[firebrand]

Yes, that is the one: the unabridged Merriam-Webster that was put together in the 1930s and relied upon usage by good authors. They are worth owning. I bought mine for about $80 in the sixties and now they are over $200.

They have many wonderful features that the newer ones don't have, although you would want to update some of the spellings.

[AnAmericanMother]

I inherited my grandmother’s M/W . . . it’s the big one on India paper. The OED I had to buy for myself, the 6-page-per-sheet version that comes with a magnifying glass (MUCH cheaper than the 8 volume set — but hard to read, esp. as I get older.) Got Fowler at a yard sale for two bucks.