I’ve previously mentioned my interest in books with interesting non-authorial inscriptions. This one crossed my desk last week (my description follows) and is (at least for the moment), for sale:

Barbour, Ralph H. [BOONE, Joel T.]. THE ARRIVAL OF JIMPSON [Signed by Presidential physician and Congressional Medal of Honor Winner Joel T. Boone]. New York: Appleton, 1904. First edition. 8vo. Pictorial cloth. Good only. Starting at the front hinge, some faint dampstaining throughout. Still, sound and presents well. No DJ. Inscribed warmly on the ffep by Congressional Medal of Honor winner and White House physician under three Presidents, Joel T. Boone, to a relative of the President he would soon serve under: “To / Charles Delano Henry Large, / my new found friend / who, I hope, will love / Mercerburg Academy as / I do. / With every good wish / for happy and profitable days at the School on the Hill / From his friend / Joel T. Boone / Mercerurg ’09 / 10.19.28 / (This book was a gift to me in 1904).”

The inscribee was a cousin of Herbert Hoover’s wife who was just beginning his studies at the school Boone also graduated from. Boone was physician to Presidents Hoover, Harding, and Coolidge. Serving as a Marine in the medical corp during WWI, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for: “leaving the shelter of a ravine, went forward onto the open field where there was no protection and despite the extreme enemy fire of all calibers, through a heavy mist of gas, applied dressings and first aid to wounded marines […] When the dressings and supplies had been exhausted, he went through a heavy barrage of large-caliber shells, both high explosive and gas, to replenish these supplies, returning quickly with a sidecar load, and administered them in saving the lives of the wounded. A second trip, under the same conditions and for the same purpose, was made by Surgeon Boone later that day.” Boone’s papers, recently opened to research, have proven a valuable resource on the Presidents he served under. An uncommon signature with a warm association.

Interested in purchasing? You might want to hurry. It may not be as interesting as that previous inscription, but I have a feeling this may soon creep into my own personal collection nonetheless…