Description:

Fillmore, Millard

Millard Fillmore Inscribes a Set of 10 Fine Bindings to Repair Rift Between Son and Stepmother Caroline

Inscribed and Signed on Each Individual Volume. Chambers's Encyclopedia set of 10 Stunning volumes, each 7" x 10". Published by J.B Lippincott & Co., 1872. Each with ornate marbled end papers, and patterned boards with quarter leather spine. Ornate gilt ruling and titles to spine. Stunning painted outer page block, painted in a vibrant paisley pattern to match the patterned boards. Each book contains a large inscription by Millard Fillmore, who inscribed each individual volume on behalf of his son as presentation copies to his son's stepmother, Caroline. Each piece within the set is in varying condition, but all have the expected library stamp on the spine, and on the title page from the Buffalo and Erie County Historical library, the public library of which was co-founded by the Fillmores. Most have slight rubbing to the leather and/or bottom edge of the paisley paper. Tidy internal pages with the painted outer page block remaining in lovely condition. Only one book of the entire set (volume V), has separation of the front board which could easily be repaired, with one other having warping to the boards. Overall an outstanding set which presents extremely well on the shelf, with each volume signed and inscribed in the hand of President Fillmore.

It is well known that President Fillmore's son, Millard P Fillmore, son of First Lady Abigail, had no love lost for his stepmother, Caroline Carmichael McIntosh Fillmore. The union between her and his father was reported to have never been accepted by Millard Powers Fillmore, who following his father's death engaged in a bitter battle with his stepmother over the terms of his father's will, (which young Millard won). Oddly enough this heated relationship must have deeply disturbed President Filmore as he acquired an entire set of 10 volumes of an elaborate encyclopedia and inscribed each book in his own hand to Caroline as coming as a gift from his son in the manner shown below: "Presented to Mrs. Caroline C. Fillmore By his son, Millard P. Fillmore July 27, 1872" This inscription entirely in the Ex-President's hand contains his full signature within "Millard (P.) Fillmore" and his last name signature "(Mrs. Caroline C.) Fillmore"

This spectacular set would represent a very personal and important gift considering Millard Fillmore, in his boyhood, literally self-taught his education from books. Encyclopedias and dictionaries were an important source of information for him and held a special meaning. Fillmore was born into a poor family and was an indentured servant in farming, accounting, chopping wood for lumber and making cloth, he'd been unable to even have a continuous education. With a thirst for knowledge and a growing awareness of his comprehensive deficiencies, Fillmore read voraciously - using dictionaries and encyclopedias to study, and learn the meaning of words he didn't understand. By the time he was a little more than middle age, his library differed little from those found in families which had received books from predecessors of wealth and education.

This gorgeous set, with a unique elaborate outer page block would have been the quintessential gift to his second wife. Given his son never accepted her and the two were at odds with each other both during the Fillmore's marriage and after President Fillmore's death, the President was most certainly trying to diplomatically calm down the rift between his second wife and his son, and appease Caroline. Each book contains the same large inscription, with each inscription being entire in the hand of the President, but who signed on behalf of his son!

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May 15, 2019 10:30 AM EDT
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