There is a "category" of junking, collecting,
whatever, that I call "makedo"s.
Probably closely related to the "mended antique"
category, but usually involving a more common, less expensive object.
I find them at older estate sales or auctions and
most often at farm auctions.
That's exactly where these two books came from.
My sister found these at a farm estate sale in Oregon and bought them
for me knowing I would like the "new" repair on the book covers.
These books were repaired with a piece of fabric that I would guess
was originally some farmers shirt.
Or maybe fabric left over from making said farmers shirt.
The same fabric was used on both books,
but the maker used different stitches on each book.
It looks like the one used on the top book
was the most successful.
You can see here what the fabric looked like when
it was put on originally.
Both of these books are religious books
and I think must have had much
sentimental value to the owner
for this "makedo" to have taken place.
These books were home to family history,
and were obviously meant to be handed down and cherished.
(notice the spelling of ....."borned", and the wonderful
old dates.)
Old books seem to become our safe keeping places for
little bits of our lives.
(a photo and an obituary)
Important news events................
(this is an article from The Oregon Daily Journal dated March 3, 1931)
It is worthy of a read, especially the last part.
(click on it to enlarge)
I am not sure what this little cloth label came out of
or why it was deemed worthy of tucking into a book and keeping..........
other than ......"waste not want not".......
But I am glad someone did put it there,
so I could find it all these years later,
and glad my sister found these books and thought of me.
