Dave finds a book

Since my dad passed away last year, I have been rebinding old books and selling them to help build a college fund. The life insurance had paid off the house so Mom’s job was keeping us afloat just fine.

“David,” she called, “come help with this box of books I got at the church storehouse.”

I helped her bring in a musty box with years of dust on on it.

” This box has been in storage for ever and they were just going to toss it out, so I thought you would like to go through it first.”

She gave me her stunning smile, God my mother is beautiful.

“Thanks mom.” I said grinning like the love sick teen I was. She checked her watch.

“I have a meeting soon order a pizza for you and your sister, I should be home by 8:00.”

she gave me a quick kiss on the lips. A small nuke went off in my pants as she turned and headed back out the door. My sister is a younger, shorter flat chested carbon copy of mom.

We have been home schooling during the scamdemic and both flying through our classes. I am already in the 12th grade and 5 weeks ahead on my work. I set up my camera to do an unboxing vid for my patreon donors.

The box was waxy cardboard, I googled the maker and found they went out of business in 1945.

I let my sister, Julie, know I was going to start recording and ask that she not interupt. she agreed and said she was going to have an online chat with her friends anyway.

I’m so glad that we get along well. I closed my door and turned on the camera and carefully cut open the box. As I opened it the smell of old books and very old leather wafted into the room.

I knew right away this was the jackpot! Right on top of the stack was a black leather bound first edition of Oliver twist! This is the holy Grail of old books easily worth $3,000 in the condition it’s in now. Carefully I set the book aside, underneath that were four leather-bound textbooks algebra geometry history and geography. All from 1910 to 1920 the history book would be the most valuable but it needed it’s spine rebuilt on the cover.

Next were several leather-bound volumes of Shakespeare all from a matching set from the same printer! These eight books as the set might be worth $10,000 to the right collector. I could not believe that the church was just going to throw this in the trash!

At the very bottom were two hand-made books, both in very bad repair for being under the stack of heavy books. I carefully lifted them out and set the box aside.

One was a town ledger from the City of Salem. I held my breath, for a moment then got out my cotton gloves. If this was actually from the city of Salam where the witch trials had been held, it might be the most valuable book in America.

Putting the book on a new piece of paper and carefully opened it I frowned hearing it’s spine cracking as I did. inside the cover is the date 1821. The picture showed a list of rules, the size of the town, and the signatures of the occupants.

I addressed my audience on the camera. ” I think that’s enough excitement for one day I’m going to put this aside and get some advice on proper restoration.”

I shut down the camera and carefully closed the book and slipped it into a protective dust cover.

The other book was smaller and seem to be much better condition still very old. It had a paper dust cover that was falling apart but, the leather cover and spine still seem to be reasonably good shape. Carefully I open this and inside appeared to be a private journal, written in the very flowy handwriting of that time.

Near the back of the book a small note or letter had been tucked inside the dust jacket.