Knickerbocker Series: A Holland-American Library

Eerdmans-Sevensma Co. (Grand Rapids, MI, US)
Series dates: 1919-1921
Size: 4.5″ x 7″

Eerdmans–Sevensma Co. was established in 1911 as a book dealer specializing in theological textbooks in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The company began publishing books not long after and was renamed William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. in 1922. The company continues to publish as an independent, family-owned enterprise.

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Titles in The Knickerbocker Series: A Holland-American Library were published in 1919 and 1920 and at least one advertisement lists the series as available in 1921. The series was bilingual with titles published in Dutch and in English. As far as I can tell, none of the books contained both Dutch and English, but one title (by Kuiper) was published as two books in the series, one in Dutch and one in translation, in English. Titles in the series, with series numbers (except two that have unknown serial numbers) follow.

#1: Idsardi, Pretty Marie (1919)
#2: B.K. Kuiper, With all thy Heart (1919)
#3: B.K. Kuiper, Met hart en Mond (1919)
#4:
#5: Gerhardus Schmidt, Hij die staat ….. of, Uit het Leven van een Predikant (1919)
#6: Herman Hoeksema, Dominee Kouwenaar: of Zedelijk Dualisme (1919)
#7:
#8: J. Noordewier, Een Tachtig-jarige: Iets uit het Leven van Jacob Noordewier (1920)
#9: P.J. Hoekenga, Things of the Spirit, Meditations on Spiritual Life and Prayer (1920)

Unknown serial numbers:

J.J. Knap, In de Velden van Efratha. (1919)
Dirk Nieland, Yankee-Dutch Humoristische Schetsen uit het Hollandsch-Amerikaansche Volksleven (1919)

Jackets for the series were of a common design, with space left on the front of the jacket to print the title and author. This copy of Pretty Marie by Idsardi (pseudonym of G.I. van der Ploeg) is #1 in the series, published in 1919. The spine of the jacket does not contain the series name but does include the series number. The series name is printed at the bottom of the jacket front. the front flap lists four of the initial 5 titles in the series (including Pretty Marie) as well as the publisher.

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The rear of the jacket and rear flap are blank.

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The books are bound in boards, with the author, title and publisher indicated, but not the series name. The serial number is included on the base of the spine.

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The book does not have a half-title page, but a page including the series name is included facing the title page.

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The copyright page includes the date of publication.

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