A very appealing antique copy of An Old Sweetheart of Mine by James Whitcomb Riley, published by The Bobbs-Merrill Company of Indianapolis in 1902, with drawings by Howard Chandler Christy and decorations by Virginia Keep. Library and bibliographic records confirm the 1902 Bobbs-Merrill edition, and Google Books notes the work at 50 pages.
This title works especially well in today’s market because it checks several boxes at once: Riley collector interest, early 20th-century decorative gift book appeal, and Christy illustration. Comparable copies in the market range from modestly priced worn examples to cleaner retail offerings around $45 and $84, with stronger or more aggressively priced copies higher still. This copy falls into the desirable middle ground of being complete, attractive, and structurally sound, while still showing honest wear.
Condition report:
Complete and tight binding. Original maroon cloth boards remain handsome, with strong gilt lettering and decoration to the front cover and spine. The inset portrait panel is intact and displays well. There is moderate rubbing and handling wear to the cloth, and the rear board has more noticeable wear with a small area of loss/scuffing near the upper outer edge. Interior pages shown are generally clean and bright, with an owner inscription on the decorative front endpaper. The List of Illustrations page shows six illustrations. Overall, this is a solid, displayable example of one of Riley’s best-known illustrated gift books.