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Some men buy wives jewels, others buy books

Ash
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Some men buy wives jewels, others buy books

Post by Ash » Sat January 1st, 2011, 1:16 am

Im surprised no one here has mentioned collecting books; I don't just mean having shelves of the usual, but books that are rare or unusual.

My book collection started on my 10 anniversary. We were in Cambridge at the Alcott house, and saw in their gift shop some beautiful old copies of Little Women. My DH knew that was a favorite book of mine from childhood, and that I'd always wanted an old copy. So we looked at the price - ouch, no way. So I walked away and we went elsewhere. When we arrived home, there was a package for me, from cambridge - one of the books we were looking at! In the last 10 years he's bought me a few more, and for me they are as precious as jewels

That started me off on my collection of children's illustrated, pre 1929. I have an old Winnie the Pooh, a couple of first editions of Arthur Rackman and Jessie Wilcox Smith, and others. Its not a big collection by any means but I've found some treasures in little bookstores during our travels. I also discovered this fantastic site:

http://www.alephbet.com/

I can't afford anything they are selling, but I get some ideas of what I'd like to find or collect.

I have recently discovered these at a local used bookstore:

http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2008/0 ... tales.html

The bookstore had just bought this guys entire collection. I got a small one I could afford, but I have my eye on others. They really are lovely to hold and to look at!
Last edited by Ash on Sat January 1st, 2011, 2:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Sat January 1st, 2011, 1:33 am

When my husband and I were DINKS (double income, no kids), I splurged one afternoon and bought myself a first edition of Bleak House (the first bound edition, not the monthly numbers--that would have been way beyond me)! That was when B. Altman's was still in business and when they had a rare book section.

A couple of years later, my husband bought me another Dickens first, and the lady who was wrapping it for him looked very disapproving. "It's a little beat up," she said. "Are you sure you don't want to get another one?"
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/

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rockygirl
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Post by rockygirl » Sat January 1st, 2011, 1:41 am

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]

A couple of years later, my husband bought me another Dickens first, and the lady who was wrapping it for him looked very disapproving. "It's a little beat up," she said. "Are you sure you don't want to get another one?"[/quote]

Priceless. I got a good chuckle out of this anecdote.

I just thought collecting books was a given? No?

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Sat January 1st, 2011, 2:10 am

I just thought collecting books was a given? No?
I would have thought so too...
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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LoveHistory
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Post by LoveHistory » Sat January 1st, 2011, 2:21 am

I have a few old books. One (though which one escapes me at the moment) has a publishing date of 1898.

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Telynor
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Post by Telynor » Sat January 1st, 2011, 3:22 am

I've got some very old, very fragile Russian novels in pre-Revolutionary editions, mostly Tolstoy, Pushkin and Lermetov, that I inherited from my grandmother. They get to live in some very careful storage, away from the cats. It's very challenging to read them, as they are in a very different style of Cyrillic.

The books that I think of as collections, besides my EC's and Heyer's, are my Folio Society editions. I'm hoping that I can collect all of the Andrew Lang Colour Fairy books that they are issuing -- gorgeous editions, with knock-'em-dead illustration work. While they would be considered to be children's books, these certainly are not the ones you would want to let around kids.

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Michy
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Post by Michy » Sat January 1st, 2011, 3:33 am

I do have a few old books, although I don't consider myself a collector. Some I bought just to have in the living room for looks (I did check out of curiosity, and some are 1927 and earlier). I have several childrens' classics from the 1940s and 50s given to me by my mom and aunt. Some of these I read a lot as a kid, so not only do I enjoy having them on display for aesthetic reasons, but for sentimental reasons, too.

Ash
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Post by Ash » Sat January 1st, 2011, 2:13 pm

[quote=""rockygirl""]I just thought collecting books was a given? No?[/quote]

No. I have a room full of books that I keep because I love books around me. I have a small bookcase and a few display cabinets filled with special treasures - first editions of books that meant something to me, or unusual pop ups or similar books, or something beautifully illustrated from that time period. I don't think everyone does this.

Similar story - was in a jewelery store looking for a present for someone and I spied something beautiful I'd love for myself. The sales lady was trying to sell it, and I said no, I'd spend that money on a book, but not on jewlery. She looked shocked 'on a book?' she said incredulously. Ah yah.

Ash
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Post by Ash » Sat January 1st, 2011, 2:16 pm

[quote=""Telynor""]I'm hoping that I can collect all of the Andrew Lang Colour Fairy books that they are issuing -- gorgeous editions, with knock-'em-dead illustration work. .[/quote]

Oh, in my dreams. I love these. Still a little miffed that my mother gave away many of my childhood books when I was in college, including two of these.

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LoveHistory
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Post by LoveHistory » Sat January 1st, 2011, 4:50 pm

I'm in serious danger of becoming a collector of Jane Austen books someday. And books that are beautiful.

And more books that are antique. Of course there's an antique shop within walking distance of my house and they do carry books, so it does kind of make sense. I've got a very old copy of The Vicar of Wakefield stored safely away somewhere. I think it was published in 1902.

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