First edition book titled 'The Cost' by David Graham Phillips, published by Grosset & Dunlap

Published in 1904 by The Bobbs-Merrill Company and later reprinted by Grosset & Dunlap, 'The Cost' is a novel by American journalist and novelist David Graham Phillips. Phillips was known for his muckraking journalism and progressive-era novels that critiqued American society and politics. The book was illustrated by Harrison Fisher, a renowned American illustrator famous for his depictions of the idealized American woman, known as 'Fisher Girls.' This Grosset & Dunlap edition represents a later reprint of the original Bobbs-Merrill publication, making literature more accessible to a broader audience through affordable editions. This book appeals to collectors of early 20th-century American literature, particularly those interested in Progressive Era social commentary and muckraking journalism. Book collectors value first editions and early reprints of David Graham Phillips' works for their historical significance and their reflection of American social concerns during the early 1900s. Harrison Fisher's illustrations add artistic value, making these editions especially desirable to collectors of illustrated books and vintage Americana. The combination of Phillips' social critique and Fisher's artwork creates a compelling artifact of American cultural history.