my oldest thrift find ever

Latin Book from 1544

Thrift weekends and thrift finds tend to blur week after week. I wish I had a stellar memory that engraves each item, the price and where I found it in my mind but it doesn't. In fact, having this blog as an electronic diary of sorts, is the next best thing.

I found this antique book at an estate sale in Santa Rosa. I had to buy it because I've never touched anything so old before. It felt beautiful and wonderful in my hands. I was truly holding a part of the past.

My friend and business partner Kara offered to help me with this amazing find. Kara did most of the work. She researched it, asked fellow book experts about it and wrote up this amazing eBay auction for the book. Kara is owner of Little Sages Books and is going to be writing some posts at ATG in the future about book selling and what it means to be a bookseller in this high tech world.

Kara estimates that the book might be worth between $100 and $200 but you never know with an online auction. She cleverly started the auction at $1 which made me gasp at first. Then I realized that I'm okay with whatever price the book sells at. It's part of the thrift game. I woke up today to see that it's already at $107.

What is your oldest find?

Comments

[Elizabeth Fairchild]

Wow, this is so cool. What a beautiful find.

[A La Modern]

That's amazing... I never thought that older items like that might be found on the West coast. Gives me some hope!

[Amy Zimmer]

Awesome! Good Job Selena and Kara!

[Blessy @ Stellar Tatter]

Oh, my gosh! My oldest one so far is also a book. It's about the history of England from William the Conqueror up to the Victorian era. I think mine is from the late 1800's. I would really love to find something THAT old. That's even older than Shakespeare, whew.

[DogsMom]

Wow, starting at a dollar would make me very nervous. I am so happy it continues to climb.

Looking forward to Kara sharing some of her expertise. Thank you both.

Oldest find, and bargain to boot, were some old paste dolls. The elderly woman who sold them to me (cheaply since they had been available all day and I showed a lot of interest) told me they had belonged to her mother and maybe someone before that.

I know I also have some very old books, early 1800s. Will be interested in ways to find the best buyers for those.

[Sir Thrift-A-Lot]

So old! This would have been my oldest find as well.

To date my oldest find is a coin.. and it's from 1880. I don't know if that really counts though.

Hope you make a lot of the book!

[nike air max pas cher]

El más antiguo encontramos, y negociar con el arranque, Se pega algunas muñecas antiguas. La anciana que vende 'em a mí (ya que habían terminado el juego barato disponible todo el día y me mostró un montón de intereses) que me habían dicho pertenecía a su madre y tal vez a alguien antes de que.

[hollimichele]

When I worked at my uncle's used bookstore, I occasionally found really old books, but I think the oldest was late 1700s or early 1800s. The oldest book I ever got to keep was from 1869, and it was about why women shouldn't have the right to vote! I don't own anything really old right now, alas, but my favorite eras are 30s-60s so I don't mind too much.

[Maureen]

Kara is a wonderful writer and researcher. I am very impressed. So is my daughter who is in a graduate Classics program at Boston College. Thanks for the interesting post.

[Laurie]

I think mine was the 1899 sewing pattern...