Vintage Books and Magazines

[mikepara]

guess what 'my precious' I found today...

The Esquire Encyclopedia of 20th Century Mens Fashion in a 2nd hand book shop cost? £5.00

Der Adler Aug 1941, parade 1945, life US paratrooper issue Aug 1940, Die Sirene Oct 1938 £5.00 each.

 

[Mojito]

I'm another fan of Alan Villiers' work, Prien - I bought a few of his books on the Cape Horners in Charing Cross Rd bookshops when I lived in London. I've found them wonderful source material when writing about that period in sail. Frank Bullock is another writer of the turn of the century British mercantile marine I've found very useful as a source. Also Bestic and Bissett, although I only have one early edition Bissett and that's in only fair condition - the other volumes of his great biographical trilogy that I own are from the more recent Conway Press editions.

I've never thought of myself as a true bibliophile, although it's true I absolutely love books (and magazines) and live surrounded by towering piles of them that are always threatening to consume all available living space. I've met some true collectors, and I don't think I have that same passion and single minded determination to obtain particular rare editions. I love the contents, so am usually happy with a reprint...although I do have some wonderfully bound 19th century books I love, and have piles of Portfolio editions that I treat with a bit more respect than my other well-worn and well loved volumes.

I do love period books as primary source materials - and magazines. Fashion mags like Vogue and La Mode Illustree are invaluable for research.

 

[SpitfireXIV]

lately i've been finding books from the 1930's and 40's. i usually just buy books written about WWII, now i'm getting books written during WWII.

at any rate, i gotta lay off the book buying for awhile; have a half-dozen books i haven't started yet as it is!

 

[Twitch]

Most of my 40+ year old books on aviation I bought new during the era. I have some older too. I obtained them not for their age but for their information content. I also have massive amounts of 1940-60s auto magazines of all types.

 

[Pink Dahlia]

I picked up this for free last week. The library was getting rid of it! Gasp!

That says Arizona Portraits by Barry Goldwater.

Copyright 1946!

 

[Pink Dahlia]

My dad gave me these cookbooks from my grandparents' restaurant business.

The blue one is dated 1933.

 

[Twitch]

Pink Dahlia -and everyone- yes the local library branches purge from time to time and while most of the stuff is not vintage the prices are very low. I've picked up quite a few volumes that way.

 

[texasgirl]

I was reading the new Domino magazine, and they did this cool wall of vintage Vogue magazine covers. In the source description they listed this website http://www.paperpursuits.com
They have some amazing old vintage magazines, and they show some of the pages inside too. The prices are kinda high, but if you're looking for something special.

They had Vogue and Harpers Bazaar from 1930 as well as many others- not as much in GQ and Esquire (sorry guys)

Here's an example:
http://www.paperpursuits.com/magazine_detail.cfm?catid=1&subcatid=1&pid=3058

 

[Micawber]

My grandfather was an antiquarian book dealer in London from the 1920's until he retired in the 60's so I grew up surrounded by many ancient tomes. Genuine old books and papers have a certain smell, one whiff of which will always transport me back in time.

 

[Starius]

I collect a lot of vintage books and magazines. Far too numerous to mention. But I usually go for things that seem rather offbeat or rare by today's standards.

Here are just 2 that I have sitting near me:
(please excuse the poor camera phone pics)

Out of the Mire by Charlote E. Gray. Copyright 1911.

I picked this book up because it was in excellent condition. It seems to go for a lot of money on Alibris, being a rare book, but I think I got mine for $2.00.

Portraits and Principles of the world's Great Men and Women with Practical Lessons on Successful Life by over Fifty Leading Thinkers. Published 1896.

This is just one book in a entire box of books I just bought at a auction for an antique store that was going out of business. I haven't even bothered to check what the other books are yet, I just really wanted this one.

And here is a random magazine, Front Page Detective from August 1947.

 

[Starius]

Texasgirl, a good friend of mine just attended an auction last saturday where he saw a bunch of Cosmopolitan magazine issues from the 1930s in near mint condition. (He also saw a ton of other great things but thats neither here nor there.)

They ended up selling quite high, higher than my friend could afford anyways. But I don't think there were as high as that one you have listed there. I fully expect whomever got them will be throwing them up on ebay though. The market really has been increasing for those magazines the last few years.

 

[CharlieH.]

I just got my hands on a really neat bunch of National Geographics from 1941. The full year, actually. Every issue seems to have at least one article on the war effort throughout the british empire, and two issues came with map supplements. I'm seriously considering getting that world map framed...

And I must admit, the main reason for that purchase was the ads!

 

[Amy Jeanne]

I collect movie magazines -- mostly Photoplay. My collection spans 1912 to 1962.