Thoughts on boxlot find amenities.

Bottom of a $2 box lot.
Personal Reminiscences of the Rebellion by L.G.B.Cannon.
Private edition signed in presentation to Booker T Washington.
I researched this first edition and found that it wasn't particularly rare..even as a signed work, with similar editions selling in the $70 to $100 range.
Although the intended recipient seemed intriguing ,there was no proof that the book ever belonged to Mr. Washington.
A little more research told me that the two men were acquaintances and that Mr. Cannon did attend an event at which Mr. Washington was speaking in the year which the book was signed.
Also....while reading the book , I observed three penciled edits in the text. Two were simply omission of wording , but the third was a written word substitute that prompted me to do a comparison.It seems to me that this could be the edit of Mr. Washington.
Given that...I ask for thoughts on weather or not this particular edition may be more desirable or valuabe.

 

Usually it takes more examples to do a writing comparison, but in this case there is a fortunate coincidence in the words. I think the notation in your first photo was written by Cannon himself. He may have made corrections before giving out his book. I am looking specifically at the "tion" at the end of the word in the notation, and comparing it to the "ton" at the end of Washington in his inscription. The "on"s look very similar in their formation, as does the emphatic slash over the "t" trailing off to the right. I think the notation word is "operation", so you can also compare the "pe" combination there with the "pe" in "respects" in the inscription. He seems to make his "p" in 2 strokes, an upright and then a separate circle. And his "e" is very closed, just up and down.
If you could prove that this copy was actually received by Washington, it could add to the value. But I don't think the handwriting proves it.
Can you find out more about the estate this lot came from? And is it located somewhere where Washington lived?

 

There are a couple of instances of the way Washington wrote "tion" in the document on this page:
https://www.historyinink.com/1007349_Booker_T_Washington_ANS_1-16-1895.htm

Here is the first photo above, rotated. In case anybody wants to see it better.

 

The letter from @Figtree3 's post, for close comparison. Washington seems to end his "n"s on a downstroke while Cannon curls up. The "p" is quite different, too.

 

In looking at a variety of examples , it seems that Washingtons handwriting varied quite a bit per circumstance.

 

I think that's a good thought. I searched ABEBOOKS and found multiple copies with author inscriptions where the current owner also mentions handwritten corrections.

 

Yes, most people's do under different circumstances and over time. But in this case I think the weight of evidence favors Cannon as the author of the notations and the inscription. It is the most likely explanation for the similarity in the handwriting. Without other evidence showing Washington's ownership of the book, I don't think you could convince anyone to pay more more the book based on that single notation.