The Bible – The Best Selling Book

1900

In this year of census taking it is natural that statistics of all kinds should possess a peculiar interest. Among other things, people are always desirous of knowing what books are meeting with the greatest sales at any given time. There are always half a dozen, more or less, popular books which for the time being are most prominent in the public eye. It is not surprising to have one of these run into editions of hundreds of thousands.

Inquiry in the book department of one of the biggest retail stores, however, reveals a somewhat surprising condition, for while there have been 6,000 copies of a popular work of fiction sold within a given time there had been between 16,000 and 18,000 Bibles disposed of during the same period. According to the manager of this department the case is by no means exceptional. In fact if statistics were to be gathered later in the season a disparity in the favor of the Bible and religious books would be much larger.

There are other books which bear reprint year after year, notably those of Dickens, Scott, Shakespeare and other immortal authors, but no book has ever been written which bears constant reprinting in so many forms and during so many seasons as the Word of God, which today probably possesses a stronger hold upon the human race than it has ever had before.

—The Ram's Horn, Nov. 17, 1900, p. 6.

The Millennium for Pianos Has Come!

Advertisement, 1914
Click graphic for larger version

Excerpts from the ad's copy blocks:

ONLY 15 MINUTES TO A CUSTOMER
The time limit is 15 minutes. Buy quick. Our sales force is absolutely worn out. Pianos will be sold as fast as they can write the contracts. When you see the Piano you want "Nail it." Do not hold back. We will sell you any Piano at practically your own price.

KEEP MOVING AND KEEP TO THE REAR OF THE STORE
Please do not stand in one place. Keep moving and in this way you will do your part to enable us to handle the mob that will be here.

WE WILL DELIVER PIANOS TILL MIDNIGHT
We will deliver every Piano sold if possible, but we will not deliver Pianos on the Sabbath day.

A CLEAN SWEEP. ALL PIANOS MUST GO AT SOME PRICE
We have cut the prices. We have literally slashed them to atoms.

A LAST WORD
Our race is run. This is the last call. It is up to you now. Will You Be Here?

W.T. CRANE CO.
352 South Salina Street
Syracuse, New York

—The Syracuse Herald, Syracuse, New York, April 24, 1914, page 18.