Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Judging a book by it’s cover

Last week I saw some advertising for a new flea market opening up on Long Island. This was exciting news, because L.I. doesn’t really have a lot of flea markets or Antique malls so I couldn’t wait to check it out.



Sunday afternoon we headed out. It was a long drive and looked promising from the outside, but once we headed inside it was a bust. I figured we should look around anyway since we had already wasted all that time and I was at least going to go home with some funnel cake!



Up and down the aisle we went and nothing really jumped out at me. Just your typical jewelry stands along with many booths just dedicated to drugstore type items and these wooden roses that everyone was going nuts for. I just didn’t get it.



One booth was full of purely junk. I just excited thinking there must be something fabulous in here. A needle in the hay sack of this huge mess. I found boxes full of books at the price of 50 cents per book. I dug right in and saw the most beautiful cover I had every seen. All excited I was set to hand over my 50 cents when I dug a little deeper and found 14 books in total!!!!!



Here they are all stacked up (Excuse the horrible blinds, but we all have them somewhere in our houses…right?) :



house 096



When I got home I did some research and it turns out the books were part of a direct mailing from Reader's Digest. All of the books were part of Reader’s Digest condensed book series. It was a series that ran for over 47 years and was published 4 times a year. It contained edited down versions of the most popular books at the time. My books ranged from the 1960s-1970’s.



Here are some close up shots of the covers:



books 003

books 007

books 004

books 005

books 006



I’m in love. I can’t wait to use them throughout my home. Plus the best part was that I got all 14 of them for only $5 and it was like getting two things for the price of one. I can use them in styling throughout my home and read them as well and catch up on 70s hit books!

18 Comments:

Blogger Jenny at LGN said...

WOAH!! Awesome find! I'm so jealous!

April 7, 2009 at 9:55 AM  
Blogger Lauren said...

LOVE them!!!! (The orange one is so familiar!!!) They're just beautiful and what a steal!!!! Also love your elephants!!!

xoxo

April 7, 2009 at 10:44 AM  
Blogger Kwana said...

Sweet! Lucky you. What a find. I'm jealous too.

April 7, 2009 at 10:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great colors on the covers - so graphic and fun. And I love a great deal!

April 7, 2009 at 11:21 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

P.S. I second Lauren on the Elephants. Love 'em!

April 7, 2009 at 11:22 AM  
Blogger Debra said...

Great haul! I remember these books at my Grandmother's home. Really great patterned covers. Don't you love finding a little surprise among the "other stuff"?
You'll be reading in style.

April 7, 2009 at 11:24 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

great great find!
and loving the elepants as well!!

April 7, 2009 at 11:38 AM  
Blogger Rachel said...

Oh, I love these books!! How fancy!

April 7, 2009 at 12:54 PM  
Blogger please sir said...

Wow those book covers are so nice!!

April 7, 2009 at 1:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm totally jealous. I love books, especially old books and these are gorgeous. They're such a great find!

April 7, 2009 at 7:52 PM  
Blogger Maria Killam said...

What a great score! I seriously need to go out and get some of my own bargains!! Won't they look fabulous just anywhere!

April 7, 2009 at 9:01 PM  
Blogger Under a Green Roof said...

I love your find! What a great treasure!!!

April 7, 2009 at 10:41 PM  
Blogger Annie Pazoo said...

I, too, love the cover papers on those editions. Fantastic find!

April 8, 2009 at 12:32 AM  
Blogger Haven and Home said...

Those look great, what a find! I love the elephants in the pictures!

April 8, 2009 at 10:57 AM  
Blogger Wanderings of a Wannabe said...

OMG I just picked up about 20 of these while I was at the local thrift store the other day!! They are awesome. Even the bindings are fabulous. I'm debating on going back to get more...

Thanks for commenting on my blog. It needed a little love, much appreciated!

April 8, 2009 at 10:59 AM  
Blogger pve design said...

Love those, they are fresh and would look so lovely anywhere!

April 8, 2009 at 1:08 PM  
Blogger LindsB said...

I LOVE those covers, they are beautiful! Even if you dont read what is inside of them, the covers alone are hot. You could totally cut out the centers of them and make secret storage :)

April 8, 2009 at 1:38 PM  
Blogger vanessa said...

I just found your blog and have been reading all of your posts! I got a ton of those books last year at the thrift store for free. They are so beautiful and I love displaying them in my rooms.

June 25, 2009 at 12:32 PM  

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