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This copy is especially desirable for its contemporary presentation inscription, apparently reading:
“To Robert E. Jeffries, M.D. / with best wishes / James Herriot / 12.1.72”
The inscription is particularly interesting because it is dated 1972—the year of the American publication of All Creatures Great and Small. Rather than being a later autograph added to an older book, this appears to be a contemporaneously presented copy.
Herriot\'s inscription is personalized to an apparent M.D., providing an intriguing professional association given Herriot\'s own career as a veterinary surgeon.
The book was acquired through an estate sale. Information accompanying the estate indicated that the deceased husband had been a physician associated with the Los Angeles area. That background is consistent with the apparent “M.D.” in the inscription; however, the identity and professional history of Robert E. Jeffries have not been independently documented, and this information is offered only as accompanying estate provenance.
The signature and inscription have been visually compared with documented examples of James Herriot\'s handwriting and are consistent in appearance with known examples. No third-party authentication or certificate of authenticity accompanies the book, and prospective buyers should review the detailed signature photographs and make their own assessment.
An attractive combination of early edition, publication-year inscription, signature, original dust jacket, and estate provenance for the James Herriot collector.
