Antique Ben-Hur Book 1908 Wallace Memorial Edition Lew Wallace Tale of Christ

A beautifully aged piece of publishing history. This is the Wallace Memorial Edition of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace, published by Harper & Brothers Publishers, New York and London, copyright 1908 by Henry L. Wallace.  The cover is sage green cloth with a gilt diamond medallion design featuring an intricate tree of life pattern and gold lettering reading BEN HUR. The spine shows the same motif with BEN HUR / WALLACE and HARPERS stamped at the base.  This copy carries a lovely piece of provenance: an owner inscription on the front endpaper reads Elenor F. Galster, Dec. 13, 1913, making this book well over a century old. The frontispiece features an illustrated plate captioned Star of Bethlehem and the Three Wise Men, along with a printed portrait of Lew Wallace and his signature.  Condition reflects its age: frayed cloth at the spine ends and corners, light foxing and soiling to the cover fabric, tight binding, and clean, readable text throughout. A wonderful find for collectors of antique religious literature, Americana, or anyone building a curated antique library shelf.  Please review photos closely as they are part of the description. Sold as is, no returns.  Every piece has a past. Find yours. Sarah / The Storied House Co.