c1890 Works Flavius Josephus Whiston D Lothrop Gilt Antique 1893 Provenance For Sale

THE WORKS OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS – FAMILY EDITIONTranslated by William Whiston, M.A.
Fully Illustrated
Boston: D. Lothrop Company
Late 19th century, circa 1889–1893Beautiful Victorian edition of the collected works of Flavius Josephus in its original highly decorative publisher’s cloth binding.Green cloth with elaborate floral decoration in black, red and green, gilt title panels to the front board and spine, and gilt page edges. A particularly attractive late-Victorian binding.The volume includes The Life of Flavius Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews, The Wars of the Jews, Against Apion, Josephus’s discourse concerning Hades, appendices, Jewish weights and measures, and index.1893 ADAMS, NEW YORK PROVENANCEThis copy has unusually specific and traceable 19th-century provenance.The front pastedown retains a custom printed bookplate reading:“J. HART WAIT’S PRIVATE LIBRARY, ADAMS, N.Y.”The bookplate is individually numbered No. 109 and contains a period verse instructing borrowers on the proper care and return of books.A separate contemporary inscription reads approximately:“J. H. Waite – Oct. 12th 1893”followed by:“Presented by Frances E. Hunt.”Historical research identifies the owner with high confidence as James Hart Waite (1850–1910) of Adams, New York. An 1890 Adams directory independently lists “Waite, J. Hart” as a salesman for A.D. Ripley.Frances E. Hunt (1858–1941) was a member of the Hunt family of Adams and daughter of Rev. Ward W. Hunt. She was subsequently known as Frances E. Hunt Waite. Cemetery records identify both James Hart Waite and Frances E. Hunt Waite at Adams Rural Cemetery.The inscription therefore provides a particularly nice documented connection between the original owner and the woman who subsequently bore his surname.The title page is undated. Based upon the D. Lothrop Company imprint and its Washington Street opposite Bromfield Street address, together with the dated 1893 presentation inscription, this copy can be conservatively dated to approximately 1889–1893.CONDITION: Original antique condition. Exterior remains visually attractive with strong decorative stamping and gilt. Expected rubbing and shelf wear, with wear/fraying at corners and spine ends. Gilt page edges remain attractive. Interior pages are generally clean for age with expected toning and occasional spotting/marks.IMPORTANT: The cover boards remain in good, bright condition. The interior pages remain surprisingly clean, with the exception of portions of the original patterned endpaper are detached/missing, exposing the underlying binding material. The cover is largely detached from the interior binding, although the pages remain bound and collated.The binding should be handled carefully. No restoration has been attempted.Contains period ownership bookplate, dated 1893 inscription and presentation inscription as described above.Please examine all photographs carefully for binding and cosmetic condition. Sold as an original late-19th-century antiquarian volume.