Friday, August 9, 2013

130-year-old, Hidden Treasure


What's 130 years old, less than four inches high, and filled with a plethora of things? I'll give you a hint. The other day I was helping my grandmother, and she found it in a box of my great-grandmother's possessions. Still don't have any ideas?

Well, it's an October 1883 copy of Godey's Lady's Book. :) There was also a magazine printed in the 1800s as well, but I only got to bring the small Godey's Lady's Book home in a ziploc baggie as long as I promised to be very careful with it and bring it back.

So here's a few snap-shots of some interesting things I found within...

Did you know there were some color pictures included inside Godey's Lady's Book? There were also short stories and plays, many poems, fashions, music, and even recipes.






And to finish us off for the day, here are some recipes you might find interesting.


What picture or fact do you find the most interesting of today's post? 


19 comments:

  1. What a wonderful treasure! I wouldn't have thought there would be pictures in color. Fascinating to look at the old advertisements, prices, etc. Thank you for sharing your find!

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    1. It was a wonderful surprise, Britney. It's so tiny yet has like 300 pages. :)

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  2. Crystal, what a wonderful find! Love the pics. I like the ad page that lists prices. That's my kind of sale too. :) Thanks for sharing your borrowed treasure.

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    1. I like the ads too. They're such a great window into the way our ancestors lived and what that had to work with. :) Thanks for stopping by. :)

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  3. What a wonderful piece of history! Thanks for sharing it with us, Crystal.

    I have to admit, they must have had better eyesight back then than I do. :)

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    1. I can actually read the pages, but I'm sure many used that handy-dandy magnifying glass. :)

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  4. I love and collect vintage women's magazines, especially from 1900-1950. So fun! Just when I think I have "enough," I stumble across another one that I simply have to have.

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    1. That's awesome, Jenny. These kinds of finds are rather exciting, aren't they? :)

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  5. Would love to find an old book or catalog like this. Thanks for sharing!

    Sandra Merville Hart

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    1. You're welcome, Sandra. Who knows? Maybe one day you'll be cleaning out something or digging somewhere and unearth a similar treasure yourself.

      Thanks for coming by to "see" us. :)

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  6. I latched onto a full year presentation edition of Godey's while in an antique store once. Then a friend gave me another full year set for a different year. I use them often. They are wonderful helps for authors. Even so, one from your great-grandmother's things is super precious. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. Wow! What a treasure and resource! Thanks so much for sharing.

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    1. I'm glad to share. Thanks for dropping by, Angel.

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  8. This is a treasure. My WIP is set in 1884, so I wish I had it. The best sources I've found to learn historical everyday life are newspapers, magazines, and catalogs. I tried to buy a replica of one of the earliest Sears catalog, and it was too expensive. (sigh)

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    1. My work-in-progress is set in the late 1870s. If you've got any particular questions that might be answered from this book, I'll be glad to help. :)

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  9. I love the photo with the house plans and the room blueprint. What a treasure!
    This is my first visit to your gorgeous blog. I love the quilt wallpaper. <3

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    1. So glad to have you drop by, Kathleen, and thanks for your lovely compliments. :) I almost didn't put up the blueprint photo. You make me glad I did. :)

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