The Moneyman

Thomas B. Costain | 1941 First Edition

The Piece

A 1941 first edition of The Moneyman by Thomas B. Costain, published by Doubleday & Company, Garden City, New York. Bound in deep navy cloth with a gilt stamped heraldic shield to the front board and a red spine label with gilt lettering, the book reflects the strong graphic restraint of early 1940s American trade bindings.

Illustrated medieval endpapers introduce the historical narrative tone, depicting figures in period costume beneath gothic architectural forms.

Solid, formal, and unmistakably pre-war in character.

Design & Construction

→ Binding:
Navy cloth-over-board hardcover with gilt crest on front and red spine panel with gilt titling.

→ Interior Details:
Decorative medieval-themed endpapers. Cream paper stock. Clean serif typography consistent with early 1940s publishing.

→ Publisher Information:
Doubleday & Company, Inc.
Garden City, N.Y.
1941

Historical Context

Thomas B. Costain was one of the most widely read historical novelists of the mid-20th century. The Moneyman tells the story of Jacques Coeur, a 15th-century French merchant and financier whose rise and fall unfolds against the backdrop of medieval Europe.

Published in 1941, the novel emerged during a moment of global upheaval, when historical fiction often provided readers with both escape and perspective.

The design and structure of this edition reflect the durable, understated elegance of early WWII-era American publishing.

Condition

Good vintage condition.

Cloth retains strong color with light edge softening. Spine label intact. Interior pages clean with mild age toning. No dust jacket present.

Binding tight and structurally sound.

Product Details

Why It Belongs in Your Home

This is classic mid-century library presence.

It works beautifully:

• In a traditional study

• On a leather-accented shelf

• Layered with other WWII-era bindings

• In a curated historical fiction collection

The navy cloth and red spine label create strong contrast in stacked arrangements.

It reads intelligent without being loud.