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Reading Room:  how old is your oldest book?  |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 24 2009 : 04:13:16 AM
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I was going through some of my books yesterday and I found a cookbook from 1887.
how old is tho oldest book you have?
"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"
farmgal #150 |
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Especially For You
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
Tina
Watkinsville
GA
541 Posts |
Posted - Feb 24 2009 : 05:31:09 AM
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I have a first edition of Gone With The Wind. It is one of my most prizes dust collectors.
Tina~#455 |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4740 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - Feb 24 2009 : 06:51:36 AM
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I have a book from 1880. It is held together with a big rubber band. The pages are so brittle, that they can't be bent or they break. I read this book back in the 70's when my uncle gave it to me. He got it from his wife's aunts estate. It is called "The Forsaken Bride". I have it here in our library somewhere. I could never throw it out, even though it is in bad shape.
Dawn in IL |
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Bellepepper
True Blue Farmgirl
1207 Posts
Belle
Coffeyville
KS
USA
1207 Posts |
Posted - Feb 24 2009 : 08:37:05 AM
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| I think my oldest book is a Math book and is well over 100 years old. It is so interesting. In it, in the money section, they talk about the half penny. I wonder how long ago they did away with the half penny. now they are talking about doing away with the penny. I also have several old Am history books. It is full of references to God and Christians. Do they even teach history and geography anymore? |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - Feb 24 2009 : 08:37:22 AM
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| Excellent question! I've got several books from the late 1900's but I've never actually looked to see which is oldest. I'll have to check when I go home tonight. |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Feb 24 2009 : 2:33:22 PM
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My oldest book is an circa 1898 (it is dated on the inside cover with the name J. Edward Strausburg, October 1898) edition of Charles Dickens Works. It includes the sketch plates by Boz, and I love it. It is what was called a popular edition, so I do not think it has value, but I treasure it.
Great question!~!!!
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
Edited by - jpbluesky on Feb 24 2009 2:33:49 PM |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - Feb 24 2009 : 7:20:27 PM
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Oooh. Fun. I have one with a date of 1876 called Hale's Poetical Quotations. It is lovely, with a green cover...oh, the name on the cover and spine are slightly different. It is also called Dictionary of Poetical Quotations. Anyway, it has the most interesting quotes inside, categorized by topic, Shakespeare, other authors I recognize, and then the odd "Mrs. Osgood" or "Miss Landon"...who? Very handy for speeches, writing pretty little sayings on things...I go to it for something clever or just to make me smile. I wonder...have I got something older here?
We make a difference. http://huckleberrywine.blogspot.com |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Feb 24 2009 : 9:32:21 PM
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I have a book from the early 1900's titled "Golden Thoughts". Yes, they had self-help books back then as well. It contains quotes from poets, writers, pastors, and other sources of inspiration. It came in a little
cardboard cover and appears to be hand-bound. I found it at an antique shop for a few dollars. I love old books--even as a kid, I read books like "Lad: A Dog" and "Smokey, the Cowhorse". I love the illustrations in old novels--something you don't see anymore.
Prairiehawk |
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gramax18
True Blue Farmgirl
106 Posts
Elinor
meeker
Colorado
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - Feb 24 2009 : 9:34:42 PM
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| I have 2 very old books. 1. Godey's Lady Book, it was printed in 1866. It is devided like a magazine, Jan.- Dec. 2. Is an Atlas of Colorado printed in 1877. Both are very interesting to look at but the print is hard to read. |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - Feb 25 2009 : 8:05:06 PM
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I went home and looked. I think the oldest books I own are 3 volumes of poetry by Browning, Scott, and Whittier. They seem have been printed in 1874, although it's a little hard to tell from the way the copyright is printed. They belonged to my husband's grandmother (her name's on the flyleaf), and we found them just by accident among the books that didn't sell at the garage sale when we cleaned out his parent's house.
I'm actually surprised that I don't have any older books. I have many that were written earlier, but I've got more recent editions (from the 1890s).
My dad used to have a very fat and brittle old history of New York State from the 1830s. You would think they wouldn't have as much to put in a history back then, but they seem to have put in everything and the kitchen sink! The best thing I remember from it was a story about how a small local militia scared off the British fleet from the port of Rochester during the War of 1812. They ran back and forth, in and out of the mist, with much yelling and firing of weapons, to make it seem as though they had a huge body of reinforcements behind them. Pretty slick, fellas! |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2009 : 04:00:55 AM
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this is so neat to see what books we have and the history behind some of them!
