The Standard Dictionary of Facts
Henry W. Ruoff (Editor)
📚 Genre
Reference - One-Volume Encyclopedia / Almanac
🏢 Publisher
The Frontier Press Company (Buffalo, NY)
📅 Publication Year
Circa 1908–1925 (specific edition requires title page verification)
🔢 ISBN
None (Pre-dates ISBN system)
About This Book
A comprehensive one-volume compendium of universal knowledge designed for quick reference. It covers ten key departments: History, Biography, Literature, Language, Art, Geography, Government, Industry, Science, and Miscellany. The cover is a dark green textured cloth/buckram with gold-gilt lettering and a debossed geometric frame design typical of early 20th-century educational texts.
Book Details
Language
English
Pages
Approximately 900–1,000 pages
Edition
Hardcover Reference Edition
Series
Standalone reference work, though revised editions were issued annually or biennially between 1908 and the late 1920s.
Target Audience
General Audience / Students / Household Reference
Collector Information
Condition
Good to Fair. Visible wear on the crown and foot of the spine, fraying at the corners, and minor staining/rubbing on the front board. The gilt lettering remains mostly legible but shows signs of aging.
Estimated Value
$15.00 - $35.00
Rarity
Common. These were mass-produced in very high quantities during the early 1900s. While older, they are frequently found in estate sales and used bookstores.
Historical Significance
A popular early 20th-century 'educational gateway' book that aimed to democratize information for the American middle class before the widespread availability of full multi-volume encyclopedias in homes.
Collector Notes
Collectibility is relatively low due to the sheer volume of surviving copies and the fact that the information is historically dated rather than scientifically accurate. Value is primarily decorative or for 'prop' use. To preserve, keep in a temperature-controlled environment to prevent further brittleing of the wood-pulp paper inside. Check for the specific year on the title page, as the 1908 first editions carry slightly more interest for historical researchers.
Similar Books
The Lincoln Library of Essential Information by The Frontier Press; Pears' Cyclopaedia by Pears; The World Almanac and Book of Facts by World Almanac Books.
Notable Features
Features a thumb-index (visible in the page block) for quick navigation; contains numerous black and white illustrations and historical charts.