My dad has first edition copies of several Stephen Leacock books (a Canadian humourist), including his most famous work, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town. They date from the early part of this century (I think Sunshine Sketches was 1912).
He also has an British Columbia almanac from 1900 (I think) which has information on the various regions of the province. What I find most interesting are the sections for each region that gives the average wage you would have to pay to hire whites (the most), Chinese, and “Indians”(the least). It goes on to describe the attributes of the latter two groups (I can’t remember any exact quotes, but they would definitely be considered racist today).
Rats! I was gonna say The Bible, cause it was written thousands of years ago. You know the Teeming Millions too well, Eve.
I would say that the few hardcover copies of “Little Women”, “Little Men” and “Jo’s Boys” of my wife’s. She also has some old editions of other children’s books (She sorta collects 'em).
My own private library has a two-volume Sherlock Holmes omnibus. I’m not sure of the pub date, but they belonged to my father-in-law.
And my father has an original “Uncle Wiggley” book and a “Raggedy Ann” book, both from the 20s or 30s. Interesting stuff.
Well the oldest book I have in the house (thats mine at least I don’t know about my Mom’s) is called “The Girls’ Book Of Heroines” and its got lots of women who were courageous and stuff right back to Joan of Arc, Marie Antoinette etc. I think it was printed in the 1950’s or 60’s (it belonged to Mom before me and the closest date I saw in it was 1950) It doesn’t have any date of when it was printed and its not really in the best of condition though all the pages are still there.
Its also got lots of lovely illustrations and I’ve found it fascinating to read several times. It was printed in England by Birn Brothers, LTD. London and it says the writer is Arthur Groom and the Illustrator is F. Stocks May. Hmm I’m curious about this now…
The funniest and scariest (in terms of what it teaches) is called “Safe Counsel” It’s a book on sex from 1934 (doesnt say the edition), and has at least one racist element (a black man at a communal drinking pot with white people all around, and the caption says “Your Turn Next?”(it’s all about eugenics!). Oddly, it was given to my Filipino Grandmother. It has such lovely things as the dangers of masturbation (the drawing of a “A testicle wasted by sexual excess” is amusing), and did you ladies know that frigidity can be congenital? Anyway, highly amusing.
We have a bible by the American Bible Society that was printed in 1849. This is our oldest. However it’s only a 19th edition.
The next oldest is called “Sea Island Boys” written by William Perry Brown. It was published in 1903, but doesnt say what edition it is. It’s in OK shape but fairly ragged. The binding is still holding though.
The books in best condition that we have are a volume of books from different authors (playwrights and poets like Shakespeare and Robert Louis Stevenson) from 1937. The binding is good, and the paper is in good condition (still white). I didnt even realize they were as old as they were until I looked for the date published.
And then we finally have the “Tip Top Christmas Book” by Willis N. Bugbee and Marie Irish. This copy was published in 1927, but there is another edition printed in 1921. The cover fell off, but we still have it. The pages are still in good condition. It has songs, and skits, as well as a number of plays. It was written for children, and sold for 40 cents.
I think I just discovered that I have an older book. I don’t know how old it is exactly cuz it doesn’t say when it was printed. It does have inside of it though on one of the pages in these exact words.
“Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand nine hundred and one, by THE COPP CLARK COMPANY, LIMITED, Toronto, Ontario, in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture.”
I have no clue what that means really… Oh and it is a copy of Walter Scott’s ‘Lay of the Last Minstrel’ one of The Copp Clark Literature Series No 8. shrugs Maybe I should ask about it or something…
I have my grandfather’s book of prayers (really cute and small, maybe an inch tall) that was copyrighted in 1904. It was probably printed/bought quite a few years later, though.
I also think I have some old German books… if they’re German, that only means they’d be from some time in the late 1800s, as my ancestors are German.
Anatole Frances’ “Revolt of the Angels” 1926 (the first illustrated edition!)
