4
Can we talk about the 'rare book' display at the county fair in Boise?
They had a first edition of 'The Hobbit' just sitting under a bare 60-watt bulb with no UV protection, and I almost cried.
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
perez.patricia17d ago
Saw a TikTok last month where some guy found a signed copy of 'Catch-22' at a thrift store for two bucks, and the pages were all crinkled from being shoved in a damp tote. It had that musty smell you just can't get out. He did the towel trick to flatten it but the mildew spots were permanent. Makes you wonder how many books get tossed because people don't know the basics for saving them.
4
the_holly1mo ago
Did you see the one at the library book sale last year? My buddy found a signed Vonnegut paperback in a damp cardboard box outside, just before it started to rain. He rescued it, but the first page was already wavy from the humidity. Makes you wonder how many good books get ruined by pure accident.
2
norathomas1mo ago
That's heartbreaking about the Vonnegut. For a book already damp, the trick is to dry it slowly. Press it flat between clean, dry towels with some weight on top, like a stack of other books. Change the towels if they feel damp. Never use heat from an oven or hair dryer, it makes the pages brittle. A lot of books can be saved if you just get the moisture out slowly and keep them pressed.
3