Isaac Pitman’s Pocket Shorthand Dictionary — Centenary Edition — Undated, c.1913–1915 — Uncommon Pocketbook Copy

Description

This undated Centenary Edition of Pitman’s Pocket Shorthand Dictionary, published by Isaac Pitman & Sons of New York (2 West Forty-Fifth Street), is an uncommon example of the compact, early 20th-century student edition. Bound in black cloth with gold gilt lettering on the front panel, this small-format volume contains 232 pages followed by publisher advertisements.

Created to support learners of Pitman shorthand, this pocket dictionary played a practical role during a time when rapid written transcription was essential in offices, courtrooms, and journalism. Pitman’s phonetic system—based on varying line thickness and direction—became the most widely adopted shorthand method in the English-speaking world before the advent of recording devices.

According to the book’s introductory note, this version is an abridgement of the full Pitman’s Shorthand Dictionary, condensed specifically for portability. It provides the preferred phonographic outlines for commonly used English words, along with alphabetical lists of grammalogues and contractions—foundational elements for anyone studying or practicing the system.

Features include:

• Black cloth binding with gilt title on the front board

• Compact pocketbook format

• Undated, circa 1913–1915 , based on publisher address and Centenary designation

• 232 pages plus adverts

• Detailed introductory note on the purpose and structure of the dictionary

• Shorthand outlines, grammalogues, and contractions used in Pitman phonography

  

Its uncommon format, early 20th-century printing, and connection to the history of professional stenography make this a noteworthy addition for collectors of shorthand manuals or historical reference works.

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