Erich J Moffitt

important association copy with original photo of osler. first edition, second printing. herbert charles moffitt's copy, with his bookplate in each volume. moffitt (1867-1950) was an 1894 graduate of harvard medical school, where he developed a friendship with harvey cushing, who graduated the following year. they both were house officers at the massachusetts general hospital. the photograph depicts osler sitting in a chair reading a book and holding a cigarette in his left hand. the web site of the chesney archives of the johns hopkins medical institutions includes this image, but it is reversed. the orientation of the photograph in this book is correct because osler has a handkerchief in the left vest pocket of his suit coat. the hopkins site indicates that the photograph was taken in 1915 and their print (which is not as clear as the original photograph in this volume) was presented by dr. j. scott willock and dr. esther rosencrantz. willock (1877-1971) and rosencrantz (1876-1950) were both 1904 graduates of the johns hopkins medical school, where osler was their professor. rosencrantz assembled the world's most comprehensive private collection of osleriana, which she donated to the university of california san francisco. rosenkrantz joined the faculty of that institution in 1913, one year after moffitt had been appointed dean. she undoubtedly presented this original photographic print to moffitt who subsequently tipped it into this copy of his long-time friend harvey cushing's biography of osler. for cushing's interactions with moffitt at harvard, see fulton, harvey cushing

Mar 11, 2020 • Bonhams