AI identification & appraisal estimate

Hardcover Book 'A Treasury of American Folklore'

Submitted photo of Hardcover Book 'A Treasury of American Folklore'
Photo submitted by the user — not generated by AI

User's notes

Copyright 1944, good condition

These notes were written by the person who submitted this item. Appraiser.AI has not verified them, and the AI's identification and estimate may rely on them.

AI Estimated Value

Not an official valuation

$10 - $25

AI estimate as of August 12, 2026 · verify with a professional before acting

AI-Generated · Verify before acting

Everything on this page is generated by AI for informational purposes only. AI can make mistakes — the AI may misidentify items or misattribute them (artist, maker, brand, designer, origin, era). This is not an official valuation and should not be used for insurance, sale, tax, estate, legal, or lending purposes — or any decision requiring a certified appraisal. It is not an authoritative claim about any person, brand, or rights holder — do not share or rely on it as a factual statement about a third party. Always consult qualified professionals before making financial decisions.

This analysis also relies on unverified notes provided by the user, which may be incomplete or inaccurate and could affect the result.

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AI Item Analysis

This physical item is a hardcover book featuring a vibrant, illustrated dust jacket. The cover displays prominent typography with titles reading 'A Treasury of American Folklore' and 'The Stories, Legends, Tall Tales, Traditions, Ballads and Songs of the American People', along with editorial credits naming 'Edited by B. A. BOTKIN' and 'Foreword by CARL SANDBURG'. The jacket design incorporates folk art imagery around the border including a fiddle, banjo, riverboat, flora, and fauna, rendered in a colorful palette. The item shows noticeable signs of age and handling, including minor edge wear, creasing, and slight discoloration along the top and corners of the dust jacket. The owner provides unverified context noting a copyright of 1944 and a stated condition of good, though actual condition and printing date remain unauthenticated from visual inspection alone. The identification is based on the legible text directly printed on the front cover of the dust jacket.

AI Appraisal Report

Based on the provided image, I am evaluating a hardcover copy of 'A Treasury of American Folklore' edited by B. A. Botkin with a foreword by Carl Sandburg. The book features an illustrated dust jacket showing noticeable wear, including edge creasing and discoloration. Per the user submission, the book has a copyright of 1944 and is in good condition. Working under the assumption that this is a 1944 printing, the value reflects typical market demand for mid-twentieth-century folklore anthologies. From the photo alone, I cannot evaluate the binding integrity, the condition of the interior pages, or the specific printing history on the copyright page. This book was widely printed and was a popular selection, making surviving copies relatively common in the secondary market. The presence of the dust jacket is a positive factor, though its visible wear limits the collector value. The estimated range of $10 to $25 assumes the owner's details are accurate regarding the printing date. To properly evaluate the specific edition, printing number, and overall state of preservation, a hands-on physical inspection would be required. If this turns out to be a later reprint or a book club edition rather than an early 1944 printing, the value would likely fall to the lower end of this range or below, typically closer to $5 to $10 as a reading copy.

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