Yesterday I purchased a selection of (okay far too many) books with the intention of turning some into clocks. I’d used the Folio Society Shakespeare before to make a clock like this..
..so it seemed a good idea to bid on a large lot of books to make some more. I’ve spent the day sorting out what I can create things from. Most of the books are on the way to the charity shop or will be on the bookshelves at Hopkinson (prices from 50p) soon so I can get back some of my shockingly overpriced investment (since I got bid up). Back to those folio Shakespeare’s…
There are 37 Shakespeare books which I suspect is complete and I’m one of the few people who enjoyed Shakespeare at school (Macbeth hooked me) so they keep asking me if they can stay on my shelves. My sensible business head points out the fact I need to make clocks. My literature/theatre loving head says give them a home and preserve them! They do have very pretty covers before you even look at the wondrous variety of illustrators in the different volumes (including Dali).
Some of the books were crumbling as often seems to happen with the leather spines. As one opened when I lifted it what at first appeared to be a piece of silver paper slipped in between pages came into view.
The print from the book pages was transferred to parts of the paper and when tipped a certain way in the light I was sure I could make out the profile of a face (looking towards my fingers in this shot). In the next volume I found what appears to be the same photographic image which had not deteriorated and a number of other photos, many also fading in intriguing ways.
Also in the box were some beautifully decorated covers, sadly detaching themselves from the books.
Also in there was a bible published in 1806. Amazing to think this was created over two centuries ago. I wonder whose family it is from? I know my mum talks of our family bible left when her grandmother died and my grandparents had had to travel several counties to clear the house by bus so could carry very few possessions away with them only practical things the family needed. I wonder if that still survives somewhere today.
