The value of a book is enhanced two ways when its provenance can be traced to an illustrious owner or, in this case, owners. First, the book’s assessed value increases when signed or notated by a celebrated owner. This copy of The Nomenclature of British Insects was the personal copy of its author, James Francis Stephens. After Stephens’ death, it then passed into the collection of H. T. Stainton, another noted British entomologist. Second, for the passionate bibliophile, is the thrill of possessing an intimate connection to a hero—opening the same book and turning the same pages earlier touched by one’s idol.

Stephens (1792-1852) actually had a day job in the Admiralty Office in London but in his spare time assisted the curator of the insect collection at the British Museum in cataloguing the museum’s collection. His Nomenclature of British Insects contains 10,116 species, two-thirds of which Stephens had collected himself. It was a remarkable achievement, especially as he worked with little or no outside help.