Show Us Your Oldest Books

[Teekay44]

1736

Here's the oldest I have. It's my family bible dated 1736. Has some ancestors info added in the front It's in German.

 

[RockBottom]

 

[Dr Doran]

Nice books! OK, I'll work on something older.

 

[GwenLake]

The Pilgrim's Progress
in Words of One Syllable, 1884

 

[Dr Doran]

Wonderful and weird, Gwen.

 

[GwenLake]

I can't imagine writing a book with only one syllable words. That would be excruciatingly frustrating.

 

[Dr Doran]

I can't imagine writing a book with only one syllable words. That would be excruciatingly frustrating.

It could be hard. But I should write all my posts like that, with short words like that. I do not want to make a man or dame go nuts when they try to get what I say. So I should just use such short words. Like this post.

 

[Lucky Strike]

Not that old, but really a favourite:

 

[cassylynn]

The Blossom 1875

I bought this about 18 years ago for $15.00 I frequently visited a little book place in Strasburg PA called Moyer's Book Barn and that is what it was. The owners converted an old barn into a book store 2 levels of books I would spend hours there just looking filling my arms full of books and then having to decide which 2 I would buy because of the expense. lol They have since closed down and I only knew that because I drove 2 1/2 hours and the sign on the door said CLOSED thank you to our patrons for your business :rage: So here it is my oldest & dearest book...

 

[John Boyer]

Poems of McDonald Clarke

This is an 1836 first edition printing of the "Poems of M'Donald Clarke". M'Donald Clarke was a forerunner to Walt Whitman. I recall reading that Walt Whitman spoke very highly of M'Donald Clarke's poetry.

 

[John Boyer]

The Young Gardner's Assistant

This is "The Young Gardner's Assistant" by B.T. Bridgman (c. 1840). I purchases this relatively cheap many year's ago. I like growing heirloom seed and greating theme vegetable gardens. I thought this would have some wonderful old vegetable and flower varieties to seek out.

 

[Darhling]

It cost me less than $1 and it is not a first edition or anything, but it holds great value to me : The Destiny Mouse & The Christmas Storm, Tales about humans and animals by Harald Tandrup, my copy is from 1926.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Pales in Comparison....

But I have a new old book!

Gems for the Household, 1893.

It has six sub-books.

I. Rules of Etiquette for All Occasions
II Courtship , Marriage and Domestic Life
III How to be Healthy and Strong
IV Business Rules and Forms
V Manual of Practical Suggestions and Useful Information for Home and School
VI Choice Selections of Poetry from the Worlds Best Authors

It has lovely illustrations...

Here is the front page, alas, it was never presented to anyone..although its well worn, so perhaps they bought it for themselves.

 

[Teekay44]

cassylynn - I was just at Moyers Book Barn today. I go by there every day to and from work. Thay are still alive and well and still full of rare and old books. A great place to spend some time.

 

[freebird]

Picked this one up for under 5.00 at an estate sale.

 

[Nick D]

I went to the second hand book sale at the International Medieval Congress yesterday, and there was a book there from the 1520s. But I found a new book I need for my research, so I had to pass it by. I didn't even look at the price.

 

[MrNewportCustom]

I Am an American

This is one of the books I had in mind when I started this thread, but I couldn't find it at the time. While doing a bit of cleaning last week, it turned up in a box I can't recall placing it. I bought it at a yard sale a few years ago. If memory serves, I paid $5.00 for it.

Actual size is four inches by five-and-a-half inches.

Lee

 

[rogaleo]

my oldest

the oldest (1792)

http://web.mac.com/rogaleo/iWeb/Site/Library_files/IMG_1796.jpg
http://web.mac.com/rogaleo/iWeb/Site/Library_files/IMG_1797.jpg
http://web.mac.com/rogaleo/iWeb/Site/Library_files/IMG_1798.jpg

second in the row (1819)

http://web.mac.com/rogaleo/iWeb/Site/Library_files/IMG_1800.jpg

and third (1837)

http://web.mac.com/rogaleo/iWeb/Site/Library_files/IMG_1801.jpg

 

[Tinseltown]

This is my oldest book! I got it for a dollar.
"The memoirs of Sarah Bernhard" from 1911. Squeee, I have an edwardian book! If your look at the sides of it, the papers form a marble pattern. I simply love the cover.

 

[Sweet Caroline]

Wow! The age of some of your books are amazing! None of the books in my house are that old but I do have a two volume Encyclopedia of Etiquette: A Book of Manners for Everyday Use from 1920. It was originally written in 1901. It has everything you ever wanted to know about the proper way pay a call, be a hostess, use table manners, or deal with servants. It is very quaint and fun to read