RARE.2024.0073: Purchased, 2024 April
[identification of item], Book Safe Within “Bulletin des Lois du Royaume de France,” SPEC.RARE.MMS.0394, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University
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Processed by: Allison McPherson, 2024 October; Finding Aid Written by: Allison McPherson, 2024 October
Books have been used for centuries to conceal and store items for practical or aesthetic purposes. During the 19th century France was a popular tourist destination due to sites such as the Palace of Versailles, Louvre, Arc de Tromphe, Cathedrale Notre Dame, and construction of the Opera Garnier and the Eiffel Tower. With high tourism numbers, books were often purchased as souvenirs, and there was a trend of hollowing out books for the tourism trade. Although there were no laws or bans on alcohol in France during the 19th century, one common use for hollowed out book safes was for concealing drinking sets, flasks, and bars.
The Book Safe Within “Bulletin des Lois du Royaume de France” contains 1 glass decanter and 2 shot glasses in a hollowed out portion of the book, beginning at section 36, page 17. The “Bulletin des Lois du Royaume de France” was a law bulletin that was published by The Royal Printing House in February 1828, and later modified between 1852 and 1870. This date range is approximated based on: the French imperial arms on the cover that would have been used during the Second Empire (1852-1870), the hide glue used to adhere the pages together, and the glass bottle having no mold seem. A pressed violet flower specimen is laid in section 17, page 12.