I heartily agree with the sentiment of this video. I like a book that seems to have had an interesting life. If I find an intriguing notation or a silly little doodle in the margins I feel like I've made a human connection across the gulf of time. Most collectors of Modern First Editions seem to get quite bent out of shape over a previous owner's incription, or even a tasteful looking bookplate. I pitty them and their untouched perfection😅
A rose petal pressed in-between the pages of a mid-nineteenth century compilation of Shakespeare, has been one of my favorite finds. Also, a hand crocheted bookmark, and a "BeechNut" chewing gum wrapper used as a bookmark in an early 20th century copy of Pilgrims Progress. I also used that BeechNut wrapper for a page mark as I read through the copy.
you prolly dont give a damn but does anybody know of a way to log back into an instagram account? I was stupid lost my account password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me!
@Steven Samuel I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and im trying it out now. Seems to take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
What about thin paper/card items, often very personal, that you find tucked between the pages of books? These are often very interesting and tell you something about an earlier owner or reader. I'm thinking of things like bus tickets, train tickets, shopping lists, business cards, receipts, private messages long forgotten about, old recipes in cookery books, and so on. A common item may be a review of the book in question cut out of a magazine or newspaper. Recently I bought a second-hand copy of a biography of a very well-known classic writer. It was inscribed warmly by the (female) author. When I got to almost the end of the book I found a receipt between the pages from a restaurant giving complete details, what they ate, and how much each item had cost, even down to the date, time, and venue of the meal. It was clearly an expensive meal in a posh restaurant. But he, the dedicatee named in the inscription, had sold the book, so obviously nothing came of the encounter. But a lovely souvenir, like a photo taken in secret through a keyhole, the subjects unaware they were being observed. I'm still not sure whether to send it back to the author or not!
My old uni had a 19th century library with books in parts that had probably not been looked at since they were put there because the uni no longer delivered courses on those subjects (and in fact never had done because it inherited the library when it took over a college when it was formed.). A lot were legal, geographic or scientific. I used to browse them out of interest at lunch times and I often found things in the books, I found tickets to lectures in the 1920's, maps and letters relating to the subject of the book perhaps gifted by some explorer with the book in the mid 1800s, legal notes, old menu's, timetables, drawings, all sorts. It was amazing.
In the late 18th c., Isaiah Thomas published a neat little Hieroglyphick Bible for kids. It has one verse from every book of the Bible, even the Apocrypha, written in rebus form. Easton Press made a facsimile edition (which I have). Unfortunately, only two copies of the original are known to exist...I think...and the Library of Congress has one.
Yes. I know that famous and remarkable Bible. I once sold a small collection of (not a hieroglyphic) miniature American childrens’ Bibles a number of years ago . They no doubt influenced a great many young minds. I remember the Library of Congress had an exhibit with the Thomas one a few years back. Thank you for sharing and commenting!
Great vudeo...thank you for the information. I take my students to volunteer at a used book store that has an extensive selection of antique books. I don't think they realize what they actually have. I've scored some anazing books for very reasonable prices. I utilize the information in your videos all the time whenever I go there.
Fun video Adam, The Book of nothin is a surprise to me. I had never seen one that old before. I have a couple of old Books with signatures in them, I think it is interesting, It gives us a bit of their Provenance. Thank you for the video, Jeff
I own a book that was printed in Cologne in 1592, but surprisingly has a dated ownership note from the first owner from 1590! I can't really explain that.
I found classified information, all written from a typewriter in 1952 in a navigation book. It was talking about he different lights they use on naval ships like for diffenet kind of winds during storms. .
