Golden Age Collection 22 22

[BangZoom]

 

Jeff, when you tire of reading Jules Verne books you should check out Penny's story about her adventures deep in the center of the earth.

 

It's an undiscovered classic of the Lost World genre.

 

 

 

 

[Theagenes]

Cool, what is that from?

[Theagenes]

I got outbid on a nice JttCotE just recently.

 

One of the best things about old books are the illustrations -- that's something you don't get with ebooks!

 

The engravings for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea(s) are spectacular.

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2013 by Theagenes

[Sqeggs]

A Google search revealed to me that Leary's Book Store in downtown Philadelphia was, at the time of its closing in 1969, known as the “oldest book store in the United States.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Wikipedia:

 

Leary’s heyday was during the “Golden Age of Books,” a period during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century when books were the key source of entertainment and enlightenment.

 

After World War II consumers for books moved to suburbia where competing book stores and distance to Leary’s resulted in a declining demand for Leary’s used books.

 

The bookstore closed in 1968. During the final cataloging of its remaining book stock for sale at the Freeman auction house, a number of ancient documents, reported to have languished in the stock for 100 years or more, were found among its contents, including an original broadside of the Declaration of Independence dated to 1776. This proved to be a John Dunlap first printing and it sold for over $400,000 at auction. The buyers, two wealthy Texas businessmen, donated it to the city of Dallas, Texas; it is now on permanent display at the Dallas Public Library.

 

Leary’s Book Store and the adjoining Gimbels department store, originally acquired by Gimbels in 1894, were demolished by the late 1970s. Various redevelopment proposals for the site have failed and the ground has been used mostly as a parking lot.

 

 

 

 

 

Very cool. I've lived in the Philly area my whole life and have never heard of Leary's Books. Here's the Google street view of that street today.

Modern view

 

The Moravian Book Shop in Bethlehem, PA claims to be the oldest book store in the world, founded in 1745. Still going fairly strong, I think, although the last time I was there, the toys, candy, Christmas ornaments, and knick knacks took up about four times the space devoted to books.

[damonwad]

I got outbid on a nice JttCotE just recently.

 

One of the best things about old books are the illustrations -- that's something you don't get with ebooks!

 

The engravings for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea(s) are spectacular.

 

 

 

 

:applause:Those are awesome.

Also, if we're voting, I'll take old books over ebooks every time.

[mrmyst]

I got outbid on a nice JttCotE just recently.

 

One of the best things about old books are the illustrations -- that's something you don't get with ebooks!

 

The engravings for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea(s) are spectacular.

 

 

 

 

gorgeous.

[Theagenes]

Gilt spines are pretty cool too.

 

 

[BangZoom]

Cool, what is that from?

 

Super-Dooper Comics (yes, that's a real title).

[BangZoom]

The engravings for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea(s) are spectacular.

 

 

 

 

They're fantastic.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post them.

 

 

[Theagenes]

Cool, what is that from?

 

Super-Dooper Comics (yes, that's a real title).

 

I thought I was pretty familiar with most hollow stories but this one escaped me.

[Theagenes]

So one of the oldest books in my collection was printed in Brunswick, Germany in 1640 and it has some pretty awesome woodcut illustrations. This is De Cruce (The Cross) by the 16th century Dutch scholar and philosopher and founder of Neo-Stoicism, Justus Lipsius. It's a historical treatise on the various of crucifixion used in ancient times. It has 22 illustrations depicting the myriad ways of sticking people up on piece of wood.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2013 by Theagenes

[BangZoom]

 

Yikes / Awesome.

 

I'm conflicted. /

[BangZoom]

I've been getting interested in the development of the culture of collecting recently, and ran across a scan of this 1852 broadside advertising a new collection of antiquities for sale, including rare books, and inviting members of Congress to stop by.

 

Better known as Carusi's Saloon to google, the place sounds like quite a center of culture in Washington of the 1800s.

 

 

I collect advertising ephemera of various 18th and 19th performers so I found this article that mentions Carusi's Saloon to be very interesting.

 

Link: In Old Washington (Theaters & Circuses)

[Theagenes]

I actually found it at an estate sale for 50 bucks.

 

This guy seems to get the point:

 

 

 

But this guy's gone to the dogs:

 

 

 

"Always look on the bright side of life..."

 

[BangZoom]

I actually found it at an estate sale for 50 bucks.

 

 

That book is incredible.

 

Congratulations on making such an awesome find.

[sacentaur]

I actually found it at an estate sale for 50 bucks.

 

 

That book is incredible.

 

Congratulations on making such an awesome find.

 

+1; every time I see a book like this I think of Polanski's The Ninth Gate.

[Theagenes]

I think this one is my favorite

 

[BangZoom]

I think this one is my favorite

 

 

Aha !

 

I suspected Boris had swiped that image from somewhere.

[Pat Calhoun]

Crom, you know it ain't easy,

You know how hard it can be;

The way things are goin'-

They're gonna crucify me.

[Theagenes]