My Dream Literary Collection | Invaluable.com

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Invaluable.com, a really cool website with a HUGE collection of books (first editions, collectible editions, etc.) – plus other items – that they auction. They’ve asked a group of bloggers to write a post all about what they would like in their dream library. I thought that sounded super fun, because who doesn’t think about which ARCs or editions of books they’d LOVE to own?

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I’m sure you’ll all be surprised when you see the very first thing I’d LOVE to own is a first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, which are sadly very rare. And super expensive when they come up. For example, the edition in the picture below sold at auction for around $40,000 a few years ago. WOAH.

Another you’ll probably not be surprised about – I would LOVE to own a copy of The Little White Bird or Adventures in Kensington Gardens by J.M. Barrie, which is the amazing first appearance of Peter Pan. Look at this gorgeous first edition that is SIGNED by Barrie. The book was published in 1902 and signed in 1921. I NEED it.

I also found a beautiful first edition of Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery that’s signed and numbered, which is freaking amazing. I adore this story and, like Peter Pan, it reminds to have a childlike curiosity about the world.

FROM INVALUABLE:

I also browsed some of the past lots from Invaluable’s website and found some seriously amazing editions I’d love to put in my collection. For example,

LOT 197: I’m a huge fan of Robert Louis Stevenson. I found a GORGEOUS edition of Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, which is the first book I ever read by him and one of my favorite books ever – it’s also a FIRST EDITION FROM 1886. WHY IS IT SOLD? I NEED IT.

LOT 118: They also had beautiful first editions of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. *drools* I feel like I would cradle these like a baby if I owned them. Hahaha.

LOT 222: And last but not least, I found a current auction for a first edition of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald!! That would be amazing to own. I love that story SO much.

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I could go on and on, but I’ll stop there. What books do you have in your dream literary collection? Make sure you head on over to invaluable.com to browse their auctions – they’ve got some really wonderful stuff there.

Thoughtful Third Thursday – January 2015

The lovely Selah at A Bibliophile’s Style co-hosts Thoughtful Third Thursday (T3)  each month.

You can either pick your current read or use the theme they’ve set out. This month’s theme was:

Favorite Literary Man

This was hard for many reasons. I have a lot of book boyfriends. I also am not really interested in fashion, and I don’t really have a lot of clothes that could fit with any of those book boyfriends. In fact, one of the articles of clothing I’m wearing below doesn’t even belong to me (I’m not really a glittery sort of person when it comes to clothes). However, because I had that article of clothing, I decided to go with Jay Gatsby. I’ve always liked him. He’s interesting and crazy and (okay, fine) he could spoil me.

Here’s the quote I chose to go along with Gatsby and my outfit:

“It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced–or seemed to face–the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor.”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

    

I chose khakis, a bright blue shirt, and a glittery cardigan, and I paired it with these earrings my mom made me and some boots. Not super Gatsby-esque, but I thought the earrings worked and the glitter. Also, excuse the somewhat silly face. I don’t know how to be serious. Sorry it took all day, Selah!

Who’s your favorite literary man?