I once found under the paste down of a large book with a very thick cover a secret compartment, it was hidden by the paste down which was held in place by a few small spots of glue that could opened by inserting a knife to separate the glue without damaging the paper and then resealed. The outward appearance gave no hint of the hollow and I only found it because I had to replace the badly damaged endpaper,. Unfortunately, it was empty and contained no treasure but I often wonder how honest I would be if I had found something of value and neglected to mention it to the owner of the book - everybody is honest until they are tempted.... ;)
I have old books here but I don’t know what they are priced at? I moved into my mothers house that she world to me and she passed away about 15 years ago. Some of the books are from the 19th century early 19th century some from the early 20th century I just have millions of books and I don’t know what to do with all of them
It's funny, but there was a time when I never cared about the provenance or annotations in a book. It wasn't until a customer kindly informed me that the ownership inscription of Royal Navy officer John MacBride was present in his copy of Seneca's Lives of the Grecian Poets that I really perked up. It's been a wild (and inaugural) 12 months of selling books so far, and among the mountain of things I've picked up along the way and learned from, your channel has helped more than a fair bit.
Really happy to hear that. Yes, stories are one of the things that sells these days and we are lucky in the book world that there are many more clues as to provenance on the book and in records than in many other antique fields.
It’s a bit of a cheek that Mr Thomas is using a British armorial for his book mark! The crescents are thought to originate in early representations of the moon, now they indicate a second son.
After 35 years of book restorations I have found many weird and wonderful things inside the pages and bindings of old books I have worked on, the most poignant would have to be a bookbinders sewing needle jammed into the inner spine of a late 19th Century Bible. It can only have been deliberate because the finisher of the book would have seen it and would not have left it in place by accident. Books like this would have been sewn by young girls with small hands which would make it easier to sew the 50 or more sections, perhaps it was a tradition for the sewer to leave her needle in the last book she sewed or a memorial to a fellow sewer who died. I guess the girls would be responsible for the needles they were given or had to buy so they would not leave a needle in a book that later on they would have to pay for. I have never seen any mention of needles in the traditions and superstitions of Bookbinders but it must mean something and maybe I will never know. Bookbinders needles are usually blunt to avoid pinpricks and the resulting blood splatter on books...
Excellent videos; I've been watching them all evening. Then you give me a shoutout in this one; thanks, it made my wife proud of me ha! Keep up the great work!
HA! That's not a Paul Revere clip. That's William Daniels playing John Adams in the musical "1776". Daniels is a wonderful actor and he actually played John Adams again in a made for tv movie as well as playing John Quincy Adams in a mini series.
I watched a video that stated valuable books should be stored flat. I noticed most of your books are upright but some are flat... Do you have any insight to this idea?
The Library of Congress allowed me to read several of the books from the Houdini collection. Houdini FILLED his books with note and questions. It was like being able to read the books along with him.
Not sure if they are TV flashy enough. Household names like The Wealth if Nations are one thing, but the Ghost remnants of binders’ waste might not have as much broad appeal (even if I think it could when explained as it tells quite the story) So let’s hope the finer bibliographic points in life become a popular obsession :)
I love finding the unknown/unexpected in books
I love, in modern used books, finding what scrap ppl have used for book marks. Old repot cards, notes, flowers, scraps of paper, etc. It's fun
The first look at this room gave me chills .
seriously the most charming rare book dealer out there!
There's nothing like the awe and suprise of finding a hand written inscription from the author in an old book
I heartily agree with the sentiment of this video. I like a book that seems to have had an interesting life. If I find an intriguing notation or a silly little doodle in the margins I feel like I've made a human connection across the gulf of time. Most collectors of Modern First Editions seem to get quite bent out of shape over a previous owner's incription, or even a tasteful looking bookplate. I pitty them and their untouched perfection😅
Thank you for the eloquent and insightful comment
A rose petal pressed in-between the pages of a mid-nineteenth century compilation of Shakespeare, has been one of my favorite finds. Also, a hand crocheted bookmark, and a "BeechNut" chewing gum wrapper used as a bookmark in an early 20th century copy of Pilgrims Progress.
I also used that BeechNut wrapper for a page mark as I read through the copy.
you prolly dont give a damn but does anybody know of a way to log back into an instagram account?
I was stupid lost my account password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me!
