Mary Harris’s inscription in a sammelband copy of Edmund Waller’s poems is a reminder that contemporary bindings and endleaves can be critical in preserving information about early women’s book ownership. Had the book been rebound over the centuries like countless others, the record of Mary Harris’s ownership would have been lost. The book is comprised of the sixth edition of Waller’s poems and a 1690 edition of The Second Part of Mr. Waller’s Poems.
Source: Book offered for sale by Centralantikvariatet, 1/7/19. Images used with permission.
Early Modern Female Book Ownership 