"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"
farmgal #150 |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
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lelasfriend
True Blue Farmgirl
109 Posts
sara
baltimore
MD
USA
109 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2009 : 5:33:08 PM
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| The oldest book I have is titled Because I Love You by Anna E. Mack. It was printed in 1894. It is really precious because it was a gift to my Grandmother from my Grandfather when they were courting. He gave it to her for Christmas in 1908. It has an old time photograph of them too as homesteaders in Canada in River Park Winnipeg. Is anyone familiar with this area? My Grandmother also cut out poems from newspapers and put the clippings in this book. This book is a book of love poems. My Grandparents grew up in the Dakota Territory on adjacent homesteads and after they married they homesteaded in Canada. So this book is a piece of family history. Sara |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2009 : 2:14:57 PM
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WOW!!! Sara, what a great keepsake and an even greater story!
"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"
farmgal #150 |
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rhondacate
True Blue Farmgirl
234 Posts
Rhonda
Janesville
CA
USA
234 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2009 : 10:40:27 AM
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I have a tiny New Testament from 1867. It's probably 2.5" by 4.5" and it has a metal clasp to hold it closed. It's pretty cool. I also have the Bible Scholar's Manual from 1847.
~Rhonda
http://rmfo-blogs.com/rhonda |
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couggardengirl
True Blue Farmgirl
89 Posts
Bridgette
Clarkston
WA
USA
89 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2009 : 3:34:07 PM
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Miss Parloa's Young Housekeeper Dated 1895
Its so interesting, it goes over how to organize your day and week to get all the household chores done, what should be done each day, has recipes for basics and such! |
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StitchinWitch
True Blue Farmgirl
2304 Posts
Judith
Galt
CA
USA
2304 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2009 : 1:12:57 PM
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Swift's Works, 1824 -- very dry reading
Inquire Within, or over 3700 Facts for the People - 1856 - fascinating! handy tips for everything from washing dishes to mending harness.
Our Deportment - 1880 - also interesting; etiquette from times past. I have now learned the proper place to sit in a carriage :-)
Judith
Happiness is Homemade |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2009 : 11:54:18 AM
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yes Judith....one needs to know how to properly sit in a carriage for sure :) LOL!!
"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"
farmgal #150 |
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Prairie Princess
True Blue Farmgirl
1075 Posts
Jodi
Washington
USA
1075 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2009 : 7:58:09 PM
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Oh, old books are absolutely my favorite! I have an 1884 edition of Hans Christian Anderson's Fairy Tales, an 1885 edition of Vanity Fair, 1900 -- Steps to Christ, 1913 -- American Literature...
But my oldest is an old journal with leather binding...hand written notes by a French doctor. The handwriting is exquisite, and the family I got it from says it dates back to the late 1700s, although by the style of the journal, I would guess mid-early 1800s.
~Jodi
"Women are like teabags...you never know how strong they are until they get into hot water." Eleanor Roosevelt |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2009 : 09:33:41 AM
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WOW!! Jodi that journal sure is a treasure. Is it a personal journal or the Fr's medical notes?
"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"
farmgal #150 |
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Prairie Princess
True Blue Farmgirl
1075 Posts
Jodi
Washington
USA
1075 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2009 : 2:29:02 PM
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They're all medical notes...99% of which are written in French, so I can only pick out bits and pieces. I can never get over the handwriting...so elegant, flawless...nothing modern even comes close to comparing! 
~Jodi
"Women are like teabags...you never know how strong they are until they get into hot water." Eleanor Roosevelt
www.jodielyzabeth.blogspot.com |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 12:47:27 PM
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anyone else have old books?
"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"
farmgal #150 |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 12:58:06 PM
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Hi Mel--
I have an 1840 "Complete works of Lord Byron", a first edition (It's about a telephone book thick). I bought in an antique bookseller's shop in Florida. It's lovely--leather bound, and inside the book, another treasure: An 1850 "Race Program" from a horserace and fair near Chicago, Illinois. It lists the purses, riders and horses names along with the length and course destination.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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lulu bell
True Blue Farmgirl
94 Posts
Karen
Ashland
NE
USA
94 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 1:04:34 PM
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I have my Great Grandfathers bible from 1855 too bad it isn't in English. But I still treasure it since it has all the births and deaths in it.
Karen |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 5:35:55 PM
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I like to hold these old books, close my eyes and wonder, how many people have held this book before me
"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"
farmgal #150 |
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melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3320 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3320 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 8:52:32 PM
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I have a very old bible that was printed in 1871---it's about the size of my hand- but, very thick and leather bound with a brass clasp.
It still has a ribbon marker and someone has lovingly underlined in Proverbs Chapter III Verses 5 & 6...Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
"The best mirror is an old friend."
- George Herbert
Melody
Farmgirl #525
www.melodynotes-melodynotes.blogspot.com
www.lemonverbenasoap.etsy.com
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Reading Room: how old is your oldest book? |
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how old is your oldest book?
