"THE HANDS OF TIME"

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:50 pm

Here's a strange one?

I was just looking through my copy of Muriel Arnold's book "LIZZIE BORDEN THE HANDS OF TIME".

Am I missing something here??????????? I know it is a terrible publication, cheesy binding, crude font, etc. I heard that she was very unhappy with the publisher about the books construction at the time.

On the upper right hand corner of each page is the page number accompanied with her name "Arnold" ( Arnold 92, page 92)

Does anyone have this book?

Is it just my copy or am I missing something here.

No where in the book does Muriels name appear. The authors name is completely missing from the book. Someone forgot to include the authors name?

diana · Post by **diana** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 4:47 pm

Wow! That is strange. My copy has a ink stamp on the page directly opposite the inside front cover that reads: "MURIEL ARNOLD Author" -- and includes her address in Victoria TX. But this must have been hand stamped in there after publication.

Good one, Michael. I'd never noticed that before!

william · Post by **william** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:20 am

My book, the first (and only) edition is similar to Diana's copy.

It has the stamp beariing her full name and address on the first page, and her last name on the upper right hand corner of each page.

Strange one, Michael!

Fargo · Post by **Fargo** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:22 pm

Inside the front cover of my copy of Lizzie Borden The Hands Of Time is written in ink, Best Wishes Tony, Muriel Arnold. ( As Muriel signed it for me. )

Below that is the stamp with Muriel's name. The rest of the book is the same with Muriel's last name, Arnold on the top of the pages.

I did not notice that as for the original printing, Muriel's full name is not there. I did notice that Muriel's name was not on the introduction, where as many authors's will have thier name there.

Myself I like the cover and the sketches, they make it different from many other books.

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:01 pm

Yes, thanks EVERYONE for the response. My copy was one of the very first sold, probably before Muriel realized the crucial error, thus there is NO Stampings or sign of Muriel's name anywhere.......not even in the Introduction or Acknowledgments.

I purchased my copy the day it first arrived at the Fall River Historical Society. I use to have coffee with Muriel's nephew at a local coffee shop and he tipped me off that his aunt wrote the book and of it's arrival.

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:09 pm

One quirky little note about Muriel Arnold's little book. Though her name does not appear on the cover John Morse, Bridget Sullivan and Lizzie's do.

And in an ironic twist, the illustrator's name does make an appearance right in the center of the watch displayed on the cover.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 2:16 am

Was that a print-to-order book she put out?

Fargo · Post by **Fargo** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:13 am

Muriel's niece did most of the sketches in the book, including the sketch that is on the cover, and it is her name that is in the sketch on the cover .

I don't believe it is a print to order book.

I purchased my copy of The Hands 0f Time, from Muriel, on ebay 2 and a half years ago.

Since then we have become what I would call internet friends. We share the same of what some people would call old fashoned values.

Muriel has sent me many Lizzie things, including newspaper clipings and an old style Fall River map.

I sent Muriel some copies of The Hatchet for Christmas, including the first issue, that has a review of her book in it.

Muriel once told me that her sister has a some of her books and that when the FRHS sells out of them, that she brings them some more.

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:30 pm

Yes FARGO:

That is good news to know there are still copies ready for sale out there.

No they were not published on demand. If so, changes would have been made early in publication.

They were published by a small publishing firm in New Hampshire. It specialize in printing paper items not books. They were probably the wrong people to choose for publishing Muriel's book.

Weather they also did the book binding or farmed it out, I don't know. But, when it comes to book publishing their work is very amateurish. It was very cheaply done. My apology goes out to Ms Arnold for saying so.

As it stands now, Muriel's little book is scarce, though we now know there's a pod of them out there for sale. The last time I went into the FRHS there was a cluster 8 to 12 of them gracing their shelf.

Those who have purchased Ms. Arnold's book have kept them. Very few copies have filtered down to book dealer stock. If one checks the Net he or she would be lucky to find one copy for sale.

That makes THE HANDS OF TIME a scarce little book...

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:04 am

Personally, I've always liked the book. I very much like the illustrations.
But then I've liked the Ruby Cameron theory too...

Fargo · Post by **Fargo** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:38 am

I have been talking to Muriel.

There were 1000 copies of The Hands of Time printed.

The pulisher let her know that they messed up the cover and had to redo it.

The pulisher never sent Muriel a copy, before printing the book, so that she could see if any changes were needed.

When the books were picked up there were about 68 copies missing from the 1000. The other copies were aquired later.

The information about Muriel, that was supposed to be put in the book,
was not.

The book says "Lizzie Borden had an axe" instead of "Lizzie Borden took an axe." This is because that is the way Muriel and her friends used to sing the Lyrics when they were children, jumping rope.

Hey, Michael

are you sure your copy does not have the stamp print of Muriel's name ? Muriel is pretty sure she stamped all 1000 copies.

william · Post by **william** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:25 pm

Maybe Michael has "one of a kind." thiis would render it rarer than Lunday's book.

What say you, Michael - can we anticipate seeing it listed on eBay for an astronomical sum in the near future???

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:28 am

Yes Fargo: I am sure. No mention or stamping of Muriel's name anywhere in the book. I just checked again. (for the uptienth time, only because I could not believe the printer did not proof read the first few copies) It was one of the first sold. I purchased it at the FRHS, which is 3 blocks from my home, the day of it's release there. I guess it's the one that got away.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 6:09 pm

That's funny, MB!

Hey Fargo- how is Muriel Arnold?
I think she used to post to a Yahoo Group but after that I've not heard anything. She was great in that video.

Fargo · Post by **Fargo** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:09 am

The Forty Whacks group. I was given the information to join it but it didn't go through. I think it had to do with that I had a yahoo ID but forgot my password, when I tried to regain it, that didn't work either. I could straigten it out, but I haven't got around to it.

Muriel moved from Texas to Florida, she stays there with her sister. Muriel is very patriotic and has a good sense of humour.

What video is that?

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:36 am

I believe the official name of that group is/was 40Whacks. It is not very active with the last message in October 2007. Muriel posted that month.

nbcatlover · Post by **nbcatlover** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:23 am

It's so weird that you are discussing this book now. I came across a copy of it in the NB Public Library genealogy room. It's a reference only copy, so I had to read it there. This was when I was just getting into Lizzie research. I remember thinking that there were tidbits of information I had not learned from other sources.

I was just looking up information regarding purchasing a copy for my own library LAST WEEK.

I feel like you've been reading my mind!

Fargo · Post by **Fargo** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:08 pm

When the question came up on the forum as to how they got Abby's body down the stairs, I asked Muriel and she said that they used a blanket to carry her down the stairs.

Muriel could not recall the source offhand but believed she saw it in a newspaper clipping somewhere. she has done a lot of research.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 4:15 am

I think it's Hash & Rehash?
Everyone looks odd but she was cute and perky!

Cynthia- you are doing it again!

All over this Forum today we have been studying the same things!

*accessory*
*Hands Of Time*
*FRHS Quarterlys*