Saint John's Church in Keokuk (Iowa)

A History 1850 - 1975   ~   125 Years

by William L. Talbot

with The Stained Glass of Saint John's by Alice Bowers

published by Saint John's Church  -  Keokuk, Iowa  -  (published 1975)

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Book consists of 202 pages of which there is a 13-page Index along with 1 page at back of Illustration Credits. Index pages consist mainly of people's names; all illustrations are black/white/grey tones, most are quite good photos. Pages 171-188 are Appendix A-F. Type used for text has a bit of typewriter appearance although it probably was not set on typewriter, letters and spacing are good, and the type is easily read. Pages are original light-ivory color, good quality stock, tight at binding and clean. Book measures 6.25x9.25.

Nicely written inscription to first/former owner (a local man who had vast collections) on title page, beautifully signed by author. The former owner stamped name and address inside front cover which probably was originally hidden by dust jacket, and same small, neat stamp on first blank page. 

Deep maroon covers are barely worn, gilt title stamped on front cover is bright with several thin lines through it where the cover color shows, this could be from storage, jacket rub if there had been jacket, or perhaps just the way the gilt stamped onto the cover surface, there is also a straight diagonal line from eagle to the number 2 which does appear as manufacturer's flaw; my photo does not show the bright gilt, came out as white. Covers are quite tight at binding. No dust jacket although my guess is there would have been one as there is no title on the spine. Leaf edges clean, covers clean, 6 pages at back have tiny nick at top of page where there was a slight cut into paper and that does appear as a manufacturer's flaw. Title on cover reads: april twentieth 1950-1975 saint john's keokuk; with 125 designating the church's 125th anniversary. Oddly enough, I am listing this book 1 week shy of its 168th anniversary beginning in 1850.