Rare Books Libarary + Pics

Beauty! Who's the binder?

I like this one myself; it's a reconstruction of the Sangorski & Sutcliffe binding that went down with the Titanic:

I'm speechless, very wonderful

I wonder if this quality of work could be done today, and if so, what it would cost?

I have to say that although I shook my head in disblief over the five-figure cost of Folio's St. Alban's Psalter, I would try to arrange for a second mortgage to acquire a facsimile of this!

Beautiful!

As for a personal collection...

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/16-10/ff_walker?currentPage=all

Thanks both for sharing!

> 5

I wonder if this quality of work could be done today. . .

Absolutely. The firm that did the Great Omar is still around: http://www.bookbinding.co.uk/catalogue.htm, and there are many people doing fine hand binding today. People like Monique Lallier, Scott Kellar, Don Etherington, etc.

Check out any Guild of Book Workers exhibit.

and if so, what it would cost?

"If you have to ask . . ."

"If you have to ask . . ."

I've never quite understood why this old saw was ever considered witty (or meaningful). I've known very wealthy people, and in my experience they are no different from we of slender means--they still want to know how much something is going to cost.

>6 pattern-skies:

This does not look at all like a 'personal collection', but rather intended to show (off) and impress, a symbol of one's status and an attempt to claim even more.

By the way, how many books can a person reasonably have read and understood in a lifetime? Certainly not a collection of that size.

> 6

Is he insane?!?!? Post-it notes in a 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle?

That sound you hear is the collective gasp of special collections librarians and archivists around the world.

>6 pattern-skies:
Well, I LOVE it. I think it is a great tribute to the "book". Ask yourself if you had millions, would you want a great library too? I sure would. I wouldn't doubt that the house and library will become a museum in the future. If you have the means to do it, go for it!

Of course astropi, I would also build a nice cozy reading room with a wood-burning fireplace, a comfy chair and desk, a nice window and the walls lined with bookshelves.

Romantic can be big and small.

Absolutely stunning, how lucky you are to have access to these. Very much look forward to more photos.

Sotheby's to sell rare Audubon 'Birds of America'
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100909/ap_on_en_ot/eu_britain_birds_of_america

Those books are amazing, astropi! I'd love to see more.

18: I think it's time I paid the library another visit :)
Do people have requests and/or suggestions for what books to take pics of? Please keep in mind that no matter how amazing the library is (and it's quite amazing), it nevertheless has limited stock!

Foreedge painting is one of the ultimate luxuries of Fine press books. I posted a link on another bread to Martin Frost's website for those whose walls is fatter than mine.

22: indeed, fore-edge painting is quite amazing. I had only recently learned of it. I looked at Frost's website

http://www.foredgefrost.co.uk/

very impressive. Out of curiosity, do you happen to know what the cost of a book that has a fore-edge painting? Some of the books he illustrated were inexpensive Easton Press books -a new copy would run you $50, but with the painting...??

>23 astropi:: Not all that long ago there was a copy of Easton Press' Moby Dick with a fore edge painting of a whaling scene listed on Ebay. My recollection is that it was listed a few times without any bids, though I believe it did eventually sell; not for all that much too.

Wonderful pics. astropi. These book make my Easton Press books feel like paperbacks. The University I attended also had a rare book room. Regrettably, I never took advantage of it.

And for what its worth, I would take Jay Walker's library in a heart beat. I don't care if I couldn't read that many books. I could still lay them out all over the floor and roll around on them.

In the pics of Jay Walkers library, you can pick out many EP editons in that 5th photo, on the wall units.

Astropi,

what university are you talking about? That is amazing, because that is the example for the Folio Society's
facsimile of the Kelmscot Chaucer. When I got my copy I looked up what my University, the U of Colorado,
had on it, and it turned out they also had one of the original 425 copies, but it had a plain white
quarter-leather binding with blue paper sides. There were very few with that binding, as I recall.
They brought it out for me, and I was able to compare the two copies side by side. Was amazing.
One of the rare books librarians, after looking at the FS edition, asked, I suppose jokingly, if I wanted
to trade. I suppose that was about the binding. So I would like to see this one if I am ever in your
neighborhood. Thanks for putting up these pictures.

