[Finance] Lawson, Thomas W(illiam). Frenzied Finance

New York: The Ridgway-Thayer Company, 1906. Autograph-Portrait Edition, #1/1,000 numbered copies: "No. 0.1. Reserved and Specifically Bound for the Author." 8vo. Frontispiece portrait of Lawson and nine photogravure portrait plates. Inscribed by Lawson on limitation page; additional 13-line inscription by Lawson on half-title. Bound in full navy blue crushed levant, elaborately gilt, with multi-color leather onlay, rebacked with original spine laid down; marbled endpapers; all edges gilt; by Sangorski & Sutcliffe for C.E. Lauriat Co. Boston. Creasing and closed tear to last leaf of text.

Lawson's 13-line inscription reads: "Man is a queer-critter. From the/Beginning his wail has been 'War/is Hell-lead me to it.'/All history's pages open and close/with war, else their dullness/would be unreadable. /In all ages the dough brained/have murmured 'some day the/world will birth peace and war/will be a memory.'/And red blooded man, hearing,/has winked to the moon and Amen-ed/'War is Hell-lead me to it.'/Thomas W. Lawson/Rainbow Ranch/April 18th 1915."

Thomas W. Lawson (1857-1925), colorful and controversial American stockbroker and speculator. Associated with the Standard Oil interests, he eventually became an advocate for financial reform. The Collection of Victor Niederhoffer.