A Piece of Theatrical and Literary History: Joseph Jefferson, Rip Van Winkle

Every so often, a book surfaces that is more than just a story bound in covers; it becomes a tangible piece of history. Thiscopy of Rip Van Winkle, published by Dodd, Mead in New York in 1896, is exactly that. This edition, in its ornate green cloth binding with gold embossed designs, is already a beautiful example of late 19th-century bookmaking. But what makes it extraordinary is the inscription inside: a Christmas gift from the celebrated American actor Joseph Jefferson to his grandson, Harry Farjeon.

Jefferson, who was born in 1829, was one of the most famous actors of his day. Although he played many roles, his career was defined by one part: Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle. Jefferson’s stage adaptation was such a triumph that he became synonymous with the role, performing it across America and Europe. Audiences adored him, critics praised his artistry, and he embodied the very idea of the traveling 19th-century actor whose presence alone could carry a play.

To own Jefferson’s dramatisation of Rip Van Winkle, signed and given to his grandson, is to hold a bridge between literature, theatre, and family history. The personal inscription, “From his loving Grandfather”, transforms the book from a collectible into a deeply intimate heirloom.

The Farjeon Connection

The recipient of this gift, Harry Farjeon (1878–1948), grew up to become a notable composer, writing songs, chamber works, and orchestral pieces. He was part of a distinguished literary and artistic family. His sister, Eleanor Farjeon, is perhaps the most well-known, a poet and children’s author whose hymn “Morning Has Broken” became immortalised when it was later set to music and famously recorded by Cat Stevens.

Another brother, J. Jefferson Farjeon, became a prolific novelist and playwright. His crime novel Mystery in White was rediscovered and became a bestseller when the British Library Crime Classics series reissued it decades after his death. Herbert Farjeon, the youngest sibling, was a witty critic and theatrical impresario, producing revues that defined London theatre between the wars.

The Farjeons grew up in Hampstead, London, but their lineage was transatlantic: their father Benjamin Leopold Farjeon had emigrated to America from London and married Margaret Jefferson, Joseph Jefferson’s daughter. This made Joseph Jefferson not just Harry’s grandfather, but the thread that tied American theatre to a British family of extraordinary creative output.

Why This Book Matters

This copy of Rip Van Winkle is more than a signed book. It is a symbol of how art, whether in the form of theatre, literature, or music, travels through generations, shaping families and cultural memory alike. Jefferson, the American actor who brought Washington Irving’s timeless tale to life on stage, passed his legacy to a grandson who would pursue his own art in music, and whose siblings would leave their own indelible mark on literature and theatre.

Books like this remind us that collecting is not just about editions and bindings, but about stories, both those told on the page and those inscribed between the lines of ownership. This copy tells a story of a grandfather’s affection, of a family of artists, and of how books can anchor us to the past while still inspiring us in the present.

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