I just read the comment from Saturday Evening Post on the bookcase redo and how he wishes it were possible to have read the titles of the books. Oh, how absolutely true this is! WHAT was I thinking? No bibliophile wants to see a pretty picture of a full bookcase without knowing what’s in it. It’s like those last few minutes before a book sale begins. All those books visible through the glass and you know you’re going to jump out your skin if you don’t in the next two and a half seconds know what they are. It drives me crazy enough when I look at auction pictures and the photographer stands two miles away and all you can see is rows of color blocks. I guess I was so caught up in the return to beauty and order that I never stopped to consider that I was torturing you! Many apologies.
Of course, it’s impossible to show you everything at once, so how about this? Every once in awhile when I have nothing to talk about – sometimes that actually happens – I’ll take something interesting down and show it to you. A few of the books there are listed, but most are not and even most of the listed ones are purposefully overpriced so they don’t sell. I know – it makes no sense – but it’s a trick I learned from Eric’s dad who used to be an antiques dealer. He did it all the time because it assuaged his conscience for keeping the best stock for himself. And of course if any of it did sell the price was oh-so-right. Believe it or not, sometimes overpriced stock did, and still does, sell. But of course you don’t count on it to pay the winter heating bills.
Okay then, let’s start with what I think are the best books there. These are not even listed at an inflated price because if they were to depart my company I would implode – pfffftttttt! – gone, right on the spot. I got these probably five years ago at the Case Western Reserve University sale on half price day for $300. Back then they allowed even the best of their antiquarian titles to be bargain priced, something they don’t do now. It’s kind of funny too because back then buying there was the equivalent of half price on Godiva chocolate and today it’s like taking out a mortgage for a Hershey bar. Anyway, lucky me, I got this six volume set A Picturesque View of Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland published by William Mackenzie, London. They’re quartos, heavily gilded on the face boards and sporting gilt page edges on all three sides of the text block. Oddly, there is no date on this set, but it is clearly old and very beautiful.
I’ll be honest though. This is one of those examples of when the deal was struck less for content than for the physical objects themselves. You KNOW I love books and read them avidly and emotionally. But sometimes I do respond to a book solely at the object level and this set is a case in point. Not only are they beautiful outside, but look at the paintings of which there are so many, all in color. Actually, it’s interesting to read the commentary on some that are well known, such as Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. I did, however, find them a bit skimpy on Irish castles and estates, but considering “the troubles” I guess it was to be expected.. Eric and I spent a month in Ireland back in the 70’s when we were young and relatively unencumbered. We wandered through so many gorgeous manors they’ve all blended together in my memory. But there is one image that flashes to mind -- a ceiling that looked like a piece of Wedgewood, blue backdrop with raised decoration in white. Imagine having THAT done at today’s prices!
So there you have the first installment on my promise. Enjoy – and maybe, if you haven’t already, fall at least a little in love with antiquarian books.
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