Wednesday, June 1, 2011

So...you wanna rough up a few books?

Huh?

Huh?

Seriously, you might be more current on decorating fads then I am...

...or maybe not.

If you're not, you might not have seen these either...



Apparently, Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware sold a lot of these.

I can picture a warehouse full of employees ripping off old book covers and tying them together with twine...in full speed production. I think, however, Pottery Barn had an extra step because they actually glued the pages together AFTER they ripped off the covers but BEFORE they tied the string on.

It's my understanding that these mangled book bundles sold for somewhere close to 40 bucks.

For serious.

So...

I'm thinking...

If any of you have latent frustration and hostility issues like I do...

We could all get together, mangle books, tie them up into bondage and sell them for, like, 20 bucks!

I know.

Genius, right?

And...

Since I'm a little more current on musical groups...

I'll be willing to get some CD's from the band called 'Bad Books' to accompany our book mangling.

It's gonna be a great time.

Whaddya think?

...

...

Sigh..

PS. If you are infatuated with these and don't want to work in the sweat room, I'll be happy to sell you a make-your-own mangled vintage book bundle kit. Your kit will include: three books with the covers still on (after all, it's a make your own kit), a length of twine or string (please specify your choice) and an amazingly easy to follow 12 page instruction guide. Order today for free shipping INCLUDED in this special, one-time only, offer of $12.95. Wholesale inquiries welcome.

PPS. Ha!

PPPS. HA!

PPPPS. HA?

post signature

38 comments:

Theresa said...

Yep, not gonna spend a dime on ripped up, glued and tied together books:) Seems like a waste of a good book! :) I bet it does release some frustration while destroying the cover:)

Enjoy your day my friend, HUGS!

Jojo said...

I'm a former librarian in a law firm and we still have tons of old leather bounds that will be discarded in the very near future. We could hold an bloggers book (un) binding event! We could make some into lamps, tables...the possibilities are endless!

Unknown said...

Do they really sell these?

Golden To Silver Val said...

Ouchie. For someone like me....who would never ever dog-ear a book or magazine.....this just hurts my heart. I just don't understand why they have to be mangled up like that. Books with covers are great accent pieces...without....not so much (imho). I guess its just all about 'being different'.

Donnie said...

I'll wait for the infomercial then I can get a second pack for just the shipping...lol...Funny post. Loved it.

ImagiMeri said...

Actually, you can blame Anthropologie for the whole thing. They started this about two to three years ago and were selling the bundles for $40. I didn't buy any, cause as any self respecting DIYer....well......my house is now bookless!

Just kidding! What a waste!
I miss ya'

Big Hugs,
Meri

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

I gasped the first time I saw this trend. After being trained so many years on how to be very careful with books and not even fold the corner of a page -- I don't think I could possibly mangle a book without fear of being haunted by my elementary school librarian!

La said...

You could totally win Celebrity Apprentice!

Heather said...

:) great post - makes me giggle - love your humor and I imagine some would take you up on your offer...hahaha

Heather{Our Life In a Click} said...

Crazy, right? But you are on to something with that kit!!!

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Sorry to not see the humor in this trend. But, I think it's really nasty. Don't those trend-makers have anything more creative, in their heads, than this?????????? Ugh!!!

~♥~

Unknown said...

Now I have n use fir all the old books I have laying around, if I bundle them & sell them ad decor then I should get way more than selling them to Half Price Books! LOL, its amazing what some people will pay for:-)

Rachael West said...

I think we should have a book ripping party - with wine & cheese of course we are still ladys ha ha.

Rachael West said...

"Ladies" if I can spell correct oops

Terra said...

um yeah. I'm not shopping with you today.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

I could not believe what these book bundles sold for! Amazing...still the 'make your own bundle' price is a bargain if you are into that sort of thing!

Willoughby said...

Genius, Jenny! You'll make a fortune!

I'm not sure why anyone who loves books would want to see them displayed this way. I guess it's a good use for books that are already damaged. I've been asked to accesorize a room with leather books, art books and coffee table books, but no client has ever asked me to use coverless books tied with twine.

I'm thinking of starting a new decorating trend with old magazines. You know the ones that have rings where you set a glass of water on them? I'll call them "distressed" and sell them for $25 each. If they are pre 1999, they'll be considered vintage and cost more.

