Object

The Fables of Phaedrus (1886, First Edition)

A compact, well-thumbed first-edition volume dated 1886: cracked brown leather boards, a faded gilt title on the spine, narrow, foxed pages and a faint must of age. The book carries the dusty weight of an antiquarian find; Bartlet lifts and inspects it while browsing, the small object becoming a tactile focus as holiday banter and political unease weave through the aisle.

2 appearances

Purpose

A collectible first-edition book meant for reading and antiquarian ownership; in the scene its practical use is as an item to browse and potentially purchase from the rare-books shop.

Significance

Functions as a conversational catalyst and emotional pivot: the book's presence softens tension, anchors domestic holiday banter, and juxtaposes quiet literary comfort against the sudden political urgency Leo introduces — it materializes normalcy while highlighting Bartlet's avoidance and the scene's underlying stakes.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S1E10 · In Excelsis Deo

Books, Christmas and an Exit Strategy

Bartlet seizes and examines 'The Fables of Phaedrus' (1886 first edition), using the book as a tactile entry to holiday banter and intellectual play; it punctuates the scene’s domestic tone and becomes the conversational catalyst for light humor that contrasts Leo’s serious aside.

Before: Shelved among other rare volumes in the aisle; available for browsing.

After: Held briefly by Bartlet during examination and then left in the aisle (not specifically shown as purchased).

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S1E10 · In Excelsis Deo

Aisle Quibble and the Quiet Exit

Bartlet lifts and examines the first‑edition Fables of Phaedrus, using the tactile discovery to launch playful holiday banter and to anchor his invitation to Leo; the book functions as a conversational catalyst and symbol of domestic normalcy.

Before: Resting on the rare‑books shelf, intact with visible gilt lettering and red leather label.

After: Handled by Bartlet during the interaction; left on the shelf or returned to display (no explicit purchase recorded in this segment).

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