1891 Hand Book to the U.S. Local Marine Board Examination — Patterson Publisher

1891 HAND BOOK TO THE U.S. LOCAL MARINE BOARD EXAMINATION For Masters and Mates of Ocean-Going Steamships By Captain Howard Patterson | Published by John Bliss & Company, New York ABOUT THIS BOOK A rare and genuine antique copy of the standard examination guide used by American merchant marine officers in the late 19th century. To earn a federal license as Master or Mate of an ocean-going steamship, candidates had to pass a rigorous examination before the U.S. Local Marine Board (the federal licensing authority for merchant marine officers). Captain Howard Patterson's handbook was the go-to study guide for that examination. Published by John Bliss & Company of 138 Front Street, New York City — the premier nautical instrument, chart, and publication dealer in New York — this handbook covers: •Navigation and piloting •Rules of the Road (International Code) •Life-saving service regulations •Steamship inspection laws •Bowditch navigation problems and tables •Oral examination questions and answers Captain Patterson was formerly a licensed Pilot with the New York Board of Pilot Commissioners and the author of several other nautical reference works including The Coasting Pilot's Handbook and The Yachting Gentleman's Guide. BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS •Title: Hand Book to the U.S. Local Marine Board Examination for Masters and Mates of Ocean-Going Steamships •Author: Captain Howard Patterson •Publisher: John Bliss & Company, 138 Front Street, New York City, N.Y. •Copyright: 1891 by John Bliss & Co. (as stated on copyright page; title page undated) •Pages: 82 •Size: Approximately 6 x 8.75 inches PROVENANCE This copy bears a period ownership inscription on the front paste-down endpaper and opposite the title page: Bernhard A. Hallish, 171 Canova Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. Written twice — once in pencil and once in ink — this is a genuine period inscription consistent with a Brooklyn mariner or maritime student who used this book to prepare for his U.S. Local Marine Board examination. A direct connection to the working maritime community of late 19th-century New York Harbor. CONDITION Good — an honest working copy with the following noted: •Boards: Red/brown cloth with significant moisture staining and mold spotting throughout the covers. This is the primary cosmetic issue and is clearly shown in the photos. •Spine: Cracked/split at the front hinge; cloth at the head and foot of the spine shows fraying. •Interior: Clean and intact. Pages show only light toning consistent with age. No torn, missing, or heavily marked pages observed. Text is fully legible throughout. •Ownership inscription: Period ink and pencil inscriptions on paste-down and opposite title page as described above. This is a reading and display copy — the interior is in much better shape than the exterior. All photos are of the actual item. WHY COLLECTORS WANT THIS Genuine pre-1900 American maritime examination handbooks are increasingly difficult to find. Most copies were used hard and discarded. The combination of the 1891 John Bliss & Co. imprint, the period Brooklyn mariner provenance, and the intact 82-page text makes this a desirable piece for: •Maritime history collectors •Nautical antique collectors •U.S. Merchant Marine history researchers •New York Harbor / Brooklyn maritime history enthusiasts •Decorative antique book collectors.…