Comments on: Old, rare, fun: collectible out-of-print travel guides http://perceptivetravel.com/blog/2008/06/20/old-rare-fun-collectible-out-of-print-travel-guides/ Travel stories, world music, travel books, and a close peek at unique destinations. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:11:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Antonia Malchik http://perceptivetravel.com/blog/2008/06/20/old-rare-fun-collectible-out-of-print-travel-guides/#comment-43382 Antonia Malchik Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:15:52 +0000 http://perceptivetravel.com/blog/2008/06/20/old-rare-fun-collectible-out-of-print-travel-guides/#comment-43382 That is beautiful. I do love reading that kind of language -- makes me think of cirlicues and a nostalgic era when toilets were regrettable and someone else washed your clothes. (Of course, we all envy the rich travelers -- I probably would have been the washerwoman!) I envy you your guides! And those receipts are absolutely fantastic. Things to treasure, they will continue to speak across centuries. That is beautiful. I do love reading that kind of language — makes me think of cirlicues and a nostalgic era when toilets were regrettable and someone else washed your clothes. (Of course, we all envy the rich travelers — I probably would have been the washerwoman!) I envy you your guides! And those receipts are absolutely fantastic. Things to treasure, they will continue to speak across centuries.

]]> By: pam http://perceptivetravel.com/blog/2008/06/20/old-rare-fun-collectible-out-of-print-travel-guides/#comment-43150 pam Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:31:20 +0000 http://perceptivetravel.com/blog/2008/06/20/old-rare-fun-collectible-out-of-print-travel-guides/#comment-43150 We have four tiny red leather bound Baedeker's guides and one phrase book - they're in German and have beautiful but extremely fragile fold out maps in them, and some fold out illustrations of Alpine elevations in Switzerland with the names of the peaks called out. My favorite one is a guide to southern France - when I opened it up, a couple of receipts fell out, one for dinner, and a couple of ticket stubs from the Palais du Papes and some other sights... they're from the 1880s! Useless for travel, but things of beauty. And the phrase book is full of such useless gems as "Light a fire in my room and tell the chambermaid I should like to have my bed warmed." Priceless. We have four tiny red leather bound Baedeker’s guides and one phrase book - they’re in German and have beautiful but extremely fragile fold out maps in them, and some fold out illustrations of Alpine elevations in Switzerland with the names of the peaks called out. My favorite one is a guide to southern France - when I opened it up, a couple of receipts fell out, one for dinner, and a couple of ticket stubs from the Palais du Papes and some other sights… they’re from the 1880s! Useless for travel, but things of beauty. And the phrase book is full of such useless gems as “Light a fire in my room and tell the chambermaid I should like to have my bed warmed.”

Priceless.

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