for passing on to me this antique copy of the poems of
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 – 1861).
The book was in good repair but fragile due to a damaged spine. I had been brooding about the right approach to this project for awhile when all of a sudden I remembered the partial roll of patterned wallpaper up in the attic, used 25 years ago to cover the entry way of our first Philadelphia house (built in 1895). The wallpaper features a contemporary design but is meant to look vintage, from around the same time as the book publication (Hurst edition, 1879), so I thought it was a good fit.
My glue - work isn't perfect, but on the other hand, I didn't do any further damage, so a complete over-haul is still possible somewhere down the road. Best of all, the book is now fully intact for everyday use, sturdy enough to be handled with care and read -- not just sidelined as an artifact, even though well over 100 years old!
Although we have no idea, this gift
from their mother has retained its currency.
holidays on my mother’s old Christmas light bulb box,
which may not be a century old, but is at least half that!
and as I was thumbing through the pages, look what I found:
these ribbons left behind by a previous reader!
"Awesome! I'm glad we rescued the book
and that you'll be able to enjoy it!"
********************
Additional posts:
Robert Browning: "She was my wife."
I wonder if my Great-great Uncle Will had a similar edition?
As read at Ben & Cathleen's wedding!
