Once written and published it is considered an act of propriety or self-interest to dedicate the book to another person or entity. This is usually done with a simple inscription on the reverse of the half-title. The most delightful dedication was that printed in one of the volumes of the The Buildings of England series by its chief author, Sir Nikolas Pevsner. "To the Person Who Invented the Ice Lolly" - duly recognising the relief afforded on summer trips round the English countryside.

01. Sometimes the dedication is visualised as a presentation to the Patron (sponsor, local political bigwig, etc a presentation to the Virgin Mary). The Virgin adored by the Author, from Jacopone da Todi's Laude , Florence 1490.

02. This is probably the most famous dedication in words that introduced a book to a reader - the mysterious dedication to the 1609 edition of Shakespeare's Sonnets signed by the printer Thomas Thorpe, "T.T." - duly generating the publishing industry's favourite conundrum, the identity of "Mr.W.H."

03 The author (anon) presents his book to his patron, [The Nine Worthies], a romance, an early French printed book printed in Abbeville in 1487

04. from L'Art de bien Vivre et de bien Mourir, Paris 1492

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