Old Rhyme

Oh, for a booke and a shadie nooke,

Eyther in-a-doore or out;

With the grene leaves whisper'ring overhede,

Or the strete cryes all about.

Where I maie reade all at my ease,

Both of the newe and olde;

For a jollie goode booke whereon to looke

Is better to me than golde.

Laddy groomed himself ready for the competition!

He preened himself ready for the competition - 'Black, glossy hair, short beautiful legs and short ears. I am bound to win!'

Spot Holds a Beauty Competition'

A sweet little story published by Litor (London) about a kennels, where 5 dogs, 2 puppies a rabbit and a toy dog lived, and Spot - one of the dogs decided to arrange a beauty competition.

The Wayside Book

The Wayside Book by Gilbert Rumbold - This gorgeous book by Gilbert Rumbold I think is a real ttreasure. It ambles around the country in the year of 1934, illustrated brightly in orange green and white - very art deco in appearance, ,illustrating the treasures of the British countryside from Kent Oast houses, to Ann Hathaway's Cottage, but with an emphasis on Inns, and hotels - and musings such as why ancient man did not scratch 'Homio Sapiens loves Eliza Piltdown' in Wookey Hole Caves. A 1st edition, in its dustwrapper, of this delight costs only £6.00 plus postage on our website - simply click on the illustration and follow to purchase (unless someone has beaten you to it and bought it already!).

Auctions & Book buying

Busy week this week. I have spent 3 days at Aylsham book buying at the auction. It's a long time since I have been to this particulat auction, and know it to be a good one, but what with so much to do - buying, selling, cataloguing, booksearching, living!, decorating, dogwalking, book fairs, etc etc, I just hadnt got round to it, but when a friend organised me to go - just what I needed, along I trotted - and instantly remembered just what it was I loved about auction rooms. Not only is it all the lolvey books - and oh, I could spend, spend, spend, but its the sense of anticipation - not so much the ovbious - what is listed on the catalogue - obviously there is the anticipation with that - ''will what I have spotted in the catalogue be in the condition I hoped it will be in - and will I be able to get it at an affordable price - how many others will have spotted it' type questions race through your mind - but also the fun of rummaging though boxes to see what it in there, what little treasures you might spot and again wondering who else will spot them too.

Aylsham auctions are well known auctions in the book world and people travel far & wide to go there, so you know that many people will have been to view the books. Lots of bids are left as Commission bids, and many others are telephoned through on the day, but as I hadn't been for such a long time I wanted to attend the viewing and both days as a bit of a treat to myself. It has certainly changed quite a bit since I was last there - which now I think about it, is probably between 10 and 15 years! Time flies. It is much more orgainised now with lovely comfy chairs, and on day 1 we had to sit down, much to my surprise, whilst the bidding was on. There was a nice friendly atmosphere and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and intend to have it on my calendar as a regular event - if my bank balance can stand it! Much more stock will be listed soon.