• Book: "The Last Chapter" by Nancy Fish-Barnum
Book: "The Last Chapter" by Nancy Fish-Barnum
Book: "The Last Chapter" by Nancy Fish-Barnum

Book: "The Last Chapter" by Nancy Fish-Barnum


Scott, Byron
Nancy Fish Barnum
(created by)
P. T. Barnum (associated with)
1893 (Date manufactured/created)
Limited edition copy of "The Last Chapter" written by Nancy Fish Barnum, widow of showman P. T. Barnum.  She was Barnum's second wife, marrying him in 1874, just three months after the death of his first wife, Charity Hallett Barnum.  Fish wrote "The Last Chapter" to complete her husband's autobiography, which was very popular and had been through several editions, revised and updated, during his lifetime.  As The Last Chapter title suggests, the text is a final "update," detailing the last year or so of Barnum's life and accomplishments.  The binding is black with the title and border in gold.  The decorative lettering reflects the stylized typography (style of lettering) fashionable in the late 1800s. The inside cover includes a bookplate, and notes that this volume was discarded by St. Lawrence University.  The endpapers feature dark blue-green marbling.  The pages are made of a high quality paper that is thicker than normal. On the back of the title page there is a pasted-in envelope with a calling card bearing Nancy Fish's married name, Mrs. P. T. Barnum, and her current place of residence.  A printed black border around the card indicates she was in mourning. The volume is marked number 27, as this was a limited edition book, made for Nancy Fish Barnum to present to family members and to her husband's friends and close business associates as tokens of remembrance.  Barnum died on April 9, 1891, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. 

 
T 2015.046.001