Czech first communion book from 1890, need a price estimate though.

[Julekpl]

Hello people! I just got back from Poland and I've found a few antiques I find interesting. I bought this Czech first communion preparatory book  at an antique market, and I tried to find some things about it, but seemed to come up. The cover is what got my attention. The little portrait in the middle fascinated, especially for the year, and so I had to have it.
   
      Any thoughts about the price, or more information? Thank you!

[Julekpl]

  P.s pictures are in poor quality, my battery was nearly dead.

[waywardangler]

I do not have a clue but would love to hear of your antiquing using the "Antique Talk" board.  I would imagine others would also like to hear what European markets are like especially the items available in Poland.

[ironlord1963]

Really Nice cover, guess judging a book by it cover is not always bad       Little more curious about the Art on the cover.  Is it painted onto the cover it self, or some kind of cabashan ( Can't Spell )    very Symbolic for sure.  Can't quite make out the letter behind the goblet  ( Can't See )  )   Anyway nice book, and I'm sure Skinny will be along soon and have some real info for you.  Thanks for sharing.   And yea It would be great to hear about the Shops of Poland.

[sapphire]

Julepkl, while not being able to help you out with a value, here is what I've been able to round up (most likely it'll just create more questions  ).....

http://www.phil.muni.cz/~jirka/children/children1/CESKA_HS.html

"Although there existed different approaches to the tale phenomenon, classical adaptation of Erben's type had its followers well into the twentieth century (sic). A noteworthy personality among folk-lore collectors was Moravian Beneš Method Kulda (1820 - 1903). Sušil's disciple[8] and ethnographer above all, Kulda implemented very precise and modern methods in recording the narratives. As it came to publishing his two hundred tales, some in more than one version, this genuine man was torn between two contrary principles. First, his creed of scientist commanded him to preserve the narration as authentic as possible - in terms of content, style and lexis. Second, his incorruptible ethos and fixed ideas on standard of literary production prevented him from publishing half of the corpus, and made him undesirably interfere with the dialects and with morally imperfect elements in what he did publish. Despite this vigorous censorship his two volumes of tales, legends, customs and superstitions (1854, 1874 - 75) had a glorious public reception, receiving objections solely from the self-contained race of critics who had the chance to compare with the original records."


http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=cs&u=http://www.vmp.cz/cs/navstevnici-prohlidka-muzea/prohlidka-muzea/drevene-mestecko/valassky-slavin/osobnosti-knihy-pameti-kraje.html&ei=5EuITOPfFYnInAeF89zvCw&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCAQ7gEwAg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dnove%2Bvydani%2Bbenes%2Bmethod%2Bkulda%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26prmd%3Db

BENEŠ METHOD Kulda - priest and collector of folk literature
* March 16, 1820 Ivančice
May 6, 1903 † Prague

"BM Kulda was a Catholic cleric, publisher and collector of fairy tales. After studying theology and philosophy was ordained a priest and served as chaplain at several places in Moravia.

From 1870 until his death was the seat of a canon of Prague Vysehrad. After a serious illness are treated in contemporary climatic spa in Roznov pod Radhostem, coincidentally, along with Frantisek Susil. From his residence to take the initiative to record the oral folk traditions, especially fairy tales, but also superstitious ideas, and annual family traditions. The results of his collecting activities, carried out by using several rožnovských population, especially JLO Kramoliše, he published (Moravian national legends and fairytales from around Rožnov). Kuldová collection has become an integral part of the basic fund of folk tales, has significantly contributed to the development of interest in folk traditions in Moravia."

[Julekpl]

Thank you very much!
   Yes, the antique markets in Poland are very diverse. People sell everything from pre ww1 era grandfather clocks, (which I have one)
many Ww2 era items, including Nazi, Russian, and all kinds of stuff. I'll post more in the antique talk board.

[sapphire]

Juke, though not as old as yours here are some listed on rubylane......

http://www.rubylane.com/shop/firesidetreasures/ilist/,cs=Vintage+Collectibles:Religious:Catholic:First+Holy+Communion+Prayer+Books.html


Also, check ebay (might also want to look at completed listings)..........

http://collectibles.shop.ebay.com/Other-/1447/i.html?_nkw=prayer+book

[Julekpl]

Some of them look similar, but I've seen only about 2 with a similar portrait in the front, but they were not on sale, but on google images

[Skinny]

I'm usually pretty good at valuation for books, but I'm a bit out of my depth on this one, what with it being Czech. I couldn't say wether it was a rare book or something that is quite common, and if it's rare if there is a demand in the market for it. Catechism's and most other religious books of that era aren't particularly sought after in general. Eighteen ninety isn't especially old for a book amongst those who collect old books, although I daresay it is to the general public. Purely from an aesthetic point of view the book's cover is fantastic, and would certainly add value to the book even if the text itself turns out to be of little value.

I might suggest that you try looking on www.abebooks.com to try to find this book. This site is a worldwide resource for buying or selling books. Click on "more search options", then enter Czech Republic (for your bookseller country) or any other nearby country you think might have books like this one listed. Then enter the publisher, date, title etc. I'm assuming you can read the language at least a little, otherwise this will be difficult. These prices have been known to be inflated, and I sometimes wonder how many of the booksellers ever move inventory. This can however be a good way to figure out what you have, by seeing how may copy's are available (if any) and what the sellers have them priced at. I usually look at what the lower priced copy are marked as to see what I might be able to sell my copy for, assuming the condition's are comparable. If you can't find any of that specific year, broaden your search years. Hope this helps!

[Julekpl]

Thank you very much Skinny, and everyone else. I couldn't find the book on the website, unfortunately. All the guy told me, that I bought the book from, was that he found in his house's cellar, in a box of other Czech items, mainly religious. I myself am Polish, and I speak and read it, and so, since Czech is very close to Polish, I made out that this is, in fact, a first communion book, possibly for children going into first communion. I would think that this book may be worth the most for a collector of foreign religious books. Even if the book isn't worth much, I hardly paid anything for it, but I picked it out because of the cover. I've seen many 1800's era books, and I have a few myself, but I've rarely seen one with such a detailed cover. Whoever had this book must have probably treasured it.