27: you should have taken up on the trade offer :) I'm in New England, which is a beautiful part of the country (haven't been to CO yet, although I hear it's quite beautiful too). The Kelmscott was beautiful, although I think that a facsimile would do, although as I noted there's something special about letterpress.

yes, indeed, I should have, but of course the librarian didn't have the authority
to do that.

anyway,two questions. you did not tell me which university. I lived near Northampton,
Mass for a while, -- and I agree, New England is very beautiful -- but there are at least
seven colleges and universities in the immediate Northampton area. And then there's
Boston. So I wish you would be more specific about where this copy of the Kelmscott
Chaucer is. I might make a special trip just to see it.

and the other "question" is. I pulled down my copy of the FS Chaucer, and the binding
is not exactly the same. very similar, though. did you see any info on whom it was
printed for?

Thanks for any response.

Gary

Oh my God, where the hell do you go to University to get access to such rare editions? Harvard, MIT?

For us mortals that want the AP Moby Dick, the best thing to do is to spend the $70 (or $50 when they have their occasional sales) for the trade edition.

31: make sure you go to a University with a large endowment is all I'm going to say...

32: funny you should mention that. When the librarian first brought over the AP Mody Dick, it was tiny. I told her "oh, this can NOT be what I asked for"... turns out there are SO many Melville books/volumes/notes/etc that I had neglected to completely write down the call number and so she ended up brining the hardback reprint from the University of Calfornia press. Later, after going back, she came struggling with a huge book at which point I said "yes, that is more like it" :)

By the way, if there are any books people want me to see if the University has, let me know. Despite their amazing collection, they do have limits. Still, I would be happy to check and see the books are available, and if so I'll gladly take pics...

Wow. Fantastic photographs. Thanks for posting.

Zomg. Incredible Thanks for posting all these photos!
Which university do you go to?
Please tell.

37: I try to keep details of my personal life as private as possible on this vast web of ours. That's why I have not mentioned my University. 'tis nothing personal.

>38 astropi: I'm not interested in your identity, but as an aside to everybody else, and perhaps as a lesson for you as well.

There are at least 7 or 8 distinct ways you can discover the identity of the university just from the information and pictures posted in this thread. I'm not posting the name of the university to preserve the illusion you have of maintaining the anonmity of an university library's name, especially when most libraries publish public information about their holdings.

But to give the rest of you some ideas, I was able to find the library's name in less than 15 seconds. Especially when there's already a post about an unique book holding. Unique means one book in existence. As in only one place possesses it.

> 39
" I'm not posting the name of the university to preserve the illusion you have of maintaining the anonmity of an university library's name...

LMFAO!!!!

39: that's fine, not everyone is as clever :)
Also, when you write something in a forum, it allows people to google search the information. Am I being paranoid? I don't think so, I just like to keep my apparently delusion of anonimity! Also, why don't you drop me a private message and let's see if you have the correct University. I would be curious to know how you figured it out.

41> Left the requested message.

I reckon I scared astropi off...

I find the latest exchange amusing.

or he may have disliked nosiness.. He opened the thread to share pics with us..Not his facebook profile, Now if he closes it, we'll be without book pics . Which is closer to the objective of this forum

Feeling happy with yourself ?

>45 P3p3_Pr4ts:

You're arguing with a strawman. Nobody was asking for astropi's personal information or facebook profile. They were curious what university had such a nice collection of books, information which would not have impacted astropi's privacy at all. nicklong didn't share his guess publicly, but in a private message requested by astropi himself. All that nicklong pointed out was that it might be possible to determine the university just from the information posted here. If astropi is that concerned about his privacy, nicklong actually did him a favor.

Maybe..but the nosiness would not be in sharing the guess.. but in sniffing "I don't want to say which Uni. I'm in.." .."Oh I'm gonna tell you.. "
Maybe I'm guessing that he felt annoyed when he did not... Then my excuses. It's quite late around here

I'm not trying to start an argument, P3p3_Pr4ts, so apologies if I came across that way. I'm just saying, it doesn't help the thread to cast blame on people for things that they didn't do. nicklong's goal, from my perspective, was not nosiness, but to inform astropi that he isn't being as anonymous as he thinks he is.

