The Complete Home – Julia McNair Wright – 1884 | Illustrated Domestic Manual in Gilt Publisher’s Cloth

The 1884 Complete Home by Julia McNair Wright is a late Victorian domestic manual published by Bradley, Garretson & Co. in Philadelphia. Structured as a generational household guide, it presents narratives and prescriptive content directed toward women at various life stages. This early printing is preserved in its original gilt-stamped cloth binding, with floral designs and bold typography on the cover and spine. A presentation inscription dated 1885 places this specific copy in Crystal, Michigan, within a year of its publication. The volume features clear chapter divisions and numerous engraved illustrations printed directly within the text block. Paper is lightly toned. No revised text or supplements appear, indicating this is among the unaltered early issues from the publisher’s initial circulation.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Complete Home: Or, Life of All Ages; A Home Book
• Author(s): Mrs. Julia McNair Wright
• Publisher: Bradley, Garretson & Co., Philadelphia
• Edition: Early edition, 1884
• Format: Octavo, single volume
• Binding: Gilt and black-stamped publisher’s yellow cloth
• Size: 9.25 in × 6.25 in (23 cm × 16 cm)
• Collation: xiii, [1], 11-588 pp
• Illustrations: Numerous full-page and in-text wood engravings, several in color
• Contents Include:
  • Preface by the author
  • Thematic chapters on girlhood, marriage, motherhood, widowhood, aging
  • Sections on frugality, reading, home furnishing, spiritual conduct.
• Provenance: Presentation plate inscribed to Mrs. A.F. Lemasters, Crystal, Michigan, 1885.
• Reference(s): ​not listed

Condition:

Bound in mustard-yellow cloth decorated in black and gilt, with the spine featuring ornate botanical ornamentation and titling. The binding remains secure, with moderate wear to the spine ends and corner rubbing. Boards exhibit scattered surface marks and fading. Internal hinges are intact. Pages show light toning and isolated smudges consistent with age, with no major loss or tears noted.

Why Collect This?

• [Early example of a complete copy in original publisher’s cloth
• Dated gift inscription placing the volume within one year of publication
• Illustrated with period wood engravings, printed in-text
• Typical of Bradley, Garretson’s decorative bindings in the 1880s
• Useful for collectors focused on 19th-century women’s domestic literature or instructional works

Item Number: #28625