I own a number of old books with interesting inscriptions, though sadly none personally to me! Probably the most interesting inscription is one in French in the first of a huge 4 volume set entitled 'The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ', by J. James Tissot. Tissot produced a very limited edition of this set during the late 19th C, and sent them to various world statesmen of the period. I have the set which he sent to William Gladstone, who was British prime minister for three separate periods during the reign of Queen Victoria.
The dedication is handwritten and slightly illegible but states - "C’est a vous, Monsieur Gladstone, anguel votre pays adecerne de son vivant le titre de Grand Homme, que je dedie cette (haduetion ?) de mon livre.
Je vous ?emercie du grand honneur que vous avez fait a mon eu?re eu acceptant cette dedicace

J. James Tissot
15 Octobre 1897
Abbaye de Buillon

I've put question marks where I can't read the letter, and if any funtrivia French speaker can help identify the letters and translate, I'd be grateful. The legibility of the writing is quite clear, just the handwriting which isn't so good. The manner in which I acquired these books was interesting. I'd ordered a couple of quite ordinary books costing around $30 from a major U.S. Bookseller, and a few weeks later a very large, heavy parcel arrived Special Delivery containing the four volume Tissot books. I contacted the supplier to tell them there'd been a mistake, and asking what they wanted me to do with these books - as I recall the postal delivery cost alone was around $130, so I asked them to arrange collection, and investigate what had become of the actual books I'd ordered. I then received a very nice e.mail from them telling me to keep the Tissot books, with their compliments, and the books I'd originally ordered should arrive within a few days!
I checked their website where the Tissot books were on sale for $750 at the time, and I've since seen a rebound Tissot set, comprising only 3 of the 4 volumes, on sale for $1,850.
There are many beautiful engravings in these books, but they're too big for our book-cases so are consigned to the attic, and some day I'll get round to selling them I suppose!

What an interesting tale, aramis. I would read the French as follows:

C'est à vous, M. Gladstone, au quel votre pays a décerné de son vivant le titre de "Grand Homme", que je dedie cette edition de mon livre.

Je vous remercie du grand honneur que vous avez fait à mon maître en acceptant cette dedication

Which I would translate as follows:

"I dedicate this edition of my book to you, Mr Gladstone, to whom the people of your country have awarded the title "Grand Old Man".

I thank you for the great honour you do my Master by accepting this dedication."

Merci bien Monsieur, vous etes tres charmant!
or 'thanks very much sir, you're very charming' - for none French speakers.

here's an interesting article in the New York Times on John Adams and his margin notes being on exhibit in Boston.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/03/books/review/Brookhiser.t.html?ref=washington

Tjoebigham, I'm coveting your Faulkner book big time, even though it's my least favorite Faulkner title; I'm a big fan of his.

I've picked up the following autographed/inscribed books second hand for a mere pittance:
* Schindler's List, signed & inscribed by the author and by the people who inspired the book
* Stepen Jay Gould's last book before he died, Questioning the Milennium
* Herzog by Saul Bellow
* Knitting Without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmerman (a classic for those who knit)