Anyway, no harm meant by pointing this out.

My original goal was to just provide pics so other people can enjoy some rare books. I'm not interested in providing details of my private life, since it has no relevance here, regardless of what someone can find via an internet search. I don't think nick had any ill intentions in his post, although I have to say I wish he would have just sent me a pm instead of posting message #39.

>46 britchey:, 48 Your assumption is correct. I just wanted to inform people publicly that posting about rare books is by definition going to reveal information in some method. When I say "rare", I mean really rare books not Folio LE's. Rare as in only 1 or a handful exist.

It is reasonable to expect privacy about yourself. It is however, not reasonable to expect privacy from an academic institution that shares information for academic research. I said this to astropi in the PM as well. I also said that I hoped he continued to post pictures (and for anybody else to post the pictures they may have). I just want to let everybody know that when you post pictures about rare books, you at the very least state that you have visited 'x' location at some point in time. For instance, if somebody posts a photo of the physical Declaration of Independence, with some other physical elements present in the photo, you can conclude they visited the National Archives in Washington, DC at some point in time.

I also want to point out that we're on a cataloging website. I assume everybody understands how library cataloging works.

>49 astropi:
I don't have any ill intentions, just that I prefer there be a free exchange of information that can be found and is relevant, such as in this case. I've chosen not to share specific methods or concepts that I sent you in the PM. Just wanted to make a public service announcement and to make people aware of whatever risks are apparent. My handle is my real name. If you want to visit, I'd be glad to grab a coffee with you.

===
The worst part is now I don't want to point out a very simple thing to be used, mainly because it would freak out just about everybody on this website. I will remain silent on this topic, but will tell anybody in a PM if they wish to know.
===

47> Please don't be offended, anybody. I didn't want to scare astropi off, but I did send him a lot of detail in the PM. I understand privacy concerns and that is why I wanted to make what I did a public message for all that may share the same feelings as astropi. I didn't see a reply so that is why I posted >43 nicklong:. I want to see him continue to post pictures but he'll have to come to terms with what posting said pictures will do to his concept of his privacy and how far he extends that "bubble" of privacy out to. I'm glad he's posting.

Now back to rare books!

>51 nicklong: Maybe I should apologise for jumping to conclusions. Truth is, too many times I've seen this exchanges as a way of bullying, harassing ..blackmail etc..Nothing in the text indicated that this was the case(as >46 britchey: pointed): but my learned reflexes acted.

Sorry

Not sure what this privacy deal is all about, but its totally ridiculous. I mean come on, you are not Britney Spears. It's not like that by revealing what university you are attending, you will have hordes of screaming fans camping outside the palisade and will be attempting to snap a nuddy pictures of you while you are taking a shower...
And its not like you are the only student in your university and that by revealing what it is, everyone one will know who you are. There are thens of thousands of students in your institution, besides that number increases exponentially if you consider all the graduates that have ever attended it.
It's like me posting a photo of a CN tower and then not telling anyone that it is located in Toronto out of the fear that someone might start stalking me.

These are damn fine books and I'd love to get a glimpse of them in real life, (if I ever travel in those parts that is.)
Would you deny me that right?
What if in a middle of a famine a villager return home and says to his fellow townfolk. "Oh boy! I am full! I found an orchard filled with apples. I can tell you all about the apples, how delicious they are - I can even draw them for you but, I can't tell any of you where the orchard is located. Sorry." Would that be morally right?

"sniff sniff" and I thought we were friends

> 53

It's not like that by revealing what university you are attending, you will have hordes of screaming fans camping outside the palisade and will be attempting to snap a nuddy pictures of you while you are taking a shower...

That is hardly the point.

Are you saying that the common man has less a right to privacy than the wealthy and famous?

Privacy should not be a privilege.

It's like me posting a photo of a CN tower and then not telling anyone that it is located in Toronto out of the fear that someone might start stalking me.

I'm not sure I like your analogy. The CN tower is on public display and wants to be by its owners. Someone who wishes to stay anonymous is a quite a different matter altogether.

I think astropi is being anonymous enough. Sure we can all play the role of web sleuth, but what are we really proving? He didn't list the name of the university, so some respect should be given.

Thank you for posting the pictures, I love to look at books like this!

