Season's Greetings

I thought I'd throw together some of my favorite yuletide finds:

Found photo of Christmas morning.

Christmas bookmark.

Vintage Christmas card.

Merry Christmas to Jean

Noel

Dr. Seuss and Christmas

And how!

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Giveaway winner

This week's winner was Dianna Gabbard, who entered via email. Thanks to all who entered and a personal thank you to all of you who make this site what it is. I will see you all in the New Year. Perhaps a bit earlier. Happy holidays.

Friday Giveaway: Robinson Crusoe - contest closed

Giving away this terribly handsome edition of Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" published by The Easton Press, 1976. It's part of their "100 Greatest Books" series, and features illustrations by Edward A. Wilson. The book is bound in genuine leather, with four raised bands, gilt all edges, silk ribbon bookmark, the works. Just lovely.

Contest now closed, winner announced shortly.

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Hello World

Computer program, a "good old 'Paper-Rock-Scissors' game," handwritten and photocopied. Author is the mysterious Zoltán M.

Found in "Pogo Re-Runs: Some Reflections on Elections" by Walk Kelly. Published by Fireside, 1974.

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Sure Sign The Holidays Are Here

This recipe for fruit cake was featured in my book Handwritten Recipes:

¾ pound shortening
3 eggs
1 pound brown sugar
½ pint molasses
2 cups coffee
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pound raisins
1 pound currants
¼ pound citron, lemon and orange peel
1 pound nuts
2 teaspoons each of all kinds spices, extracts (the ones you like best) little salt
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder

 Use 5 cups (flour) first and try out. This is a large rule I often cut it down. Do not bake fast. I use 2 or 3 kinds of extracts.

Found in “The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book” by Fannie Merritt Farmer. Published by Little, Brown and Co., 1928.

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American Gentlemen

Silk ribbon with the lettering "American Gentlemen." Could be a promotional item from the old men's magazine of the same name.

Found in "The Complete Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson" published by Crowell, 1885.

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Last Chance

All sold! Thank you! You can still purchase a copy here of course, but they might not make it in time for Christmas.

An X-ercise In Typing

A sailboat made of Xs, my guess is that it was typed up as a school assignment for keyboarding class or something similar.

Found in "Japanese Garden and Floral Art" by Mrs. Paul Kincaid. Published by Hearthside, 1966.

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Dickens winner

This week's winner was Holly Lynn Bruyette, who entered over on Facebook.

Friday Giveaway: Dickens Collection (Contest closed)

Giving away this collection of eight matching volumes by Charles Dickens.

Contest now closed, back with a winner shortly.

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Not Forgotten - Part V

Here are parts one, two, three and four of this ongoing series where I feature some of the items I find that aren't quite good enough for their own post.

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Lunch Is On Me

Found twenty bucks!

The book was brought in by a regular, however, so my wealth will be short-lived.

Found in "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein. Published by Harper, 2009.

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The Second Front

Typed letter on General Electric stationery:

Ft. Wayne, September 25, 1943

Mr. W.K. Williams
Bldg 4-6

The accompanying copy of "Punch In, Susie!" is presented to you with the compliments of the General Electric Company. Written in an honest and straightforward manner, it gives an interesting picture of the reactions of a newcomer in our organization.

The author, Nell Giles, is a staff writer on the "Boston Globe" who took a "job" at our West Lynn plant for the sole purpose of "writing the glamour of our women in war." Her day-to-day experiences while at work in our plant were published in Miss Giles' column in the "Globe" and attracted the attention of thousands of readers.

It is an amusing story, but despite its humor it contains a wealth of material that should prove to be of considerable value in enabling us better to understand the reactions and problems confronting our arm of new employees.

LC Swager
Personnel Division
Bldg. 18-2

Found in "Punch In, Susie" by Nell Giles. Published by Harper and Brother, 1943.

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The History Of A Book

I like knowing where a book came from:

Inscription:

Purchased for 25 cents from Bill Nash (Wilman) at this porch sale June 16, 1973 after his mother passed away and he sold his homeon 15 W. Main St, Sidney NY

Purchased gold plated umbrella handle also, which belonged to Mrs. Irwin W. Nash (Bill Nash's grandmother)

Found written in "Spare Moments: A Collection of Articles on Everyday Subjects Written During the Years 1922-1923 for the 'Commonwealth-Atlantic News." Published by McGrath-Sherril, 1924.

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Giveaway winner

This week's winner was @RMGarman, who entered on Twitter.

Friday Giveaway: Double Dickens: CONTEST CLOSED

Last week's giveaway of the collector's edition of "Moby Dick" went so well, I decided to double down and offer two lovely editions of Dickens:

"Barnaby Rudge" published by The Folio Society, 1987. Illustrations by Charles Keeping.

