After breakfast this morning, I went into my living room to read, and glanced at the bookshelves to see what needed straightening. I noticed some old books that I had gotten from my mom years ago, and looked at them again. I was surprised to see how old one of them was and I can't imagine why I never noticed this one before. I scanned 5-6 pages into the computer, but Picasa won't let me post them at present, so I'll have to tell you about them.
The oldest is "Sketches & Incidents;
or
A Budget from the Saddle-bags
of a
Superannuated Itinerant."
Volume 1.
George Peck, Editor
New-York:
Published by G. Lane & C.B. Tippett,
for the Methodist Episcopal Church,
200 Mulberry Street, J. Collord, Printer.
1846
On the inside cover is written in fancy script:
John B. Terry, Patchogue, LI Jan. 1st 1848
Mr. kenju said he didn't know Patchogue had been around that long.
Can you imagine how it feels to hold a 165 year old book in your hands? I know there are many books in existence that are older - but I don't own them - lol. I looked it up on an old books site; they have two for sale, neither of which is as old as this one. They are selling for $33 and $50+ each. Too bad it isn't a first edition. It was entered, according to an Act of Congress, in the year 1843. I bet the first edition is worth a good bit more!
There was also a beautifully bound version of Black Beauty. The book is not dated, but the inscription says "To Mildred from Howard "X-Mas" 1905. The cover is aqua tooled leather with shamrocks outlined in gold and cobalt blue flowers. Hopefully, I'll get to post the photos of them soon.
11 comments:
I love old books--but they are so fragile that I don't like reading them! But it is fun to think of those who have read the book before me and especially to read notes made in the book.
It is fun to look through old books. You often wonder what stories they could tell besides the one written on their pages.
LOVE old books! You're lucky to have 'em.
I love old books, am looking forward to seeing the pics of yours. To me, when they belonged to a family member, it is a very special book. I do not have any books from my family but my husband has an old hymn book from the 1st church his grandfather was pastor of.
Loved your sharing :)
You appear to have hidden treasures in your house! Books especially are going to become more valuable as electronic reading becomes more popular.
We are NOT going to find any 165 year old e-books in the far future, I promise you. In fact, there's some question as to whether the apps of the future will support the old electronic files of 2011.
I love nothing better than finding an lovely, really old book. Hang on a little longer and those are bound to go up. Might help fund the assisted living, honey.
What treasures. I just found some books from a box of my mother's things, none that old, but it is wonderful to imagine who held them and enjoyed these books before.
I love the way old books had the most amazing covers - even stories for children had tooled pictures of brave boys or sweet little girls!
In fact, sometimes the covers are a lot more interesting than the contents! ;)
Keep your books, Judy, they sound gorgeous. And personal.
Old books are such treasures. I often think of all the hands that held them through the years.
I love old books - especially with personal inscriptions. That's where kindles fall short methinks.
How Fabulous, Judy! I love old books and especially if they have special inscriptions ....Years and Years and YEARS ago--I bought 4 boxes of books at an auction...One of the boxes held a Diary of a woman, and it was so wonderful....It had been written before or just after 1920-21---Something like that....There were some other treasures in those boxes, too. A "set" of the Encyclopedia Brittanica, only three books were missing--they had been in a fifth box that had somehow gotten separated from the other four. What you have a true treasures, Judy.
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