Lopstah
03-07-2013, 05:08 AM
This is a bit long winded, but a fun little story that has turned out to be one of the most interesting off-chance experiences in my life.
I assure you, this once in a life time find, the dream find of a collector, actually exists!
So, I'm a commercial fisherman from NH, whose favorite thing to do while alone, is to jump on the back of a motorcycle, riding around aimlessly but with intent, in search of abandoned building and homes so I can go inside and photograph them. Now I collect all manner of dusty old primitives, primarily throughout the 19th century. I am passionate with all things old, so though there is a more commonly found time period, my collection covers from the ancient right up through WWII. Every now and again while photographing, I find a little treasure that fits neatly into the motorcycle saddlebag, and I take it home to display it amongst all my other finds from over the years. Now, there was this one house in central NH that has been abandoned for decades, and though it appears the local kids have reeked a bit of havoc inside, it seemed to be simply mischievousness and thus not too destructive. This is a very good thing due to the contents of the house. Amongst furniture, clothing, the odd beer bottle, piles of ephemera, there has to be thousands of books that have been forgotten about, and left to rot. Usually, I simply photograph a house, jump back on my motorcycle, and ride off in search of the next subject. Today was no different. I have never collected antique books so, though it made for some great photos, I really just overlooked them but for their aesthetics, snapped photos for about a half hour or so, walked out the door, and rode away. Now, when I'm searching for these buildings I simply find roads I've never rode down before, and simply ride down them. I have a very keen sense of direction from a life spent on the sea. And though my memory for the every day things hovers somewhere in the ball park of someone who has had far too much head trauma, and someone suffering from alzheimer's, I have an ability to, at times only needing to travel a road once prior, to remember very specific and often minute details about what was down said road. Now that doesn't necessarily seem all that odd or unique at face value, but often times it can be as long 3 or 4 years since I was last traveling on it. In any event, on this off day, because I was traveling the opposite direction than I had been the first time down the road, I was for a short time under the impression I was rolling down new, and thus for me, uncharted waters. It wasn't until I rounded a corner and came across this same home again, that I realized where I had been.
Because the light is perfect, I love to shoot outside around dawn and dusk. Though it was still daylight, it was getting late so I decided to double dip photographing the house. I'm very glad I did, because this time I took my time, and looked more closely at the houses contents. I was very surprised to find dozens upon dozens of naval and maritime books. From Naval chronicles to the chronicles of Captains and Commodores. So I sat and started going through shelves upon shelves in many different rooms. The nautical books dated mostly from 1800 -1860, but found a book chronicling the life of the Count DeForbin, Commodore in the Navy of France, dated 1740. It states very clearly that, though old, it is a third edition. Now like I said before, antique books are not something that has ever created a spark in me, and so I had ever thought of collecting them. But because of the of my love for the sea and thus naturally all things having to do with it, I became extremely excited as I began to cull out the ones where the sea was its subject, and my pile began to grow quite a bit
I may be greatly misled in the following statements, but the only thing I've retained up over the years about antique books, is that it's all about condition, and whether or not it's a first edition. If there is only copywrite date, it may warrant further investigation. If there is more than one date shown, it is not a first edition. These menial bits of knowledge, is the entire scope and range of what I know about antique books. Though, I collect things and am not overly concerned about the monetary value of any given object, but it's simply for the level of satisfaction in finding things that, though I oftenconsider valuable and even priceless when they are in fact not, finding something that has intrinsic value is very satisfying as well. To be completely honest, the satisfaction I get from finding things that I hunt for it any chance i get. Be it in abandoned houses, thrift shops, yard sales, estate sales, auctions and even walking up to a house with any manner of decomposing outbuilding, and offer to buy from them things that they very often consider junk.
I guess we're now at the crux of why I am writing this. I'm hoping that someone in here can give me the guidance I so desperately lack.
First off, how does one discern if a book has only one copy write date, if it is in fact a first edition? And as is the case in what appears to a late 18th, early 19th century velum bound copy of The life of Heratio Lord Nelson: Robert Southey, there is no date to be found at all. Nor can I find any of the information I seek on the web. Also, what other books or subject matter should I be looking for when I return to the house this summer. I want to again cull through the thousands of books, and separate the ones of importance and value to take home and create a library comprised entirely of books that I have found. Because the structure is becoming so unstable due to neglect, that at the rate of its decay, I have no doubt that it wont last but a few more years.
I ask for help from anyone and everyone who may be willing to teach me the ins and outs of antique book collecting and idetification.
I'll be heading off shore for about a week very soon, so if anyone replies to this thread and I don't quickly respond, please be know that I will return ALL messages sent to me, just as soon as we get back ashore.
