Who owned your book?

DoctorFly · Post by **DoctorFly** » 07/08/09 05:12

I've got a number of books signed by the author with dedications, but the most mysterious (and romantic) is this one in Frederic Van de Water's "In Defense of Worms".

Others, with owners' names and messages give a wonderful history of a books life and familily relationships. One book went from patient to doctor, to son to doctor to patient.

Another, that I was particularly pleased to find in a secondhand bookshop, some miles from my home, was owned by the owner of my house some seventy years ago.

Anyone know who Iris was?

regards,

Doc

Ombra · Post by **Ombra** » 07/16/09 01:15

Among my collection of books I have several antiques regarding salmon fly fishing and tying. Some of them still have the ex libris or some inscription on their pages but it's not easy now to research for someone lived in the 19th century. What I like to think is the fact that those persons were, one day of many years back, reading those pages and dreaming as I do.

Staying with more recent books I have one copy of Salmon fishing of Col. Bates which was owned by Helen Shaw. This is a gift by a good friend of mine. Still from Helen Shaw library I have a copy of Leisenring's book on nimphs.

But the piece that I like more is a booklet written by Skues (under Val Conson name). Is the same book I have see another member here owns. But my copy, apart being the first edition of 1950, was belonging to Harry and Elsie Darbee (their ex libris is on the first page) and was gifted to them by Sparse Grey Hackle. There are few lines written inside by S G H to greet the Darbees. I really love it.

Cheers

Alberto

cwfly · Post by **cwfly** » 07/16/09 04:15

Alberto,

Those are wonderful books and thanks for writing about them.

I also enjoyed very much your website.

And thanks to all the others who took the time to tell of their books.

Charlie

enigma309 · Post by **enigma309** » 07/17/09 04:27

A fascinating thread, thanks.
Without wishing to hi-jack it but, very much related, do you sign the books you own, or gift to others? and what inspires your comments?

Brian

fishnbanjo · Post by **fishnbanjo** » 10/05/09 14:20

enigma309 wrote:A fascinating thread, thanks.
Without wishing to hi-jack it but, very much related, do you sign the books you own, or gift to others? and what inspires your comments?

Brian

Only once have I ever inscribed a book, it was a Second Hardbound Edition of Trout I sent to rodmaker Gary Lacey after he confided to me on the phone he had misplaced his paperback version. I simply wrote Dear Gary, perhaps this bound edition will be harder to lose, regards........ banjo

spey2 · Post by **spey2** » 12/28/11 20:51

Bumped this up for some help.
Have Henry Williamson's " A Clear Water Stream " that has the following inscription in the front. Elizabeth C. Storie - Ramsey......From Evelyn....Christmas 1959. Does anyone know who this might be?
Thanks Spey2

Duffwood · Post by **Duffwood** » 12/29/11 17:07

Interesting topic
(I posted this before)
I was able to pick-up a 1971 edition of Ray Bergman's Trout with book and dust cover in "Very Good" condition from auction.
It was in the personal collection of Martin J Keane and has his underlinings and notations / notes in the margins.
Interesting to see his thoughts and what he thought was important.
I think it was overlooked because it was listed as belonging to Mary Keane.
Most of you know Marty Keane and "Classic Rods and Rodmakers"

(some of the sellers notes)
This book is inscribed with the name, address and date of the legendary Martin J. Keane.
Overall, this is a very impressive copy with outstanding provenance.

DuFf

abingram · Post by **abingram** » 12/29/11 19:46

I have two of Dana Lamb's books with beautiful words to fathers whom I'm sure have passed. My "Some Silent Places Still" has inscribed "To Dad- Christmas 1979 from your sons, Peter & Bill." The "Not Far From The River" has"To Daddy with all my love, Nannie, Christmas '67." These were two lucky dads. There could not have been any better presents then these. Barry.

ewp313 · Post by **ewp313** » 01/11/12 15:22

I must admit my fishing library is a bit deficient but growing, of the modest amount of books on the subject that I do have one is an very good condition copy of Garrison and Carmichael's " A Master's Guide" that has a stamping in the first page of the inside stating "Library of Jack E. Coleman" in a circle with the initials JEC in the middle. I have often wondered who Jack Coleman might have been. I assumed many things but in the end only that he must have been a collector or a avid sportsman interested in the nuts and bolts of bamboo fly rods. If anyone might know who Mr. Coleman is or was, I would be interested in knowing. Ed

henrysdad · Post by **henrysdad** » 01/11/12 15:44

A few weeks ago I picked up an ex-library copy of Traver's "Anatomy of a Fisherman." Not an entirely common book and I had been looking for one at an affordable price for a very long time. When I received the book, I got a very pleasant surprise.

Seems at one point back in the '70's (as I recall), the local library was selling off some older books. The envelope is still in the book, showing it was only checked out every 2 or 3 years at the most by then. The new owner purchased it via mail from the library (book came with a copy of his letter to the library and a receipt). The kicker is the inscription from Traver, thanking the new owner for saving the book from the trash heap!
Tom

Broken Rod · Post by **Broken Rod** » 09/29/13 04:39

Hello, All

Here's a Good One!

Years ago, I bought a box of old angling books at a Lang's Auction. The most interesting one was Fred Mather's My Angling Friends because it had profiles of Charles F. Murphy, Rube Wood, and old Nessmuk-- some of my favorite "characters."

The book was published by Forest & Stream but it had been re-bound in leather. On the inside leaf, a number of former owners had signed it. At first, I thought it was a joke. This is the progression:

Fred Mather passed it Dr. James A. Henshall.
Dr. Henshall gave it to Al Foss, the pioneer lure-maker.
And Al Foss presented it to Senator Harry B. Hawes, author of My Friend the Black Bass.

