The Oppermanns Book Value and Message signed in back

[sh0pman]

Hi Everyone!

I purchased this book "the oppermanns" at an estate sale in upstate New York. I was wondering if anyone knows the person who signed the back of this book?

It reads:

"It is a danger to snatch the cub of a lion and it is just as dangerous to snatch the delusion from a women –"

O.W. Holmes.

Any extra info or opinions would be appreciated.

As always, thank you in advance!

[jeanpaulbooks]

I don't know who signed it, but it is a quote from a Sherlock Holmes short story:  A Case of Identity.  Perhaps O[liver] W[endel] Holmes--Jr or Sr-- wrote it, but it may also be a case of mistaken identity.

[sigmapsidelta]

Have to agree with jeanpaulbooks. Looks like someone has quoted from a Sherlock Holmes story and attributed the quote to Oliver Wendell Holmes (who died the year after the book was published). The correct attribution would have been Arthur Conan Doyle anyway, as Sherlock Holmes never actually wrote anything (being a fictional character and all).

.

[taylor_memorial]

Mebbe it was Old Woman Holmes?

Stop groaning.
Probably put there by the owner for whatever reason, I'm thinking. Not the usual place for a gift inscription.

[sh0pman]

Ha! Thanks for all your replies. I really appreciate everyone taking the time!

Yep, I doubted it was old because of the use of green marker. 

Do you think the book is valuable?

Thanks

[argon38]

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@sh0pman wrote:

Yep, I doubted it was old because of the use of green marker. 

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I'm not sure anyone is saying it isn't old (I don't know of any reason why green ink couldn't have been used to write an inscription in the 1930s/1940s?). It's just that it doesn't really add anything to the value, since it was added by some random anonymous former owner of the book, and not by the author or by anyone else of importance. As has been pointed out, "O.W. Holmes" isn't really a signature - it's just the name of the famous individual whom the book owner (wrongly) thought was responsible for the quote. Others will have a better idea as to value, but as a second printing I suspect it may not be all that great. Certainly worth listing, though.