Digging through boxes of books is the best part of my job as a used-book seller. I love the fact that I can come across nearly anything: a moldy copy of "Ulysses," a Victorian-era scrapbook filled with trade cards, a first edition of Steinbeck. This daily treasure hunt led directly to my fascination with forgotten bookmarks.
I started noticing treasures within the treasures - little bits of random ephemera left inside books, often untouched for decades. I found family photos, old advertisements, letters and postcards, even some crumbs of food. I thought these forgotten scraps were fascinating, and held onto the most interesting ones.
One day, I came across a copy of a fairly common microwave cookbook - the sort published by the appliance manufacturer to make a few extra dollars. By then, it was habit for me to flip through the pages looking for a lost treasure, and this book didn't disappoint.
Near the end of the book, I spread the pages to discover a very large marijuana leaf, dried and pressed and in perfect condition. There was something about this juxtaposition - a pot leaf stuck inside a hurry-up cookbook - that struck me as particularly hilarious. I had visions of the impatient stoner, desperate with hunger, reaching for the book and marking a recipe with the item closest at hand. This was one find I just had to share.
I took a quick picture of the leaf and the book, and emailed it to a few friends. They thought it was hilarious, and they made me promise to send along any other interesting finds. I eventually set up a very simple blog in 2007, and started posting everything I found. Nearly 1,000 posts and a book later, I am now certain that I am not the only one who finds these forgotten bookmarks interesting.
These images represent some of the stranger bookmarks I've come across, oddball items that make me wonder who these readers were, where they are now, and, most importantly, why anyone would booby-trap a book with a bunch of razor blades.
David Lohr: Caylee Anthony Case: 'I Was There When The Search For Caylee Began'
Michael Brooks: Sex Scandals of Science
Diana Fasanella: Cheating Hubby Killed by Hoe, and Mo...
The handle would be too bulky to use for a bookmark. ;-)
The second one was actually a bit strange. I bought an old poetry book at a yard sale, and upon opening it up, found my great grandfather's calling card tucked inside. The book was also inscribed from him to his then-fiancee, my great grandmother. I still have both the card and book.
They put razor blades in there pocket books & books & Clothes & Curtains & ECT or anywhere they might have had money in to keep you out LOL.
And believe me if you found there money you got cut getting it..........
Everyone in our family new better than to do other wise. When my mother died almost two years ago. I had to go through her things with a fine tooth comb & i found over 1000 razor blades & over $22.000.
Thank God I knew to be careful & to look for them......
Bless her heart she even had a bandage with each blade LOL
What a since of humor she had...I sure do miss her today........the women back then were very slick if they didn't stick there money in there bras it was hard to find....