"David Copperfield" published the Franklin Library, 1980. Illustrations by Paul Degen. Gilt all edges, raised bands.

Contest now closed, back with a winner in a moment.

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Be Patient

Note:

Let's think of a solution.

Next: Don't let his gloom rub off on you.

Finally - be patient (that's putting off til tomorrow what you'd mess up by doing today)

Found in "The Fountain Overflows" by Rebecca West. Published by Penguin, 1985.

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The Richest Girl In The World

Three scraps of paper, each with the phrase "The Richest Girl in the World" written on it in a different design.

Found in "The Enjoyment and Use of Color" by Walter Sargent. Published by Dover, 1964.

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Baby It's Cold Outside

Two pages from an old photo album, four photos total. No markings or writing that I can find.

Found in "For Whose Sake" by Mrs. Southworth. Published by A.L. Burt, 1884.

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Simón

It's no secret that I love inscriptions. Found this one in the first volume of a two volume set, "Selected Writings of Bolívar" complied by Vicente Lecuna. Published by Banco de Venezeula as part of the Colonial Press, 1951:

Caracas, March 15, 1987

Dear Dr. Thomas

When my father, Eduardo Sosa, Eduardo's grandfather, was president of Banco de Venezuela he promoted "Bolívarianism."

Vicente Lacuna was a previous president of the bank and also a noted historian. Banco de Venezuela published several collections of Simón Bolívar's, letters and tactics as well as Napoleon Bonaparte's inspirational seeds in the mind and heart of our Bolívar. In 1951 the bank published in English these "Selected Writings of Bolívar" for a few customers and friends. I am sure you will find them of value.

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Moby Dick winner

This week's winner was Carol-Ann Belzil Normand, who entered over on Facebook. Thank you all for entering!

Friday Giveaway: Moby Dick (contest closed)

After last week's big giveaway, I thought I would keep it simple today. I'm giving away just one book, but it's a beauty - a 1977 Easton Press leatherbound collector's edition of Herman Melville's "Moby Dick." From the description:

This gift-quality decorator edition of Melville's classic is bound in dark blue leather boards, with allover gilt decoration and gilt lettering. The cover has a stylized gilt illustration of a whale. All page edges are gilt; a ribbon bookmark is bound into the book. Endpapers are watered silk. Color and black-and-white illustrations by Boardman Robinson appear throughout. Introduction by Clifford Fadiman. 

Contest now closed, winner will be announced shortly.

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The Cape

Several newspaper clippings featuring author Joseph C. Lincoln and a postcard, dated July 24, 1941, with Lincoln's summer home in Chatham, MA on the front.

Here's the back of the postcard:

Monday evening
Dennis Port, Mass

Came out with Bessie + Milton. Bud comes out weekends. Bessie has another boy - David, 1 yr old. Did not come tho as Mother stayed home with him. Bud has new position at Texaco Research Labs at Glenham near Beacon. Loves his work not really happy now. We get to Church every Sun. now and enjoy living again. I've been under the weather for some time now so am here trying to rest and get well.

Love,
Mary

Found in "Cape Cod Ballads" by Joseph C. Lincoln. Published by Albert Brandt, 1902.

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Pleasant Winter Evenings

Inscription, dated September 27, 1915:

With the wish that this historic tale of a remote portion of our United States may while away some pleasant winter evenings, this book is inscribed to Cousin Florence Thompson from her affectionate Cousin,

Ruth Thompson

Written in "The Conquest: The True Story of Lewis and Clark" by Eva Emery Dye. Published by A.C. McClurg, 1912.

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How It's Made

Page three of someone's report on... some precious stone.

...the grease. The screens are then taken away. Then the sparkling stones are separated. The rough stones are put in iron cars and escorted from the guard to the general office, they are cleaned and assorted as to size, color and purity. They are then sold to the local buyers at Antwerp and Amsterdam where they are cut in shapes.

Found in "Birds in Their Homes" by Addison Webb. Published by Garden City Books, 1947.

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Cookbooks giveaway winner

Sheesh, there were a lot of entries to go through! I eventually got em square and then off to random.org to pick a winner. The cookbooks go to Pierce, who entered right here. I'll be sending you an email shortly to arrange shipping on this gigantic pile. Thanks to all who entered!

Friday Giveaway: The Cookbook Collection (contest closed)

I haven't had a 'big' giveaway in a while, thought I would offer these up this week:

Yep, that's a lot of cookbooks.

I counted close to 150 books. Might as well throw in another one, a signed copy of my book "Handwritten Recipes" -

Now, keep in mind that when these ship it will be at least six very large and heavy boxes. If you plan on entering, you may have to plan ahead.

Contest now closed, will announce the winner shortly.

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Giving Thanks

If you're celebrating Thanksgiving today, don't eat too much!

If you're not, you still might enjoy these vintage postcards:

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