i've been told i once lived a life as a hermit scholar which can completely explain why i love vintage books and office supplies even. i still remember of when i was a wee bean, it was always a good day going into the office supply isle with my dad and like a little weirdo, got to pet the different pads of paper... not even joking.
back to books though; there really is something about old letter pressed covers, the different textured bookcloths, the brown aged paper and sometimes that certain type of text that tickles my bum ticker so hard. i've stopped questioning it and just try to control myself when i see too many old books for a great deal.
i knew i had a few vintage books but not until this post did i realize how many until taking these pictures.
this first one is the one book i walked away with from McCloed's bookstore in Vancouver.
i absolutely had to walk away from that lovely bookstore with something and found this little book. there was no publishing information anywhere inside so i asked at the cashier if they knew how old this elegy book was. it looked as if he flipped through a rolodex in his mind and said " it was published around late 1800's and the early 1900's" i was floored and the lovely lettering inside won me over before even hearing its age. i still have given it a straight read just yet but the fact that it's an elegy satisfied my morbid side, that and the little birdies it has sprinkled throughout satisfied my brighter side.
this small song book i scored from the free shelf at the re-use center. the pages are so thin and delicate and great for collaging...one day. the inside had some scribbling in it which i love. the difference of cursive writing people had before compared to some of the chicken scratches seen these days is always so beautiful. i really should use these pages for a collage sometime since i don't know how to read music nor can sing very well, this is just in possession for eye candy right now. like the elegy book, there wasn't anything inside that gave it's age but i'll pin it at about 1960's or 1970's.
this book caught my attention with it's pretty adorable illustrations and soft coloring. it reminded me of those love is... cartoons from the 70's but different. on the inside sleeve it mentioned that this book is a companion to the "a friend is someone who likes you" book which i definitely would love to peek into.
i think most of these would be pretty adorable for tote bags, the line work is perfect for silkscreening!
i'm only guessing this book is in german or dutch, the first few pages seemed like a quick biography of certain artists and the rest of the book are pretty different styled pieces of art. i used one illustration for a collaged note pad and will totally use this book again for more collaging. it has different styles of illustrations and paintings that i think could suit many mood of many collage projects. so in other words, funtimes ahead!
these next few books i just had to take home and luckily most of them were in the free shelf at the re-use center. i'm sure one day i'll curse that shelf but for now, i'll gladly bow down to it and thank it for the free finds.
this booklet has a funny leather textured cover but is other wise kind of flimsy. it looks as if it was a quasi-yearbook for a university here in canada for 1936! i love it.
it's a shame someone had used a bright pink highlight for a lot of the pages but i just love the group pictures and portraits found in this. i even used one for another collaged note pad.
there are a few advertisements in this booklet too, the typography in them are wonderful.
sadly the cover of this infant/ baby care booklet was missing but luckily everything else seem to be there. i remember the old stained paper and font type catching my eye with this one and just automatically threw it in my bag without really looking at it. when i got in the car, i flipped through it and it kind of amazed me. reading some of the things gave me a good laugh knowing what we know about natal and baby care now.
i was happy to find the inside chart filled out for a one Marilyn Ruby Robinson born october 7th 1934 making her 77 today. part of me almost wants to look her up just to see what became of her.
this one i snagged when my brother and i went to a massive amity store in portland. there were just three giant bins full of books, i kind of really enjoy digging through stuff when it comes to thrifty goodness. like i somehow know that if i dig hard enough i'll run into something that i would totally want and this was one of those times. as soon as i saw the cover and the typography in the title i knew it had to be at least from the 60's. i can't seem to find a date anywhere inside or on the back but i think it may even be older than that, late 40's at most.
the paper is this almost craft paper brown and has that wonderful type to it with very few illustrations in it but i think i could never tear this one apart for collaging. there's something nostalgic about it even though i never had a book like this growing up. we'll see what future collaging projects may ask for and take it from there.
i have a few more books to blog about but i'll save your bottom from totally falling asleep.
internally yours,
sister valentine
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