Wednesday 1 June 2011

Hay-on-Wye Festival part two

We had a great day out yesterday, at The Hay-on-Wye Literacy Festival. The weather remained good all day.

We parked in the town centre and made our way to the Festival which is situated about one mile West of the main book selling areas of Hay. I was surprised to see that the Festival was free to enter and we quickly made our way to the open grass square at the centre of the festival village. We met up with my Brother-in-Law and had our picnic.

As we finished we saw HRH Camilla who as Patron of the Young Peoples Literacy Association was visiting the event. Loads of security, but we were still able to catch a brief glimpse of her. In fairness she was approaching children and young adults and engaged dozens in the time that we saw her, many having photos taken with her.

After a couple of hours walking around the Festival area, we went back into Hay town centre and browsed the antique, craft and book stores.

The town centre of Hay-on-Wye has a great many book stores, both new, antiquarian and second-hand. The prices range from 'dirt cheep' to 'Oh My God!'

My own purchases were a little varied;
5 x Discover books, Timber Framed Buildings, Traditional Farm Buildings, Carts & Wagons, Horse Drawn Farm Machinery and Watermills. Each just £1.00 each.
A guide to Welsh Country Houses, £2.50.
And a real treat - A History of Architecture by Professor Banister-Fletcher and Sir Banister-Fletcher a book full of beautiful illustrations from 1911 and picked up in a remainders box for just £2.00.

On the way to Hay, I pulled into Worcester and was lucky enough to pick up a couple more issues of Cry Havoc! from Rackhams, at just 40p an issue.

All, in all a great day out and loads of very special purchases. I would have no hesitation in recommending a day trip to Hay-on-Wye and if the weather is good, a day out at the Literacy Festival.

Tony

3 comments:

Tony said...

I've just seen on Amazon - that there are examples of the Banister-Fletcher book going for over £70.00!

My copy is far from perfect, but ALL the illustrations are intact and with a little bit of tender loving care, I should be able to repair it.

Tony

Tony said...

Notes taken from the Web. relating to The History of Architecture.

'A HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE OR THE COMPARATIVE METHOD' - BY PROFESSOR BANISTER FLETCHER, F.R.I.BA (FORMERLY PROFESSOR OF ARCHITECTURE IN KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON) AND BANISTER F. FLETCHER, F.R.I.B.A., ARCHITECT.........FIRST PRINTING FIFTH EDITION 1905 FROM B.T. BATSFORD


A VERY SCARCE BUT ESSENTIAL STUDY FOR THE STUDENT, THE CRAFTSMAN OR FOR ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF ARCHITECTURE THROUGH THE AGES

THE COVERS SHOW WEAR AT CORNERS, EDGES AND SPINE EDGES AND THE BINDING IS A LITTLE LOOSE (BUT STILL INTACT)
COMMENSURATE WITH NORMAL REGULAR USAGE - A FEW NEAT STUDY NOTES HAVE BEEN ENTERED ESPECIALLY TO THE END PAPERS BUT THESE JUST ADD MAGIC TO THIS HIGHLY COLLECTABLE 1905 FIRST PRINTING OF THE FIFTH EDITION WHICH HAS BEEN REVISED AND ENLARGED (I BELIEVE THAT THE FIRST EDITION WAS 1896 AND ULTRA SCARCE AND MY FIFTH EDITION I UNDERSTAND IS ALSO ULTRA SCARCE AS I HAVEN'T SEEN ANOTHER COPY FOR MANY YEARS MAKING THIS VOLUME NOT ONLY EXTREMELY VALUABLE FOR STUDY PURPOSES BUT ALSO A GEM FOR COLLECTORS SUCH AS MYSELF

Tony

Tea in Thailand said...

I notice you didn't mention my excellent book finding skills! I want commission! x