This antique volume contains remarkable and extensive handwritten provenance, documenting a clear chain of ownership within a family. This, combined with the presence of a physical pressed leaf corresponding to a hand-drawn sketch, elevates the book’s status from a general antique to a unique, intimate historical artifact.
I. Description of the Hand-Drawn Sketch and Pressed Leaf
The book contains an incredibly rare example of direct human and nature interaction within its pages:
The Sketch: On the front endpaper, there is a faint, delicate pencil sketch of a serrated, lobed leaf (resembling a grape or maple leaf). This amateur drawing, a unique piece of doodling or nature study by one of the owners, provides a rare, intimate connection to the individual who held this book.
The Artifact: CRITICAL FEATURE: A dried, actual pressed leaf, which appears to be the specimen the sketch is based on, is still preserved within the pages of the book. This physical artifact links the owner’s artwork (the sketch) directly to a real, tangible moment in their life, turning the book into a personal time capsule. The presence of the pressed leaf, which often causes staining or foxing in old books, is here understood not as a defect, but as the central, defining feature of the book’s provenance.
II. Description of the Inscribed Provenance
The historical value is further strengthened by a clear, formal handwritten provenance on the front free endpaper, written in a clear, flowing hand typical of the early 19th century:
The main inscription reads:
“Moses Remington Book Bot of his father in law Price 10/”
A secondary inscription appears below it:
“Abner Remington’s Book 1836”
Historical Significance of the Inscription:
Established Provenance: This writing clearly establishes a direct, family-based chain of ownership between Abner Remington and his son-in-law, Moses Remington.
Specific Date: The date 1836 anchors the transaction to a specific point in the early American period.
Monetary Value: The notation of “Price 10/” (ten shillings) is significant, suggesting the book was a valued text worth a substantial sum when it changed hands.