>54 chase.donaldson: "bullying" in the web.. :) I meant. not in this august forum

Though. I'be been clicking "ignore" at all politics, rioting and price policing related threads..

So , if I missed something as physical threats besides mind-games and/or macho posturing.Do not tell me . I do not want to know. Ignorance is bliss. I like living with the illusion that I log in LT and enter in Plato's Symposium...:)

55: thank you LesMis, that was well said. We should all be entitled to some form of privacy. I always realized if someone really wanted to know where these books are from, yes they could search online. That's not the point. The point is I should not have to publicly divulge any information I don't want to. If someone really wanted to come and look at these books, they could send me a pm and ask about them. I see no reason why I should even possibly need to try and justify myself and what I do.

>54 chase.donaldson:
We are friends, but there is no reason why friends should not argue about a common passion of theirs. (this being – fine books.)

>55 LesMiserables:

Are you saying that the common man has less a right to privacy than the wealthy and famous?

Not at all! Actually I am saying something totally opposite. As a celebrity, one makes a conscious thought and chooses to earn his living by being in the public eye. Such a person can no complain about being followed around by the public and photographers.

As for the books and their ownership; an important thing to decide whose books are they actually. The simple answer is that they are the university library books and as such, belong to the university and its students. However, if we consider that most universities get public funding. In other words, tax dollars pay for a portion of the tuitions as well as the facilities. (It is so in Canada where federal government subsidizes about 80% of the tuition.) Based on that argument, I am inclined to say that these books are the property of the nation as a whole and as such, every citizen within that nation should have access to them.

>58 astropi:

The point is I should not have to publicly divulge any information I don't want to.

True, you shouldn’t have, but I don’t believe that anyone has asked you where and in which university you are studying. I believe, but I might be missing something – the general question was; where are these books located? And it was you who said; In my university.
Thus, was it not you who first divulged private information about yourself?

I publically divulged my bi-polar disorder and the individual in question (astropi) chose to exploit it as comical relief.

Other than finding this totally amusing (and happy that I for once am not the subject of this debaucle) I question the sensitivity as to privacy.

While privacy should be respected in these forums there is the tendancy to reveal more about ourselves (ergo my first sentence) than we would in the real world and that is as it should be.

As a result we have no right to gripe about it later...ergo my hesitancy to ever even respond to what I felt was a rude and insensitive statement of my ailment...which comes in quite handy when reading since in my manic state I can devour whole novels in one day.

I'm just saying.

60: please point where I made fun of your bi-polar disorder? Not only do I not recall ever doing such a thing, it's not in my nature. So please include a link to the posting in question.

I realize we have a tendency in these group to get off topic, but seriously, this is becoming as tedious as the endless Australian pricing debate. I say back to the books! But that is just my two cents, and yes, I realize I can ignore topics that don't interest me. But then I would miss out on posts about Rare Books and Libraries, assuming anyone contributes such to the discussion ever again.

62: I agree. Unfortunately Texaco has resorted to character assassination as he/she has done numerous times before. For my part, I have some nice pics of rare editions of the Canterbury Tales I would like to post.

Oh, btw. Returning to the topic of fine books. I have heard a story that there was a very nice copy of Rubáiyát that went down with Titanic. Anyone heard about this?

>63 astropi:

I would certainly enjoy seeing pics of rare editions of The Canterbury Tales, one of my favorite all-time reads. Please do not let all of the above nonsense dissuade you from doing so.

As an aside, does anyone know of a fine press edition of Wm. Langland's 'Piers Plowman' other than the Elston Press edition (circa 1905) of Walter Skeat's translation. I have little patience for translating out of the Middle English (or archaic forms of English) and would like to read this again in a modern translation.

P.S. The teaser in astropi's >35 astropi: post with the Hebrew lettering on the left hand page is undoubtedly (I think, :) 'The Szyk Haggadah' by the Beaconsfield Press, London, 1939, printed on vellum leaves.

64: see posting #2.
65: you're correct on the artist, but it's not the Haggadah :)

> 65, 66

I submit that the illustration is 'Queen Esther accompanied by King Ahasuerus and Mordechai the Jew, in a scene from the “scroll of Esther”' from 'Le Livre d’Esther' (Paris: L’edition d’art H. Piazza, 1925).

