Monday, October 4, 2010

I Only Kept About 300

In the end, I sent Jeffrey after the books in his beautiful green truck. This is what he came back with.
Along, of course, with these. I think there were 600 to 700 books. He paid $100 for them.

Thor had to help with the inspection of the books. It was a foregone conclusion that I wouldn't keep them all. In fact, at least half are being donated to two local libraries, Goodwill and the Salvation Army.
These are the books I'm keeping, although they're currently homeless. I'll have to clean out some bookshelves, and juggle things around, to find homes for all of them.
I did get some unique books. These 4 volumes were given to Mary Hall for Christmas in 1886, 1887, 1888 and 1889. They're a little beat up, but the covers are still pretty.
This one was a Christmas present from BT's mother in 1874. Since I buy a lot of books for Christmas every year, I just can't imagine buying only one or two, as Mary's family did, or as BT's mother did.
I really liked this one. It's an anthology published in 1875, with works by some of the great contemporary authors. It includes a reprint of a letter from Alfred Tennyson regarding the dedication of the volume to him. (Lini, please stop drooling).
This last one was published in the 1880s. Can you read the author's name? It just struck me as really hilarious.
Yes, it reads, "By Josiah Allen's Wife." It's a highly decorated cover, but the author just made me laugh.

So, now we clean up shelves and find homes for these lovely items. Except for a few choice decorative volumes; those already have homes on tables, where we can enjoy them.

15 comments:

gMarie said...

I have a pile of magazines to take to the library - Threads and some others after a studio clean out.

Love those pretty volumes you kept - I just adore books with history. Book Plate anyone? g

pam said...

So jealous!!!! I adore old books. Well I actually adore any books, old or new. But I really love old ones!!

Kapitein Haakje said...

:D good job thor fur checkin the books :D

BOL marjie we think you need a extra house fur ypur books :D

Kissslobbers
El'bow & Hauwii

Diane said...

Looks like a good selection to me. Wish I could have been there to see what you gave away! Diane

SissySees said...

Oh, I'm a HUGE Tennyson fan too. Bravo!

I can't resist really old books. Those are lovely.

The Blonde Duck said...

I would have kept more than that!

Anonymous said...

Oh, how beautiful. There's the sensual side of reading, aside from the prose and poetry, and that's holding a beautifully bound book that others have held in their hands. That's why I'm not a fan of books online.

And I just love that you participated in a book rescue.

Pam said...

I am loving the old books! The book by Josiah's wife cracks me up.

Linda said...

What can I say....I'm green with envy......in a good way;)

Chef Dennis Littley said...

what a great find....you must have been in heaven going through all those wonderful books...I have a kindle now, but nothing will ever take the place of a real book!

Big Dude said...

You may have to build you a library room on to your house.

Lapdog Creations said...

ONLY 300? LOL... nice!

monica said...

wow - that is so great ! I would be lost for the outside world in weeks!!

Unknown said...

Tee! Hee! My human can really relate to this post, Thor! She just can't bear to give any of her books away - she hoards them - and they live in lots of boxes in our basement! :-)

Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane

tavolini said...

hahahaha--you totally called me out :D

Great collection--those are gorgeous!