Love beautiful, old books?You may remember that in February, AbeBooks ran a feature called 30 Novels Worth Buying for the Cover Alone. It showcased contemporary fiction whose cover design was eye-catching enough to make us buy the book. It made us wonder how the art, trends and styles of designing a book cover have changed over the years.

So what constituted a beautiful book a century ago? We’ve now found 30 beautiful, old books we think tell the story well. Highly decorated cloth over boards, ornate scrollwork, symmetrical patterns, floral patterns, gilt and more – these are the books we dream we’ll find overlooked at a yard sale, whose covers make us want to touch them, own them and display them.They are unforgettable, collectible, and in many cases, surprisingly affordable.

Check out all 30 Gorgeous Old Books. If you need me, I’ll be smashing my piggy bank…