I believe boldface is right on.

>67 boldface:

Bingo !! Home run for boldface.

>67 boldface: Does Le Livre d'Esther (in French and Hebrew) have the same illustrations of Migillat Esther (in Hebrew) published in 1926?

Incidentally, for those of you interested in great university libraries, similar to the one 'astropi' has access to, I have included a link that may be of interest to you. I cannot vouch for the quality and rarity of their book collections but these certainly appear to be cozy places to settle down for a pleasant read.

http://flavorwire.com/240819/the-25-most-beautiful-college-libraries-in-the-worl...

Enjoy.

Very good boldface! That is correct :)
It is a beautiful book, and one of Szyk's earliest illustrated volumes.

With regard to other great university libraries in the United States, as astropi suggested in post #33, it goes hand in hand with a large university endowment. In short, follow the money trail because universities with mega-endowments will have the means to acquire rare books and, more importantly, they will have wealthy alumni that will donate important collections to their university libraries. As a LibraryThing public service I will now list the universities with the largest endowments in the U.S. (as of 1/3/2011):

1. Harvard University: $27,777,404,000
2. Yale University: $16,652,000,000
3. Princeton University: $14,391,450,000
4. University of Texas System: $14,052,220,000
5. Stanford University: $13,851,115,000
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: $8,317,321,000
7. University of Michigan: $6,564,144,000
8 Columbia University: $6,516,512,000
9. Northwestern University: $5,945,277,000
10. Texas A&M System: $5,738,289,000 (this one surprised me; must be Texas oil money :) )
11. University of Pennsylvania: $5,668,937,000
12. University of Chicago: 5,638,040,000
13. University of California System: $5,441,225,000

While not all will have the magnificent collection astropi has access to, the chances are better than even that these university libraries do not stock their shelves with paperbacks.

>73 dlphcoracl:. You are correct. UT and A&M both share (on a 2/3rd v. 1/3rd basis) in earnings from the Permanent University Fund (PUF), a sovereign wealth fund which owns close to nine billion in investments and over two million acres of land subject to various oil and gas leases. If you want to learn more, check out the wiki article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_University_Fund

73: those figures are a bit misleading. Although the Texas and California systems as a whole may have large endowments, they are also huge universities (many universities in fact, all of which take money from the pot). Particularly in California, they are having serious budget issues. Private institutions tend to fare much better during these harsh times.

>75 astropi:
True. But that said, the libraries at each of their respective 'jewels in the crown' (U Cal Berkeley and Univ. of Texas at Austin) , i.e., the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley and the Harry Ransom Center at Austin are indeed among the finest of the university libraries in the U.S. It is the university libraries at the other myriad branches within their systems that suffer by comparison.

>75 astropi: The University of Texas system consists of 9 universities, but obviously the Austin location reaps the majority of the profit and is also a world-class literary destination for all of you unaware. The Ransom Center possesses some quite stunning works, but since the majority of people here seem to prefer bindings, gilting, illustrations, and other oddities rather than actual rare literary works, the Ransom Center may not be your #1 choice for visiting. They do have some "nice" books, but it's the rare literary manuscripts (and the fact that several authors have been bequeathing their papers to them lately) that truly attracts me.

In keeping with this topic (and since Coetzee is one of my favorite authors, and as such, I plan to acquire Folio's edition of Disgrace) - although I suppose this could be classified as unique bindings (http://www.utexas.edu/opa/blogs/culturalcompass/2011/10/10/a-glimpse-into-j-m-coetzees-bound-drafts-life-times-of-michael-k/).

That's a sample of the kind of items you can find in university libraries and art galleries owned by the university (such as the Ransom Center in Austin - the University of Texas owns it, but it's actually an art gallery slash museum open to the public, I highly recommend a visit if you're in the area). Right now they've got a Gutenberg Bible on display, the first photograph ever taken (from 1826), and always have some interesting exhibitions coming up.

*Note that I'm not anywhere near Texas. But if you do plan a visit in July, I warn you to consider moving your travel by several months - it's been 120F in Austin in July for the past 5 years in a row, with some crippling heat waves. And if you're going to travel to Austin, you might as well rent a car and plan a visit to Houston for some other nice locations to visit such as the Rothko Chapel...

