Wonderful Story About Capt. Rand (cover title)

"Wonderful story how Walter I. Rand, Boston business man, achieved a fortune" (drop title). Wraps, 12mo, (16) pages. Pictorial covers with halftone photograph illustrations. Moderate abrasion to covers not obscuring images, tape to lower spine, a few stray pencil squiggles. OCLC shows 1 copy at the Hagley Museum.

5 pages with the story of Capt. Rand's trek through India to discover the "Lucky Stone," and offer excerpts from "Articles on Luck" by John J. Ingalls, citing the luck of self-made men like Andrew Carnegie. Copious endorsements, including attributions to Naval Commanders George Dewey and E. S. Houston. Many testimonials credit the stone with being offered well-paying work, having debts repaid and other financial rewards; others claim improved health, cured rheumatism, better eyesight, etc.

Rand's operation later expanded to London. Stateside, a fraud order was issued against him by the Post Master on June 13, 1901, for "sending moonstones of domestic manufacture to persons who sent him remittances for so-called 'lucky stones from Ceylon.'" The order was revoked in December after Rand appealed, stating it was "not his intention... to advertise semi-precious stones as coming from Ceylon or elsewhere." The back cover of this booklet is plain evidence to the contrary, advertising in all-caps: "Oriental Lucky Stone from Ceylon India," perhaps dating this booklet before the fraud order. (The Jewelers Review, Dec 18 1901, p.1201)