. Holbrook was a remarkably skilled detective and brought many mail robbers to justice. The book is an inside look at the U.S. Post Office system of the 1850's and casts light on cases of mischievous behavior of Post Office workers that hindered the safety of people's secrets and material possessions.

Condition:
Some light soiling to the covers and spine. Cloth tears at the cover corners. The top and bottom edges of the spine are worn down. There is a cloth piece missing at the top-left corner of the spine. Tight binding with no loose pages. Occasional foxing to the pages, primarily to the illustrated plates and to a few pages before and after them. Pages 172-181 has a larger foxing/stain(?) spot at the lower-outer edge. "Darley" is written in pencil on the title page (a reference to the illustrator, F.O.C. Darley). The end papers and pastedowns are heavily tanned from a paper wrap that had been applied over the book (an outline of the paper wrap can be seen on the end papers and pastedowns). Overall the book is in Good condition.