I love this book, and used it when writing about Murphy in Classic Fly Tackle. A few years later, I managed to pick up a signed copy of Hawes' book: and I found the same signature (no faking it)... in what I now call the Bassmaster Book.

A.J.

Post by **pmcroberts** » 09/29/13 23:06

What a great thread!!

Although I have quite a few books that came from the libraries of well known authors and flyfishers, there is one that I have that has always brought a smile to my face.

It is a first edition of Russell Chatham's The Anglers Coast. The inscription from Mr Chatham is to his grammar school teacher stating "It took a while, but the grammar lessons finally came in handy...." Russell Chatham, Deer Creek 1977

Though its not book related, I had recently picked up a Granger "Goodwin Rod" locally. Upon removing the rod from the tube, I noticed what looked like a piece of paper. After coaxing it out, we found a topo map from 1932 of the area the original owner liked to fish. The kicker is that I fish the same secluded area, only my topo map is from the 1990's. Weird coincidence!!!

Paul

Cane Head · Post by **Cane Head** » 09/30/13 13:57

pmcroberts wrote:
Though its not book related, I had recently picked up a Granger "Goodwin Rod" locally. Upon removing the rod from the tube, I noticed what looked like a piece of paper. After coaxing it out, we found a topo map from 1932 of the area the original owner liked to fish. The kicker is that I fish the same secluded area, only my topo map is from the 1990's. Weird coincidence!!!

Paul

Weird? No -more like creepy. That rod has selected you as its transport mechanism. For some reason that rod has to get back to that area.

Cane

PolishSteel · Post by **PolishSteel** » 10/14/13 20:43

In the early 1990's I went to an large estate auction held in Lakeville, Indiana. The estate was for John Macy, who was the head of South Bend Bait and Tackle back in the 1960's. The auction was huge and had everything from old wood duck decoys to SB lures. I had hoped to purchase a SB bamboo rod but most were out of my price range. I was just starting my fly fishing book collection and there was a box of fly fishing and fly tying books that was going to be sold as one lot. Fortunately for me this box sold near the end of the auction when most of the heavy hitters had spent their wads on lures and other fine collectables in this gentlemans estate. I got this lot of 32 books for $90.00 which was a lot of money for me at the time. As I was going through the books checking the editions etc, I opened a 1st edition copy of "Fishing The Big Three" by baseball legend Ted Williams. The inscription on the front end paper says "To John Macy - understand your a hellva fly fisherman. Hope you enjoy it. Best to you - Ted Williams"

Needless to say this book is the prize of my 180+ book collection!

PT48 · Post by **PT48** » 10/15/13 18:33

I have a first edition (Hodder and Stoughton 1926) copy of Zane Grey's "Tales of the Angler's Eldorado New Zealand." It was orginally given to an unknown person in Sydney, Australia, as a Christmas present in 1926. Some time after that my uncle, Ron Bradbrook, came by it. Shortly before his death, he gave it to me. It is one of my most prized possessions and is worth something in the order of $1,000 to $1,200. My elder daughter has informed me that she is going to claim it when I shuffle off my mortal coil (along with my bamboo fly rods). For somebody who is famous for pulp Westerns, Zane Grey's writing is of a high standard and very touching.

Regards

PT48

DT4F · Post by **DT4F** » 10/25/13 16:54

I was at a TU meeting in Estes Park a few years ago and bought a raffle ticket. Mine was the next-to last drawn and there were two items left -- a book on flytying, and a copy of Syl Nemes' book, "The Soft Hackled Fly". I chose Nemes book although I already had one, and lo and behold it was autographed to Charles Brooks with thanks for his help, and the owners stamp of Brooks inside.

DeHart16 · Post by **DeHart16** » 10/28/13 09:35

Love reading this thread and hope more will continue to post.
I have no angling literature with any autograph or touching inscriptions. I do however enjoy flipping open the cover of my great grandmothers books and seeing her signature, my great grandfathers, or my grandfather. All of whom I never had the pleasure of meeting.

Myself, I have only ever signed and noted one book, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. A gift for my highschool girlfriend, who is now my wife. Big roots to fill....

toothybugs · Post by **toothybugs** » 10/31/13 08:45

ewp313 wrote:I must admit my fishing library is a bit deficient but growing, of the modest amount of books on the subject that I do have one is an very good condition copy of Garrison and Carmichael's " A Master's Guide" that has a stamping in the first page of the inside stating "Library of Jack E. Coleman" in a circle with the initials JEC in the middle. I have often wondered who Jack Coleman might have been. I assumed many things but in the end only that he must have been a collector or a avid sportsman interested in the nuts and bolts of bamboo fly rods. If anyone might know who Mr. Coleman is or was, I would be interested in knowing. Ed

Funny this was put up. I received my copy of the same book not long ago - wedding present to myself - and a sticker reading "From the library of John Butkus" was inside it. I did a search on Google and found an estate sale from the Chicago area dating back to 09. I got my book from an online used book dealer... maybe? Sounds like he was a good guy.

I love finding out the history of my stuff. Whether a rod was inscribed to me or a book was signed to/ by another, I feel more connected to my stuff. It's not just "stuff" at that point, it's history.

theronmad · Post by **theronmad** » 09/21/21 08:50

I read about this learning and reporting technique earlier on the essaywritinghelp.pro blog and it's a really fun form of learning. I like. By the way, I wondered - what kind of camera do you have, and what settings did you make for such an image? And I very like some form of education, it gives more understanding about the subject and uses more imagination when learning

jim royston · Post by **jim royston** » 09/21/21 12:12

I have a copy of The Idyl of the Split-Bamboo, 1934 printing from the library of Horace S. Seymour. No idea who he was.

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