A very special copy of Equality, a utopian novel by Edward Bellamy that was first published in 1897, resides in UNCG's Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections & University Archives. I had the pleasure of treating this volume.

This copy once belonged to Susan B. Anthony and was signed and dated by her in 1903. In later years, it was her gift to her mentee Anna Howard Shaw, a fellow suffragette who was also the lifetime companion of Anthony’s niece, Lucy Elmina Anthony.

Shaw, aside from her many years of service to the cause of women’s right to vote, was also an ordained Methodist minister and a physician. 

Shaw’s copy of Equality, with its interesting provenance, was received in very good condition and requiring only minimal treatment. The title page was loose and the interior hinges of the front and back covers were splitting due to somewhat brittle paper.

The title page was tipped in with a Japanese paper hinge and starch paste. The hinges were also reinforced with Japanese paper. Minor restoration of the spine at the head and tail was completed using toned Japanese paper and starch paste. 

Though this was a simple and minimal treatment overall, it was a joy to complete.