Oldest Book You've Ever Found

[Big Green]

This is inspired by a research project that I'm doing in which I happened upon a book published in 1890.

 

The interesting part to me is how long it appears to have been in the College library. I see a clear due date stamp for October 17, 1935 inside and an old school due date card with dates from the 1930s on it. Then it randomly jumps ahead 40 years to some dude in the 70s checking it out.

[Giuseppe Zangara]

I found a first-edition, jacketless copy of Thomas Pynchon's V. (1963) in a library about a year or so ago. Any value it may've had was wrecked by some girl's neurotic, pseudo-intellectual notes in the blank pages at the start of the book. I don't remember much of what it said, but it featured a lot of her complaining about life. The Chemical Brothers were namedropped somewhere, too.

[Red Baron]

In English class, our teacher made us read Moonfleet by J. Meade Faulkner. The book was published in 1898, and I believe we got an updated copy that was from the 50's.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I found a first-edition, jacketless copy of Thomas Pynchon's V. (1963) in a library about a year or so ago. Any value it may've had was wrecked by some girl's neurotic, pseudo-intellectual notes in the blank pages at the start of the book. I don't remember much of what it said, but it featured a lot of her complaining about life. The Chemical Brothers were namedropped somewhere, too.

 

Wow, that's maddening.

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

In doing research for my seminar paper, I made use of a couple volumes of Continental Congress minutes that I think were printed around 1890s-1900s.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS!]

Many old library donations going back to the 19th century. Cannot remember any specific titles. People would drop off stuff that had been collecting dust for generations.

[Giuseppe Zangara]

I found a first-edition, jacketless copy of Thomas Pynchon's V. (1963) in a library about a year or so ago. Any value it may've had was wrecked by some girl's neurotic, pseudo-intellectual notes in the blank pages at the start of the book. I don't remember much of what it said, but it featured a lot of her complaining about life. The Chemical Brothers were namedropped somewhere, too.

 

Wow, that's maddening.

And the book was in remarkable condition, considering it was a 45-year old object.

 

I've encountered much older books, by the way—I've spent too much time in libraries not to—but that particular copy of V. stands out in my mind for obvious reasons.

[AboveAverage484]

I have a copy of one of the volumes of the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion that, if memory serves me correct, is from around the turn of the century. The pages are yellowed and brittle, and the spine has come apart, but I still think that it's in at least decent shape for a book of such an age.

[Obi Chris Kenobi]

My stepdad had a Winnie the Pooh book, it had no dust cover, just a plain sandy coloured hardcover. I'm pretty sure there was a swastika engraved on the top of the spine.