Thanks!
Joel
I assure you, this once in a life time find, the dream find of a collector, actually exists!
So, I'm a commercial fisherman from NH, whose favorite thing to do while alone, is to jump on the back of a motorcycle, riding around aimlessly but with intent, in search of abandoned building and homes so I can go inside and photograph them. Now I collect all manner of dusty old primitives, primarily throughout the 19th century. I am passionate with all things old, so though there is a more commonly found time period, my collection covers from the ancient right up through WWII. Every now and again while photographing, I find a little treasure that fits neatly into the motorcycle saddlebag, and I take it home to display it amongst all my other finds from over the years. Now, there was this one house in central NH that has been abandoned for decades, and though it appears the local kids have reeked a bit of havoc inside, it seemed to be simply mischievousness and thus not too destructive. This is a very good thing due to the contents of the house. Amongst furniture, clothing, the odd beer bottle, piles of ephemera, there has to be thousands of books that have been forgotten about, and left to rot. Usually, I simply photograph a house, jump back on my motorcycle, and ride off in search of the next subject. Today was no different. I have never collected antique books so, though it made for some great photos, I really just overlooked them but for their aesthetics, snapped photos for about a half hour or so, walked out the door, and rode away. Now, when I'm searching for these buildings I simply find roads I've never rode down before, and simply ride down them. I have a very keen sense of direction from a life spent on the sea. And though my memory for the every day things hovers somewhere in the ball park of someone who has had far too much head trauma, and someone suffering from alzheimer's, I have an ability to, at times only needing to travel a road once prior, to remember very specific and often minute details about what was down said road. Now that doesn't necessarily seem all that odd or unique at face value, but often times it can be as long 3 or 4 years since I was last traveling on it. In any event, on this off day, because I was traveling the opposite direction than I had been the first time down the road, I was for a short time under the impression I was rolling down new, and thus for me, uncharted waters. It wasn't until I rounded a corner and came across this same home again, that I realized where I had been.
Because the light is perfect, I love to shoot outside around dawn and dusk. Though it was still daylight, it was getting late so I decided to double dip photographing the house. I'm very glad I did, because this time I took my time, and looked more closely at the houses contents. I was very surprised to find dozens upon dozens of naval and maritime books. From Naval chronicles to the chronicles of Captains and Commodores. So I sat and started going through shelves upon shelves in many different rooms. The nautical books dated mostly from 1800 -1860, but found a book chronicling the life of the Count DeForbin, Commodore in the Navy of France, dated 1740. It states very clearly that, though old, it is a third edition. Now like I said before, antique books are not something that has ever created a spark in me, and so I had ever thought of collecting them. But because of the of my love for the sea and thus naturally all things having to do with it, I became extremely excited as I began to cull out the ones where the sea was its subject, and my pile began to grow quite a bit
I may be greatly misled in the following statements, but the only thing I've retained up over the years about antique books, is that it's all about condition, and whether or not it's a first edition. If there is only copywrite date, it may warrant further investigation. If there is more than one date shown, it is not a first edition. These menial bits of knowledge, is the entire scope and range of what I know about antique books. Though, I collect things and am not overly concerned about the monetary value of any given object, but it's simply for the level of satisfaction in finding things that, though I oftenconsider valuable and even priceless when they are in fact not, finding something that has intrinsic value is very satisfying as well. To be completely honest, the satisfaction I get from finding things that I hunt for it any chance i get. Be it in abandoned houses, thrift shops, yard sales, estate sales, auctions and even walking up to a house with any manner of decomposing outbuilding, and offer to buy from them things that they very often consider junk.
I guess we're now at the crux of why I am writing this. I'm hoping that someone in here can give me the guidance I so desperately lack.
First off, how does one discern if a book has only one copy write date, if it is in fact a first edition? And as is the case in what appears to a late 18th, early 19th century velum bound copy of The life of Heratio Lord Nelson: Robert Southey, there is no date to be found at all. Nor can I find any of the information I seek on the web. Also, what other books or subject matter should I be looking for when I return to the house this summer. I want to again cull through the thousands of books, and separate the ones of importance and value to take home and create a library comprised entirely of books that I have found. Because the structure is becoming so unstable due to neglect, that at the rate of its decay, I have no doubt that it wont last but a few more years.
I ask for help from anyone and everyone who may be willing to teach me the ins and outs of antique book collecting and idetification.
I'll be heading off shore for about a week very soon, so if anyone replies to this thread and I don't quickly respond, please be know that I will return ALL messages sent to me, just as soon as we get back ashore.
Thanks!
Joel