@Aaron Kamdyn instablaster ;)
@Steven Samuel I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and im trying it out now.
Seems to take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
This is only my 2nd video of yours that I've watched. I'll be binge watching today. Thank you!
Thank you so much
What about thin paper/card items, often very personal, that you find tucked between the pages of books? These are often very interesting and tell you something about an earlier owner or reader. I'm thinking of things like bus tickets, train tickets, shopping lists, business cards, receipts, private messages long forgotten about, old recipes in cookery books, and so on. A common item may be a review of the book in question cut out of a magazine or newspaper. Recently I bought a second-hand copy of a biography of a very well-known classic writer. It was inscribed warmly by the (female) author. When I got to almost the end of the book I found a receipt between the pages from a restaurant giving complete details, what they ate, and how much each item had cost, even down to the date, time, and venue of the meal. It was clearly an expensive meal in a posh restaurant. But he, the dedicatee named in the inscription, had sold the book, so obviously nothing came of the encounter. But a lovely souvenir, like a photo taken in secret through a keyhole, the subjects unaware they were being observed. I'm still not sure whether to send it back to the author or not!
My old uni had a 19th century library with books in parts that had probably not been looked at since they were put there because the uni no longer delivered courses on those subjects (and in fact never had done because it inherited the library when it took over a college when it was formed.). A lot were legal, geographic or scientific. I used to browse them out of interest at lunch times and I often found things in the books, I found tickets to lectures in the 1920's, maps and letters relating to the subject of the book perhaps gifted by some explorer with the book in the mid 1800s, legal notes, old menu's, timetables, drawings, all sorts. It was amazing.
really great info, knowledge and enlightenment. i would love to spend a day (or 30) looking through your shelve's
Wonderful educational information as always Adam!
Thanks Chris
Completely agree with you Chris. Adam is wonderful, I'm so lucky he is my brother:-)
Plinio history!!!! oh gods, the envy I feel! jaja that book looks just too beautiful!🥸 and the art in the little book about book plates😍wonderful
love the background screen of the library.
Loved the information and of course the way you present everything.
Thanks for the kind comment
In the late 18th c., Isaiah Thomas published a neat little Hieroglyphick Bible for kids. It has one verse from every book of the Bible, even the Apocrypha, written in rebus form.
Easton Press made a facsimile edition (which I have). Unfortunately, only two copies of the original are known to exist...I think...and the Library of Congress has one.
Yes. I know that famous and remarkable Bible. I once sold a small collection of (not a hieroglyphic) miniature American childrens’ Bibles a number of years ago . They no doubt influenced a great many young minds. I remember the Library of Congress had an exhibit with the Thomas one a few years back. Thank you for sharing and commenting!
First thing I look for is mold.
Dot me it’s Rarity. Desirability. Price and then maybe mold
So enjoy what you share with your readers. Thank you.
Always appreciated
Great vudeo...thank you for the information. I take my students to volunteer at a used book store that has an extensive selection of antique books. I don't think they realize what they actually have. I've scored some anazing books for very reasonable prices. I utilize the information in your videos all the time whenever I go there.
Fun video Adam,
The Book of nothin is a surprise to me.
I had never seen one that old before.
I have a couple of old Books with signatures
in them, I think it is interesting, It gives us a
bit of their Provenance.
Thank you for the video,
Jeff
I own a book that was printed in Cologne in 1592, but surprisingly has a dated ownership note from the first owner from 1590! I can't really explain that.
Maybe poor handwriting and 1596?
I found classified information, all written from a typewriter in 1952 in a navigation book. It was talking about he different lights they use on naval ships like for diffenet kind of winds during storms. .
