Compiled and written by Virginia C. Purdy and Daniel J. Reed Edited by J. Benjamin Townsend Smithsonian Institution Press (for the National Portrait Gallery, Washington), 1968 (1st) 76pp

This very nice publication will interest students of American history and art history. The book is basically laid out with a profile and portrait of each U.S. president, starting with Washington, on each double-page spread. Portraits (B&W) were originally painted by various artists, and primarily come from the National Portrait Gallery in Washington.

The final president listed – the incumbent as of 1968 - is Richard Nixon, said to have ‘survived a number of crises’.

While showing age to its covers, the quality of glossy paper used means that the pages are still bright and clean, although there is creasing to the bottom corner that affects all pages. A notable dog-ear can also be seen on the front bottom corner of the cover. Some browning to covers, spine wear in the form of chipping and creasing. Some slight buckling to pages top inside edge and bottom right, latter includes a mild water stain.

An interesting feature of this book is that newsprint portraits of first ladies and other female relatives of the presidents have been stuck into the appropriate pages. I do not know where these came from but I believe it was from a separate source; in my view these add to the book rather than detract from it.

Please do check my other listings as I will happily combine postage on other purchases.