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

Velly intelestink.

Why would someone rip apart a book? It's one thing if you're going to give the pages new life as art...but to give a book new life as trash?

What do you suppose is next? Burning books until they're almost unrecognizable and leaving them in a random pile...for interior decor?

I crack myself up...and that's sad because it wasn't even funny.

GardenOfDaisies said...

Can't we figure out a way to rip something off a kindle instead? I love books and hate this new technology!

lizziviggi said...

Wow, I'm not really sorry to say I haven't seen that trend. How ridiculous. It did make me think, though, of the "literary lamp" I saw recently in Readymade magazine. If you have already-damaged books, this seems like a much cooler thing to do with them.
http://www.readymade.com/projects/literary_lamp

Stacy said...

I love and collect old books. I hate to see them virtually destroyed and reduced to decorating accessories. At least when people just put them on a shelf for looks they might one day end up back in the hands of a book lover.

Betty said...

I'm not up on these latest decorating trends either, but I'm putting a check in the mail today. It's time I learned.

Bossy Betty said...

This hurts just to look at!

"Alone again.... naturally!" said...

Sacrilege!!

Annabella said...

This is my first time visiting and I`m so happy I did... a very funny post. Thanks for making me smile.

Ravenmyth said...

I can not believe they did that...I love books...the way they feel, the way they smell, and most of all the hard work that goes into writing and publishing them. Rather a book graveyard where we can go and leave flowers and honour them than a glued, bound and dusty shell of a book that later becomes a garage sale item...from $ 40.00 to .40cents....

Love you post and humour...came to you from Rogue Artist...am now following...

Unknown said...

Your kidding, right? The things people will spend money on, Geesh!

Oh, BTW, I'm finished with my special "project" and it shall go out in tomorrow's mail. And, no! I'm not telling you what it is. You'll have to wait.

Amy said...

I am there! What a fun activity it would be. Except for the part about destroying books. I am not so keen on that.

Speaking of awesome book music, I recently found a group called Book on Tape Worm. So sweet. Here is a link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0jvn2U9PU4

Susan Anderson said...

I saw these about a month ago at a posh store in our area and could not believe it.

Crazy stuff.

Crazy.

"/

Ms. A said...

Not only could I not do it, I couldn't watch it being done, either!

Nonna Beach said...

Great post Jenny !

Those are not attractive to me and hurts me to see them defaced. The only thing worse would be a bonfire book burning session a la "Fahrenheit 451"

On the other hand, it's the free enterprise system at it's best, making new money/jobs ( sweat shops and child labor could be a problem ) of old products. The books aren't going to a landfill and they are being recycled so no trees are being cut down, therefore animals, birds, creeping things, moss and micro organic life are not impacted...environmentalists and PETA will love it !

Ames said...

Too funny. Certainly not my taste. I was under the impression that books couldn't be sold if the cover was ripped off. I think it's a strange decorating fad. It ranks up there with decorating with grass in planters and moss covered balls.~Ames

Sharon said...

Hi Jenny! Call me old fashioned but I kinda like to see the covers on my old books and have been known to read them on occasion so gluing them together wouldn't work for me. ;) But I like the sounds of the party! I'll bring some old phone books!
Just found your quilts page today! They are lovely!

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

They do have an interesting texture, the different pages, tied next to each other. I might be able to condone it if the book has brittle pages, that are going to crumble if they are not used, but I would have a hard time with other old books. Unless they are old books of political commentators or economists because I don't think humanity has found a use for either of those. ha!

Dapoppins said...

I was all excited that THE Jenny was going to do a post about altered book art and then here you show me something...not.

Tho' I can totally see how this would help work out more frustration that just gluing pages together.

Splendid Little Stars said...

LOL!
Yes! Let's go for it! a great new business! You're a genius!

Bonnie said...

I'm in .... I'm in... I want to rip up some books with you miss Jenny. Pottery Barn has nothing on us!! HA!

Personalized Sketches and Sentiments said...

Oh..my...I don't think I have the heart to rip a cover off! ...but I had to laugh reading your idea for a "do-it-yourself-covers-ripped-off-for-decor" kit :o)

Blessings & Aloha!