People love too secret material. Maybe a bit late for me but there are many military collectors
Sounds like the admiralty code book, you could get up to date versions at HM stationers at least until recently
I once found under the paste down of a large book with a very thick cover a secret compartment, it was hidden by the paste down which was held in place by a few small spots of glue that could opened by inserting a knife to separate the glue without damaging the paper and then resealed. The outward appearance gave no hint of the hollow and I only found it because I had to replace the badly damaged endpaper,. Unfortunately, it was empty and contained no treasure but I often wonder how honest I would be if I had found something of value and neglected to mention it to the owner of the book - everybody is honest until they are tempted.... ;)
Thanks to u I am wanting to buy my own rare books
Thank you so much
I have old books here but I don’t know what they are priced at? I moved into my mothers house that she world to me and she passed away about 15 years ago. Some of the books are from the 19th century early 19th century some from the early 20th century I just have millions of books and I don’t know what to do with all of them
Please email photos to webuyrarebooks@gmail.com
It's funny, but there was a time when I never cared about the provenance or annotations in a book. It wasn't until a customer kindly informed me that the ownership inscription of Royal Navy officer John MacBride was present in his copy of Seneca's Lives of the Grecian Poets that I really perked up. It's been a wild (and inaugural) 12 months of selling books so far, and among the mountain of things I've picked up along the way and learned from, your channel has helped more than a fair bit.
Really happy to hear that. Yes, stories are one of the things that sells these days and we are lucky in the book world that there are many more clues as to provenance on the book and in records than in many other antique fields.
It’s a bit of a cheek that Mr Thomas is using a British armorial for his book mark! The crescents are thought to originate in early representations of the moon, now they indicate a second son.
After 35 years of book restorations I have found many weird and wonderful things inside the pages and bindings of old books I have worked on, the most poignant would have to be a bookbinders sewing needle jammed into the inner spine of a late 19th Century Bible. It can only have been deliberate because the finisher of the book would have seen it and would not have left it in place by accident. Books like this would have been sewn by young girls with small hands which would make it easier to sew the 50 or more sections, perhaps it was a tradition for the sewer to leave her needle in the last book she sewed or a memorial to a fellow sewer who died. I guess the girls would be responsible for the needles they were given or had to buy so they would not leave a needle in a book that later on they would have to pay for. I have never seen any mention of needles in the traditions and superstitions of Bookbinders but it must mean something and maybe I will never know. Bookbinders needles are usually blunt to avoid pinpricks and the resulting blood splatter on books...
Excellent videos; I've been watching them all evening. Then you give me a shoutout in this one; thanks, it made my wife proud of me ha! Keep up the great work!
Thanks Isaiah. I always like your posts and interesting books. You have a great eye
HA! That's not a Paul Revere clip. That's William Daniels playing John Adams in the musical "1776". Daniels is a wonderful actor and he actually played John Adams again in a made for tv movie as well as playing John Quincy Adams in a mini series.
I admit I lacked a real Paul Revere clip to insert - but I was under time pressure - the British were coming
I watched a video that stated valuable books should be stored flat. I noticed most of your books are upright but some are flat... Do you have any insight to this idea?
That is true for larger books to spread the weight load, but smaller size volumes do fine upright
The Library of Congress allowed me to read several of the books from the Houdini collection. Houdini FILLED his books with note and questions. It was like being able to read the books along with him.
That is the great joy of collecting and a tribute to the access at the LOC
That is so cool! Anything stick out as interesting to you that you can't forget?
Do rare old bookmarkers have any value? Especially those that have a note written on with a date 1957?
If someone used a $100 note as a bookmark I would say yes
Awesome
Are safe books with hidden antique pistols worth a lot?
Yes. Do you have one?
"Teaching honors to fish." And why not?
Aaah!! Watch those. Lol😮
Noice mate 🙌☝️
😊
I'm sure Rick Harrison would love 'em.
Not sure if they are TV flashy enough. Household names like The Wealth if Nations are one thing, but the Ghost remnants of binders’ waste might not have as much broad appeal (even if I think it could when explained as it tells quite the story) So let’s hope the finer bibliographic points in life become a popular obsession :)
Lol I know u??? Pawn stars!!!
The layout of this dudes collection is so cringe-worthy.
Inventory