# What is your oldest dated book...



## Stormflame (Jun 5, 2005)

Growing up I was inspired by any writing that I came across.  It tossed me into the love for old books, and for years into my teens, I had collected books.  In the West Virginia/Maryland states, where I use to live, old books are a dime a dozen.  History in that area is sooo rich, and the heritage is even richer.  I came across many, many old wonders and have managed to hold on to many all these years.  I once found a bible in an old Goodwill Store dated 1870 something.  It was in mint condition.  My father gave it to a preacher, and the rest is history.  It upsets me to this day....
Anyway, yea, all of you collectors, lets put up some posts on old books.  You have to have some.  Not only dates, but, lets talk about some things you have found written in these old books.  I have some that talk about two teenage kids falling in love, dated from the early turn of the century.  That kind of stuff has always awed me.  It is a look into someone elses life that is no longer alive.  They are caught in the yellow pages of some musty book....


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## Leto (Jun 5, 2005)

1780 edition of Jacques Cazotte's _Le Diable amoureux_. Strangely I had it at a very cheap price in a second hand shop in San Diego (maybe because the seller didn't read French ?)


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## Tsujigiri (Jun 5, 2005)

Metal clasped Bible, leatherbound & dated 1768.


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## Amber (Jun 5, 2005)

Well I've a bible and a little books of devotions dating from the 1700's. I also possess a couple dated in the 1800's.

My most prized one however is my three books of airforce law dated from 1927. It's signed by a captain somebody, and they are totally wonderful to read. I got given them by an antique's seller. I was wandering around his shop aged about 12, and I enquired as to their price. He gave them to me, and said you can have them for free. Obviously I protested somewhat and he said 'because you've got blond hair and green eyes.' Then he wandered off.


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## Winters_Sorrow (Jun 5, 2005)

I'm too clumsy & careless with my possessions to trust myself with anything antique.

So, I guess it'd probably be my 1978 copy of "Battle Circle" by Piers Anthony


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## Jay (Jun 5, 2005)

I never really went for bible but my oldest is the first printing of Mugby Junction, 1866, by Charles Dickens.  My oldest, and by big author, but no where near the priciest as I got it for literally pennies.


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## Stormflame (Jun 5, 2005)

In my collecting of older books, I have noticed an uncanny fad among many of the early 1900's publications.  They did not date the books.  I have never understood that.  I have an old, old edition of Stevenson's Treasure Island that dates to the early 1900's.  It is clothbound.  Red.  And that's about all I know.  In all of my searching, I have never found an exact date.  I have found books that date around that period, however....

J. H. Sears and Company appears in the front.  Published in New York.  Inside the leaflet, it contains the words, Set up, bound and printed at the Kingsport Press, Tennessee.  

Maybe I have just overlooked the site that specifies its date.  Maybe I am just making it too hard to find.  Anyway, if anyone can pinpoint it, I would be happy.  I have noted that near texts around then rate about 30 to 40 dollars.  So its value is not great, yet, it is priceless to me.....


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## Mark Robson (Jun 6, 2005)

No old books, but lots of old letters - my grandfather was a stamp collector and also liked old letters.  The oldest I have is dated 1806 and is franked as having been delivered by pony express.


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## Animaiden (Jun 6, 2005)

My oldest books are from the 1920's and 1930's.  I have a book of 100+ fairy tales from the 30's.  The book _Poems of Today_ from 1924.  Last but not least is my music book,with full songs (it has the entire, and origionally hard, Fur Elise) from about the late 20's early 30's.  I don't think that I have any older books, though I do know that my church has bibles from the early to mid 1800's(in german).


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