I love old stuff, particularly coins and books. Unfortunately, I don’t have the enthusiasm of youth, the time to travel nor the money to collect them anymore. Old stuff is now rare, harder to find and, mostly, more expensive. So I have to make do with enjoying what I already have (and sometime sharing this pleasure with others).
Unlike some of my friends, I don’t have really rare stuff (one has a page from a Book of Hours or another has a 1661 french edition of Suetonius!) but I have just a little more than a dozen ancient books that I cherish. Some because they are history books or works of an ancient author, others just because they are old (and despite the fact they are insipid religious documents).
Inspired by a question I was asked on Facebook, I invite you to share my joy after the jump >>
![]() My oldest book is volume four (books 20 to 27) of a 1581 latin edition of the Digest or Pandects by the emperor Justinian I which constitute a compendium of Roman laws. [ WorldCat ] |
![]() More interesting is this 1593 illustrated edition of Aesop’s Fables with opposing Greek and Latin texts. [ WorldCat ] |
![]() This 1633 latin edition offers a compilation of conciliar and pontifical edicts. Those canonico-legal texts are rather insipid but the thick velum book with a pig-skin cover has quite a nice look. [ WorldCat ] |
![]() A 1643 latin edition of the poems of Horace. [ WorldCat ] |
![]() My favourite old book: a 1664 old-french edition of the works of Lucian of Samosata. [ WorldCat ] |
![]() More recent but interesting is this English translation of three christian apologists: Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Minutius Felix. [ WorldCat ] |
![]() 18th century french history book about the Emperor Jovian with translation of ancient texts by Emperor Julian. [ WorldCat ] |
![]() A volume of religious texts about Lent from mid-18th century, in French. Uninteresting but still a nice old book. [ WorldCat ] |
![]() A superb collection of books about the history of France, but which doesn’t covers the french revolution since it was published before it happened! A nice set of 30 volumes! [ WorldCat ] |
![]() “Tirées des Epîtres & Évangiles qui se lisent à la sainte Messe tous les dimanches. Pour se disposer à célébrer ou à communier dignement, connoître les devoirs du Sacerdoces, & se mettre en état de faire les Instructions utiles aux Ecclésiastiques & au Peuple, pour touts les jours & les principales fêtes de l’année. Depuis l’avent, jusqu’au premier Dimanche de Carême.” Extracts of the Bible to prepare oneself (but mostly priests) for the mass’ celebration. Boring religious stuff, but a nice mid-18th century old book nevertheless. [ WorldCat ] |
![]() Similar to the previous title, but late-18th century. Two volumes in the in-duodecimo format (in-12: each printed sheet [folio] was folded to give twelve small sheets or twenty-four pages; this very common format was varying according to the size of the original folio, but it was averaging the size of today’s pocket format). [ WorldCat ] |
![]() A late-18th century book about the history of Christianity. [ WorldCat ] |
![]() Three volumes (out of sixteen ?) from an history of ancient and modern literature. I have a lot of those early 19th-century books, but this one has a relatively interesting subject. [ WorldCat ] |
![]() This is the annual compilation (with its characteristic red-binding) for a periodical dedicated to well-off kids between ten and fifteen years-old, published between 1873 and 1914. It offers a mix of educational articles and short stories (Source: Wikipedia). This is the compilation for 1896. Interesting subject and still old enough to be cherished. [ WorldCat ] |
[ Traduire ]
Pingback: Latest acquisition | Clodjee's Safe-House
Pingback: Cabinets of curiosities | Clodjee's Safe-House
Pingback: Antiquarian Book Fair | Clodjee's Safe-House
Pingback: Acquisition au SLAM | Clodjee's Safe-House
Pingback: 2020 Antiquarian Book Fair | Clodjee's Safe-House
Pingback: Monnaie ancienne 1 | Clodjee's Safe-House
Pingback: Cogitationes me: Thought of the day (for myself) [002.021.325] | Clodjee's Safe-House
Pingback: Westmount Antiquarian Book Fair | Clodjee's Safe-House