Vintage Cowboy Books

I never got to show you my vintage purchase at the antique store I visited while on retreat with my friends recently.  I blogged about our field trop to the antique store here.  Would you like to see?

I found four really great old cowboy books.  I am putting them down in my cowboy bedroom.  There is a shelf that runs 'round the room.  I'm putting them there, with these really awesome pots I have.  They are made of gourds...dried and hallowed out, then woodburned, and the top is made of pine needles.  I picked these up at an art fair once, a long time ago.  I love them.  I need to put some sort of dried flowers in them.  But I like them with the books.

Donna, I sure wish you could come over and help me set up my "shelf-scapes."  You are so good at it!  I am not!

Great titles and authors!  I also love the colors.

I think this one is my favorite.

Pretty old book.  It's very hard to read the copyright date.  But it's 1909.  I have a thing for books.  All books.  I love them.  I especially love old books and first editions.

My mom and dad instilled a love of books in me.  (Thank you, Mom and Dad!)  I remember when I was a kid, Dad would take me to Iowa Book and Supply, on The University of Iowa's campus.  It was about 35 minutes from our house.  He'd get a hankering to go peruse books.  It is still a great bookstore today.  I visited it when I was back in Iowa City last fall.  Anyway, he'd go look at books, and I would get to wander around doing the same.  An unspoken rule was always, "Pick out whatever book or books you want."  I'd always pick out some choice books, and Dad would always--without question--buy them for me.  I loved those trips together.

I thought these were pretty neat, too.

How about these end papers?  They are pretty wonderful, I think.

These aren't quite as old, but they really fit with the 1950s style of the cowyboy/cowgirl quilt I made for this room.

These are some of the other things that are going in this room.  These very well worn cowboy boots.  They are Papa Pea's.  He has had them forever.  A few years ago, he finally had to give them up, because the leather got a hole in it.  He bought new boots several years back, but he couldn't part with these.  I was going to turn them into planters or something.  But I decided to just use them as a decoration.  And those are his fancy spurs (for when he rode in parades), and that's one of my spurs, too.  Can't seem to find the other one, with our most recent move.  I am thinking of hanging these on the wall in the room somewhere.  Haven't decided yet.

Sometimes, when I look at this stuff, I really miss our horses and the many hours we used to spend with them, riding, camping, etc.  To be honest, the only time I ever forget about work completely and feel "spiritual," is when I'm on the back of a horse in the mountains out west.  For me, it's one of the most relaxing activities I can engage in.  Even more so than sewing.  Many times, even while sewing, I am ruminating about stuff at work.  Don't get me wrong, it is certainly my release.  Sadly, however, there are no mountains in Michigan.  And we don't have our horses anymore.  Sigh.  There is something special about being out in nature with your horse.

And these are Sweet Pea's boots, which don't fit any more.  I think those will stay in the room, too.  I have had this lunchbox for a while.  It is from Moda.  I was thinking of putting spare toothbrushes and other items for our guests inside.

I can't wait until we can get this room carpeted.  This summer, my goal is to finish painting the window and get the curtains made.  I'm looking forward to that, too.

Hope to get a more quilty post up for you shortly.

Until next time,

Mama Pea

 

Comments

[Donna]

Love the books and those pages are great! I would love to help decorate especially with cowboy items! FUN! We had horses at one time too. Still have mountains but no horses.
Actually our house was very rustic at one time! My husband has his Man Room downstairs and I sooo want to decorate it with his hunting "stuff". He hasn't turned me loose on it yet! LOL
Sweet Pea's boots and your Moda box is perfect for the room! I can't wait to see it when it is completed. Got any cowboy hats? LOL
Hugs,
Donna

[Shelly]

Love all your cowboy decorations! Our entire house is pretty much that theme. And most of it we use -- it's just what's layin' around. And you've reminded me, I need to take the saddle soap to my spur straps. They're kinda dry after laying around all winter. Those books are cool. You've inspired me to keep an eye out for ones like that when I'm out antiquing with my sister.

[jenclair]

The cowboy decorations are great! I love the way you are including the boots...what is it about cowboy boots?

The books are such a great find! I think Zane Grey was a national pastime for men in the first half of the 1900s, and I still read about collectors.

Go, cowgirl!

[Lynn]

I love old books too. I wonder if eReaders will ever replace printed books. I hope not. When we were moving a lot I started getting rid of some of our books. They are so heavy and expensive to move. I kept all the "good" books though, the really neat old ones, the ones I like to read over and over, the beautiful coffe table ones, ...

[terriaw]

These vintage books are so cool! They look like they are in great condition - what a treasure to find them. I love seeing illustrations in old books, so simple and whimsical. And they are perfect for your cowboy room. Makes me wish I were better at finding things like this cuz I would keep an eye out for more like this for you.

[Allie]

I want to see this room, girl! I LOVE Zane Grey books, my mom has a few. And I think you need some Holling C. Holling books in there - I have a couple of the old ones that I adore. They're kind of hard to find now, as homeschoolers snap them up.

Love love love the boots. I've never owned a horse, but used to ride regularly....I miss it. You're right, there's nothing else like it.

[sisLH]

Took the folks to the Amish store today -when a horse came into the yard, it made me wish I still had one too -and that was a long, long time ago but you never forget. Any Zane Grey I find, I give to LAP. Now I have to google how to woodcarve gourds.

[carolld]

Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. Boy does that bring back memories! i loved them both (well actually Roy was my favorite!)and i went to all their movies. Does that tell you something about my age? Movies were 10 cents back then. What a wonderful way to decorate. I never thought about that. Really awesome.

[Linda in Calif.]

Good find on your books. I still have one antique book - it's one that my mother used to read to us girls. My older sister wrote us names in it, she was so little so spelled them wrong. So much fun. You have collected up some nice items for your room. Keep those boots of Sweet Peas forever. They are so cute.

[Maggie Szafranski]

How awesome! My dad a whole bookshelf full of hardcover Zane Grey novels!