Recently I’ve been learning more about autographs, inscriptions, and association copies. I ordered a few reference books, including Autographs: A Key to Collecting by Mary A. Benjamin. In spite of being first published in 1946, it’s still considered a foundational text.
The copy I received from ThriftBooks had seen better days. The dust jacket was tattered, so I stabilized the reverse side with filmoplast and added a mylar sleeve. But when I opened the front pages, I found this:
To William B. Power With the good wishes of the author Mary A. Benjamin Nov 13, 1969
A book about the significance of inscriptions, inscribed by its author.
I’ve been unable to identify William B. Power with certainty. He may have been a fellow dealer, a serious collector, someone in Benjamin’s professional circle. But inscriptions don’t always come with complete stories.