Men and Women
Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1866. Octavo, v, 351, 21, [2] pages, publisher's original gilt-lettered and blind stamped brown cloth covered boards. This copy bears important provenance, featuring the ownership signature of Sarah Wister, mother of Owen Wister, along with a ‘Butler Place’ bookplate that further confirms the authenticity of the association.
The ownership signature of Sarah Wister adds important literary and historical provenance to this volume. Sarah Wister was a central figure within one of Philadelphia’s most prominent and culturally influential families, and the mother of Owen Wister, whose later work would play a formative role in American literature. Her signed books reflect the refined intellectual life of the Wister household, which was closely connected to leading literary, social, and artistic circles of the 19th century. The accompanying “Butler Place” bookplate further strengthens and helps authenticate this association, identifying the volume as having originated from the family estate and library, long recognized as the source of many books tied to the Butler–Wister lineage. When paired with Sarah Wister’s autograph, the bookplate provides clear corroboration of family ownership rather than a later or unrelated inscription. Together, these elements establish the volume as a genuine association copy with traceable provenance, elevating it well beyond a standard 19th-century Browning printing and making it particularly appealing to collectors of literary history, Philadelphia provenance, and notable family libraries. Damage to top of spine, scattered foxing throughout, else in good + condition. Item #209
Price: $300.00