Olympic & Titanic Hardcover Shipbuilder Magazine, Midsummer 1911

Incredibly rare hardcover edition of The Shipbuilder magazine, printed midsummer 1911, and detailing the construction of the new White Star Line steamers Olympic & Titanic.

Nearly impossible to find in any condition, this copy is truly exceptional. The binding is intact, with only minor loosening of the front board and immediate pages - nothing a pro couldn't tighten up quickly and relatively easily. All pages are intact and connected, with only minor age toning. There is no inscription or book plate. All eight plates are intact and clean, including the color print and the broadside deck plan. There is a small crack to the back board, but it is firm and does not carry through to the green textured cloth cover. The gold embossed lettering is all present and clean, as is the oval inlaid picture.

Shipbuilder Press began publishing manual style engineering books about ships’ workings in around 1906. The books in the series are known for their incredible detail from an engineering perspective. Generally used as a reference manual for technical information, the vintage editions relating to Titanic, such as this one, have become so collectible as to have fostered a cult-like following, with some collectors seeking the book as more of a status symbol than a research tool.

This edition is particularly noteworthy in that it was the first publication to refer to the Titanic as "practically unsinkable".