What place did love have in the life of Ivan T. Sanderson?

I have come into the possession, through a reputable bookseller, Bob Girard, of a remarkable collection of books that have inscriptions from naturalist and cryptozoologist Ivan T. Sanderson to his first wife, Alma. They clearly show Ivan as a passionate individual, who signs himself as Alma’s “lover-husband” in one instance, calls her “precious” in another, and expresses his affection for her elsewhere.

These volumes will certainly be cherished by me, and I will eventually use them for an exhibition at the museum.

I add them to a collection of other inscriptions in books I have collected down through the years, including one from Ivan to W. C. Osman-Hill, the London primatologist involved in the Pangboche hand affair. Ivan had autographed a copy of Monkey Kingdom to Osman-Hill.

Here are peeks at some of the recently discovered notes from Ivan to Alma:

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