TOKLAS, Alice B (signed dedication to the mother of Mrs. Wilde)
Frank Farleigh by Frank E. Smedley, published by George Routledge, London in 1858.
An association copy, inscribed by Alice B. Toklas and directly addressing choice lines of Shakespeare from the novel, to Adelaide Atkinson, a woman "whose only place in history is for the birth and torment of Constance Wilde"
 
Description
​​​​​​Toklas inscribed on the seventh page of the book, where the novel begins, “Adelaide Atkinson from Alice Toklas”. Toklas’ inscription highlights Shakespeare’s verses, which immediately follow. The lines of Shakespeare which she chose to dedicate to Adelaide Atkinson are concerning childhood, adventure, life, grasped or wasted: “…living dully… wear out thy youth…” Together with Toklas’ tone of condemnation, makes evident reference to Adelaide Atkinson’s abhorrent treatment of Constance in her childhood.
Several of the Wilde circle (particularly Constance’s side) later became good friends with Alice Toklas and Gertrude Stein. It is in this overlap that the context of Alice Toklas’ dedication and sympathy for Mrs. Wilde is to be found. In the years following the Wilde scandal, and their deaths, Constance became ‘poor Mrs. Wilde’ in the public mind. While many also withdrew their association, her personal story and childhood abuse by her mother (Adelaide Atkinson) became more widely known and documented.
Frank E. Smedley has no connection other than the printed lines of Shakespeare at the beginning of first chapter of his novel. Perhaps more loosely, the overall plot of the book.
Green cloth on boards, with gilt lettering to spine. By the time of publication, ‘Paris Green’ dye was no longer used by the publishers, due to its content of arsenic. The colour however was kept quite similar to that of the very first edition, and the poisonous connotation is the basis for the presentation clamshell case, aptly titled: "PARIS GREEN FOR THE MOTHER OF Mrs. WILDE"
Much earlier, the book belonged to Alfred E Clarke, like Constance and Oscar, also from Dublin, Ireland. Clarke emigrated to San Francisco, California, the birthplace of Toklas. His famous mansion remains in Eureka Valley, to this day an historic landmark to his colourful character. It is not certain though likely that Alice Toklas will have acquired the book after his bankruptcy, and shortly before herself leaving for Paris.