Some early canvassing books appeared in limp leather covers or paper wrappers. But almost all later canvassing outfits have regular bindings of cloth or leather, or a combination of the two, over boards, intended to give prospective purchasers a clear idea of what the actual book will look like. This use of a soft binding may represent a publisher's attempt to reduce the cost of producing canvassing outfits. However, the publisher's "Notice to Subscribers" states: We have taken only a few pages from the full book and have stitched them together with a temporary light cover for the convenience of our agents. By examination you can see exactly what the full book will be like. So, this may simply have been an attempt to reduce the book's weight and bulk, thereby making it easier to carry. Or, perhaps, both considerations played a role here.
