ASU Book Traces Project
Our project seeks to identify, record, and photograph significant, unique features of C19 and early C20 readership found in out-of-copyright ASU-owned books. To begin, we're examining pre-1923 titles in the PRs and the PSs in Hayden Library. (There are 13,673 pre-1923 books on the shelves in the PR and PS--British and American literature--sections.) This ASU Digital Repository space will collect digital images of the most interesting of these examples. We will also be sharing some of them with the University of Virginia-based crowd-sourced project founded and led by Prof. Andrew Stauffer, from which we take our project name and our inspiration: http://booktraces.org. We hope to locate objects for a potential future ASU special exhibit in 2019, when Hayden Library re-opens after its major renovation. (The books are leaving the tower in summer 2017.)
Owner's inscription in The tales of the genii, or, The delightful lessons of Horam the son of Asmar. Volume 1: Lady Bute from Lord Dart[mouth]. Volume 2: Lady Bute
Author's gift inscription, "To D McNaught, Esq., With best wishes of W. Stewart Ross 7th May, 1903."
This edition includes the author's inscription, "With the Authoress's best regards." A second hand writes "S. Huband."
Editor Anne Manning's gift inscription to author William Stebbing (1832–1926), "To William Stebbing from his affectionate friend the editor Nov. 2, 1860".
This edition includes an author's gift inscription, "To Mr. M. B. Sanford with the sincere regards of Arthur H. Nason Nov 11, 1916".
This edition includes an owner's inscription, "Helen Runyan, October 1905, Vassar College".
Probable editor's gift inscription, "Jacobo Hiltonio Amico Suo Amicissimo D. D. D Libri hujus Editor et Interpres. W. B. A.D. CMMII".
This edition has a gift dedication from the author's nephew to Edmund Gosse, suggesting he once owned the book. Dedicatation, "Mr. Edmund Gosse in remembrance of my Uncle Philip James Bailey Sep: 1902 F. CC."
This edition has a tipped-in letter and an advertisement for the book. The letter is a patronage request from the editor, Henry Brown of Newington Butts, "31 Albert Street Newington Butts London Jan 4th 1870 Sir I am the author of the new work upon the Sonnets of Shakespeare, and am seeking a little aid from a few of my Subscribers, to enable me to cover the expenses of my work. being a poor working man now unfortunately out of work, any slight assistance would be most thankfully received, Yours Obediently Henry Brown. C. Walton Esqr".
This edition includes handwritten annotations to subscription lists. Many of the annotations are regarding numbers of copies, additional subscribers, etc.