Ooops 200 years late

[Red Maria]

I was working at the 41st California International Antiquarian Book Faire this weekend for one of the rare book dealers, Joseph J. Felcone. One of his regular clients came by the booth ( a collector of Hawaiian materials) to consult with Joe about a purchased he made from a French dealer. He couldn't find any thing on Hawaii so the purchased an 18th century book on rigging and seamanship titled A Guide to Rigging and Practical Seamanship (sorry can't remember who the author was).

This book was first published c. 1750 in Leeds England and the first American edition c. 1797 (the edition the client bought). What the clki8ent wanted to confirm with Joe was whether or not the edition and binding were American. Joe immediately confirmed that the edition was indeed American but the binding was not. It was French. Apparently the leaves were bought in Philadelphia brought to France and bound there. The thing is the binder didn't know English (I have told that bookbinders of all nations are often illiterate even in their own language) and printed the title as follows on the spine:

Gude te Riging & Pratal Seamanship

This has remained unnoticed till Joe spotted it! If the French dealer that the client had spotted he could have sold it for twice the amount for the binding error!

It was too funny not to share

[BriarRose Kildare]

Wow, thanks for sharing. What a great find for him.

I love looking for antique books. When ever I get to go to an antique store I always look cause ya never know what you may find.