1917 BLUEJACKET’S MANUAL U.S. NAVY WWI 5TH EDITION VAN DER VEER ILLUSTRATED For Sale

Van der Veer, Norman R. The Bluejacket’s Manual, United States Navy. Fifth Edition. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute, 1917. Revised November 1916.

An evocative World War I-era edition of the U.S. Navy’s classic handbook for enlisted sailors, published in 1917, the year the United States entered the First World War. This Fifth Edition provides an extensive contemporary guide to naval life, training, seamanship, equipment, regulations, first aid, signaling, gunnery, and the practical knowledge expected of American bluejackets during the period.

Profusely illustrated throughout with diagrams, technical plates, and instructional images, including marlinespike seamanship and knotwork, naval signaling with colored flags, first-aid and lifesaving techniques, weapons diagrams, and naval machinery. Particularly attractive are the color signal illustrations and folding technical diagrams.

Bound in the original flexible dark blue cloth with gilt U.S. Navy device and lettering to the front cover. Contemporary ownership inscription “Geo. W. Cassell” appears on both the front and rear endpapers. A George W. Cassell has been identified in historical records as a World War I veteran; however, the present ownership inscription has not been conclusively linked to that individual, and no definitive naval-service attribution is made.

Condition: Fair to good for a heavily used service manual. Binding considerably rubbed, faded, and worn, with fraying and losses at the extremities. Hinges are cracked and exposed, with the binding weakened, though the text block remains substantially together. Title page and several preliminary/final leaves show edge wear, creasing, and small losses. Pages generally age-toned with scattered handling wear and occasional marks. Illustrated contents remain quite appealing, including the color signal material and folding diagrams. Sold as an authentic, well-used WWI-era naval manual showing evidence of substantial contemporary use.

A compelling 1917 U.S. Navy artifact, particularly desirable for its extensive period illustrations, technical material, and contemporary named ownership.