>77 nicklong: it's been 120F in Austin in July for the past 5 years in a row

I have to question that. Are you sure you didn't mean 112°F, which still seems unlikely for 5 yrs in a row. I'm pretty sure the all-time record high temperature in Austin is 112°F. To quote an article on the local TV website (KXAN.com), dated August 23rd, 2011, "ON TUESDAY...SEPTEMBER 5...2000 AN ALL TIME RECORD HIGH OF 112 WAS SET AT AUSTIN MABRY AND AUSTIN BERGSTROM." [Mabry and Bergstrom are two weather stations in Austin, one urban, one at the suburban airport]

It has been too hot, and Austin has set records for consecutive 100° days, so I would suggest avoiding July and August trips to Austin if you plan to spend any time outdoors.

Os.

>78 Ealhmund: You're right - the actual temperatures aren't 120F, but the 'feels-like' sure is like it! My brain is still scrambled from the genius idea I had of going golfing at 2 PM in broad daylight... in the middle of July... in the heat waves two years in a row ('08 and '09) - both times, record highs for that day. The actual temperatures themselves are 100F+ as you noted. My apologies.

(I live in an area where the 'feels-like' is NEVER like the actual temperature, so I've gotten used to looking at those numbers - something such as 15F but wind chill puts it at -10F.) I won't make categorical statements like this again in the future.

More rare books! More rare books! More rare books!

>77 nicklong: Those Coetzee bindings are marvellous!

>79 nicklong:
Well, it's the 'feels like' temp that counts, anyway. I tried to take up golf here, but quit because I couldn't get more than nine holes in before the heat got too bad, and I'd come home ruined for the rest of the day.

Taking the summer off (which is about 6 months long) ruined whatever progress I had made. Finally called it quits.

Os.

>81 Ealhmund:

I'm well familiar with Texas. Golf is nigh impossible unless you're stubborn as a mule... or you pack a 36-pack of beer. I do rather enjoy that it's legal just about everywhere in Texas to drink in public parks and in public from open containers except during youth-specific events. I think to finish 9 holes is a heroic effort - I managed to finish 15 of 18 holes both times before quitting. 2 PM is not the ideal time. The ideal time would probably be at 5:30 AM, finishing before 8:00 AM...

By the way, if you're in the area of Texas that has bluebonnets in spring, I'm very envious of you! I've tried for several years to time a visit to finally see them, but they're so elusive. My relatives tell me that when you drive through the undulating hills of certain areas during certain times, there are so many bluebonnets dotting the landscape they look like ponds! That's probably one of the reasons why I love botany and botanical books so much.

>82 nicklong: - "there are so many bluebonnets dotting the landscape they look like ponds!"

I encountered a rather similar visual illusion once on a visit to France in spring. We were driving into Lozère and as we crested the plateau of the Massif Central the meadows appeared to have had a snowfall. Closer inspection proved this to be an illusion - there were countless billions of small white narcissi that were so densely clustered they looked like snow until you got close enough to see the individual plants. It was indescribably beautiful.

That same day we decided to stay in a village and shared our small hotel with a large party of geology students from a local university on a field trip. Le patron cheerfully inquired at breakfast next morning as to how many would be taking dinner that evening - he was off for a day's trout fishing in the local river and wanted to know how many fish to catch. There's self-confidence for you!

In England you're sometimes lucky to come across a field of flax (linseed), a wonderful blue lagoon amid the green and a change from the many yellow fields of rape. (I can't ever remember seeing rape and flax close together; if they were, they'd lend a decidedly Van Gogh air to the landscape.)
Apparently some flax has bright red flowers. I'm not so sure I'd enjoy being surprised by a lake of blood!

>82 nicklong:
I am in the middle of bluebonnet territory, just a few miles from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center where research into native wildflowers is ongoing. Lady Bird did the country a big favor by her beautification efforts that lead to the Center.

The drought last winter/spring/summer resulted in a very dissapointing wildflower crop. We had good rain this winter (which helps the bluebonnets which begin to grow in Jan/Feb to bloom in late March and April). Though we're still in an historic drought, the timing of the rain we did get may result in a good wildflower spring.

