#ThriftinThursday: The Most Epic Antique Book Haul in Thrifting History!
I am still in total shock. Today, I scored what might be the most legendary antique book haul I’ve ever seen—and there is a huge lesson in how this all went down!
It all started last night while I was scrolling through Facebook Marketplace in bed. An ad for a standard bookshelf popped up in my feed. But I’ll be honest: I didn’t even care about the shelf. My eyes went straight to the rows of gorgeous, weathered spines. I could tell just from the grainy photo that these were OLD, and I knew I needed them for my home decor.
The Power of “Just Asking”
On a whim, I jokingly messaged the seller: “Are the books for sale?”
She responded almost immediately: “Actually, yes! We are downsizing and need to get rid of them. Make me an offer.”
Ugh, the dreaded “make me an offer” line! I hate that because I never want to offend anyone, especially since I couldn’t see the titles or the condition clearly. Then, she sent two more photos. It wasn’t just one shelf; it was four massive bookshelves full of vintage treasures.
The $40 Jackpot
After chatting with a friend and my husband, I was still sweating over what a fair “antique book haul” offer would be. Before I could even type a number, another message popped up:
“We will sell them all to you for $40.”
I think I broke a land-speed record getting to my truck! We drove over an hour away to pick them up, and as I started loading, I realized the scale of what I’d found.
304 Books from the 1700s and 1800s
We ended up with 304 antique books for just $40. That’s about 13 cents per book!
- 99% of the books are from the 1800s.
- The oldest book is dated 1798!
- A handful are from the very early 1900s.
Flipping through the pages is like stepping into a time machine. Seeing the hand-signed names and notes written with ink-well pens from over 200 years ago is breathtaking. My brain is already exploding with DIY home decor ideas for these beauties.
The Moral of the Story: No Regrets
If there is one thing you take away from this #ThriftinThursday, let it be this: Look at the background of the photo.When you’re shopping online or in person, don’t just look at the item for sale—look at the space around it. Most importantly: IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK! All they can say is no. I would much rather face a quick “no” than live with the regret of “what if.”
Stay tuned to see how I style these in our home!
Don’t forget about our #ThrifinThursday on Instagram. On Thursdays tag me in your finds! Instagram: @AshtonSedita
