P. B. M. (Philip Bertram Murray) Allan

Philip Bertram Murray Allan was a British writer, publisher, and lepidopterist, born in 1884 and died in 1973. He wrote on several subjects, including book collecting, angling, and natural history, and is especially remembered by readers of The Book-Hunter at Home for his affectionate, observant take on the world of books.

Beyond his writing, Allan was closely associated with the study of moths and butterflies, and he also ran the publishing firm Philip Allan & Company. Some of his natural-history writing appeared under the initials "O.M.H.," short for "An Old Moth-Hunter," a pen name that suits the friendly, knowledgeable tone found across much of his work.

What makes Allan appealing today is his sense of companionship on the page. Whether he was discussing a shelf of old books or the patient pleasures of field observation, he wrote like someone eager to let other enthusiasts into the conversation.