early 20th century, single bound volume, interior page crest with "BIEN FAIRE ET LAISSER DIRE" (do well and let speak)/ "Magni Nominis Ombra l'ombra d'un grand nom, Seneque Octavie 71" (great names shadow other great names), more than 200 indexed signatures of dignitaries, composers, artists, athletes, actors, world leaders, inventors, scientists, many personalized "Notweg", highlights include: (Queen) "Victoria"; "Giacomo Puccini", with musical notes; "Louis" (XI), cut down document; "Charles Dickens", on cut envelope; "Jack Dempsey", world champion notation; "D.W. Griffith"; "Chas. Chaplin"; "Mary Pickford"; "Winston Churchill"; "Thos. A. Edison"; "Douglas Fairbanks", dated 1920; (Madame) "M. Curie"; "Phillipe 'Orleans" (II); "Louis" (XVI), cut down document; "Pablo Casals"; letter from Felix Mendelssohn, written in third person and may not be in Mendelssohn's hand, illustrated ink details at periphery, metal tipped corners, boards of carved wood, depicting animals and scrolling vines, inlaid bone border, 8-1/4 x 10 in., approaching 7 in. thick; associated leather box (book does not fit comfortably inside)

Provenance: Humber Family, North Carolina

typical wear throughout, light foxing to pages, minor cracks to wooden boards, bone border absent at top front board, leather box with separated lid and some distress at corners and handle