Temps Perdu

Even though they are mostly perfunctory and quite dull (sometimes comically so), personal dedications can be a fascinating part of acquiring a second hand book.

They represent a frozen moment in time, a window onto an event long since passed and perhaps a past we can only guess at.

It may just be me, but they often seem a touch melancholy.

But this one from a copy of Garden Wisdom by Marion Cran seems to me hugely poignant

I haven't been able to work out the date of this book, but Marion seems to have died in 1923, and although she seems to have been incredibly well known in her time has faded from memory.
The book itself does seem to be posthumous, but doesn't carry a date, but does state “This book is produced in complete conformity with the authorised economy standards”, which to those ignorant on these sort of things (i.e. me) points to a 1940s vintage.

Yesterday's paper

Many years ago I used to have a collection of all the bookmarks, scraps of paper and oddments that I'd found in second hand-book. A modern artist could probably create a show from such ephemera.

Anyway, I've no idea where they are now, and in any case much as I love to find these things, nowadays I tend to leave them in the book where they were found.

This is one such find from this summer's book purchases (of which more later) and one which I find very amusing, but can't put my finger on exactly why.

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PS - What is also remarkable is that a nursery still exists at that address - usually they are long gone.

Books my Bean-counter left me

This post is from Flange-member James who says :

My accountant gave me a 1951 copy of this fine publication. I particularly like the fact that it is described as an "intimate" magazine for garden lovers. This title promises more than it delivers (although Gladioli for Gaiety is a start). Sadly, not one to go in the private reading stash down at the allotment.

There are some cracking advertisements in the publication including one for The Cornish Flexible Earth Company which includes this limerick:

There was a young lady from Ealing
Who had a peculiar feeling
For our Flexible Earth
Gave rise to great mirth
When her daffodils reached to the ceiling

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Blog Book News

Another quick breeze through the garden book bits and pieces that I have happened across recently.

The big news is of course the free books up for grabs at VP's Virtual Open Garden.

Meanwhile Emma Townshend is still reading anything with a vaguely horticultural link - this time strawberries.

Again more groovy stuff from my fellow vintage book fan Amanda - although the featured garden looks quite contemporary.

I am in a total green eyed frenzy over a new book R Pete Free has acquired, less so about the gay Alan Titchmarsh book.

And finally a blog I found that has a free E-book for download, and some book reviews [plus a certain measure of cat-nutterdom]
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Vintage ads

These pics of some vintage adverts were kindly supplied by VP from one of her Penguin Handbooks.

Since my last post on the subject I have been looking at Penguin Handbooks in an "Oooh, what a great idea for a collection" sort of way, and will be doing a post on them soon. VP, what have you started?

A blog I can recommend for vintage stuff from books and magazines is Kiss My Aster.

The author, Amanda, has 3 issues of a book from the 60s called Better Homes & Gardens New Garden Book, which she posts on from time to time and which I covet deeply.
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