Given to me by a young man, who stole it from the Strand (NY’s somewhat famous used book store) while he was working there, in exchange for sexual favors. Well let’s just say in gratitude for.
A small Danish-English travellers companion from about 1900. The Danish phrases are printed in Gothic letters and the English in modern type - very cool. Useful phrases for discussing the weather on the Channel ferry, how to hire a hansom cab etc. Even a few explanations of the weird customs among the british.
“Meine Kriegserinnerungen” - Gnrl. Ludendorff’s memories of WWI, printed ca. 1920, Gothic type and about 25 loose maps.
Lots of other stuff about the Danish-Prussian war 1848-1850.
There is an extremely profilic children’s writer from the early 20th century named Mrs. L.T. Meade. My Dad got one of her books at an auction and I was hooked. I know have a dozen or so, all from around 1900-1920. I also have a copy of Elsie Dinsmore (another classic of the same era) that was my grandmother’s.
I collect Meade books but not first editions or really valuable ones. I just like 'em.
I have two Thornton Burgess books, Mother West Wind’s “Why” Stories and Mother West Wind’s “Where” Stories. One from 1915 and the other from 1918. As has been said, they are charming stories, and very pretty little books. I bought them from an antique store when I was 12 or 13. I also have a copy of Two Boys of the Battleship -or- For the Honor of Uncle Sam. Just bought that one (by Frank V. Webster, 1915) because my old man and I thought it was neat. The cover has a picture of a boy in a sailor suit waving his dixie cup hat (well, they weren’t called dixie cups in those days, but you all know what I mean) at a battleship. I haven’t read it yet, but my 13 year old son said it was “…pretty cool, in a lame way.”
I love old books. I’d love to be able to collect them, but for now, I’ll settle on getting whatever I can.
The oldest book I have is a diary by my great-great-grandfather from 1870. The oldest published book I have is A Practical Treatise on the Diseases of Women, published in 1878. (My father is an Ob/Gyn, and he gave me some interested old medical books.)
I also have a number of book that I don’t know the date for. Now I’m interested in researching them to see if I can figure out when they were published.
What a bunch of totally cool books—we have got to open a SD lending library!
Checked that book of mine last night and it’s 1846, not '49.
Books I am desperately seeking: a turn-of-the-century penny dreadful titled “Jim Phenix’s Big Bulge,” and an 1880s book of children’s poetry called “Lively Lays for Dreary Days.”
It is my life’s goal to have those sitting about casually on my coffee table, along with the 1930s cookbooks I already have (“How to Turn a Trick a Day with Bisquick” and “Be Bold with Bananas!”).
For a reason too detailed to really get into, I have a bunch of books from the '20’s, including a series on “The Great War”. But my prized possession is a 1917 Boy Scout Manual.
I’ve got first editions of a couple of the first Tarzan books dated around 1914. I was kind of bummed out when I searched Ebay and it looks like they’re only worth around $25. I also have stashed away in plastic bags the first few issues of Heavy Metal sci-fi comics and the first issue of Omni but they aren’t worth anything either.
My parents have a complete Encyclopedia Britannica from around 1896. I was especially amused when I read in it that negro males are inferior to white males because after puberty they are primarily preoccupied with sexual matters.
I was wondering when someone was going to mention Uncle Wiggly. My mother in law has a number of original prints of some Uncle Wiggly books. It’s one of her hobbies. She also has the original Uncle Wiggly board game (similar to candy land), and an ORIGINAL printing plate used in printing an Uncle Wiggly cartoon picture. I don’t know where she finds this stuff, but has got to be worth some major $$$.
I would have to double check, but my copy of “The Voyages of Doctor Doolittle” by Hugh Lofting is dated late 19th century. 188? or 189?, I have to check. Some of the pages are fallen out and loose, but still there, and the book has become very yellowed. But It was always my favorite book.
Sorry to bust your bubble, but THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOLITTLE was originally published in 1922. I was the recipient of the second annual Newberry Award for best children’s book.