>84 featherwate:
Unfortunately my main memory of walking cross-country through beautiful fields of yellow flowers in Yorkshire was the sinus infection that brought me down for three days, due to allergies associated with the rape pollin. I had no idea that I was walking through the source of my ailment until I ended up in a doctor's surgury, hoping for some relief before having to fly transatlantic home. I did enjoy the flowers, though.

Os.

> 85 You have my sympathy, Os! There's a fair bit of rape rotated round my village and while I'm lucky not to be much affected, I can't take our dog anywhere near it. Or my wife.
I found the yellow crop attractive when CAP subsidies first encouraged its spread, but I've tired of it: the yellow is too bright and uniform to blend into the English landscape. The blue of flax fields is much softer!

Best to keep the wife at home if there's rape in the village.

Hey everyone, I've decided to end this thread, at least end my participation in it. The last 40+ messages have been more irritating (and some people have been rather rude) than anything else. Not all people of course, but I really feel this thread has lost sight of what I intended. So, other people are welcome to share rare book pics, or continue talking about temperature, flax, flowers, whatever. I may start another thread at some point, or seek some alternate way of sharing rare book pics. I do enjoy sharing them with most of you, and hope to do so again.

>88 astropi:

I've lost whatever respect I had left of you.

>88 astropi: Wow, and deleted all of your pictures! Maybe you should just lurk and not post at all in case you give away any inadvertent clues to your identity. You do realize that the web is cached, right?

>88 astropi: I do approve discouraging these games of "I got you"

A good contribution that ends up with a whole lot of bad karma..

Curtain

tomorrow is another day

Astropi, while I respect you reason to keep your identity and the university library, et al, anonymous, I can't fathom why you have deleted the pictures. I saw this thread as a place to enjoy the beautiful pictures and the information about these rare books.

I enjoyed the pictures too. It's a shame that, apparently, negative and intolerant tendencies are taking over.

92: hi iron, my original intention was to put pics and have some discussion about beautiful books. I felt the thread completely lost track of that purpose. Also, it's interesting to note people's reactions such as nicklong's saying "I've lost whatever respect I had left of you" and kdweber saying "Maybe you should just lurk and not post at all in case you give away any inadvertent clues to your identity. You do realize that the web is cached, right?" Well Nick and Ken, thanks so much for the kind words, you really make me feel all warm and fuzzy for taking the time to post the pics and share them.

I was contemplating starting a blog showcasing these books or perhaps sending the pics to busy if he wanted to put them on his site. I did not realize I needed to give people a reason why I should delete or do anything to my pics. As noted in 91, too much bad karma.

>94 astropi: Apologies astropi if I offended you, this was not my intent. I don't really care who you are or where you live but you do seem overly concerned with privacy while not understanding the ramifications of the web. Deleting previously posted pictures seems either naive or spiteful if not both. Good luck with your studies and I hope you find the safety you seek.

> 94

Your logic is backwards. You denounce us for denouncing your "decision" to remove your posts by accusing us of not valuing your time and contributions. Your photographs and posts were valuable and enjoyable. That is why we commented about your removal of them.

You're basically trying to defend your decision to remove your posts based on a conclusion that an impartial observer would make coming to this thread. That conclusion would be that you lost any "control" you felt you were entitled to over this entire thread. Your posts are yours alone, yes, but removing 2+ year old posts merely because the flow of a thread went on a brief tangent would mean that just about every thread on Librarything would have to have a majority of their posts deleted.

Again, your posts are yours, that's true. But you're continually reacting in a way that implies a desire for control, as can be seen by your setting of byzantine and sycophantic unstated 'terms and conditions' that every member replying to this thread must apparently agree with and follow "or else no more photos!".

*poof*

> 96

Sometimes, logic falls short of describing the human condition.

>96 nicklong:

Enough already. the op owe you nothing.

How about that astropi/Avatar? Seems he/she is an ebay of overseller of EP DLE's according to the Easton Press forum. Recently Avatar's FS Candide was going for 750 buy it now 850

Last year Avatar tried to sell Pink Fairy for 230+...after repeating time and again on this forum that Pink Fairy had only one printing and would not be reprinted.

I have to wonder, what else has been done by this...poster?