Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Dayton-Bound!

I’m absolutely flying today, but a promise is a promise, so here I am revved up like a 60’s muscle car for our trip tomorrow. It’s not that I like to travel – I don’t – but I am so anxious to be back in Dayton to see our friends and also to be surrounded by so many books. This is a huge sale that is handled very well. Everything is categorized with precision and the best part is you get a grocery cart in which to put your stuff. You park it somewhere and volunteers watch over it while you gather. How good is THAT?

I did take some time this morning though to look one last time at their silent auction catalog. Surprise, surprise! Something jumped out at me after all. The opening bid is $50 which is okay seeing as how the book is a leather bound title from the 1700’s. It says it has a repaired hinge which worries me a little, but it might be fine if it’s done well. So maybe, maybe, I’ll be bidding after all. I’d seen it the first time I looked, but for some reason thought it was a modern reprint, as there is one. Now, fingers crossed that it’s esoteric enough to be of no interest to the masses!

Last year when I went to this sale I headed straight for the special priced stuff, but with the quality of the auction items as poor as they are I’m considering jumping into the fray in the main area. The big question is will I have the courage? I often say things like this and then chicken out at the last minute. Actually, I’m wavering as we speak because I just remembered a couple sellers made that choice last Thursday at the big sale I told you about and I found both the Akron book and the German book in the specials room. Oh, what to do? What to do? Fortunately, there are also two huge antiques malls on the way so we’ll stop, and with any luck, find a few bargains there too. Last year I found a first edition of Out of Africa for just $50, but for some idiotic reason didn’t buy it! I keep wondering if it’s still there and if I can find it if it is. Probably not though, huh? :-)

Oh, here’s something to start the trip off well. A long-time picker whose been plying his trade for decades stopped in the store yesterday with a GREAT book. He comes in from time to time, but like the rest of us, struggles to find the quality he enjoyed in the good old days. He actually had two good books, but the one was a 19th century ex-library which I would have bought anyway due to the attractive library bookplate and overall condition. But I couldn’t live with the one flaw – someone had removed a sticker from the bottom of the spine and it had marred the cloth frightfully. So I ended up with the book you see at the top of the page. It’s Western Americana from 1948, a limited first edition signed by the author in a print run of just 1000 copies of which this is #35. It’s in very nice condition too and has great color art at frontis as seen above. The title is Wyoming Cattle Trails by John K. Rollinson, published by Caxton Printers Ltd., Caldwell, Idaho. Most of the few copies on ABE share the same price of $195 which is where I plan to be too.

Okay, time to get cracking here! I need to clean the house (this is a weird thing I feel compelled to do before I set foot out the door to anywhere that involves even one night away) and get my clothes ready, but that’s only because I’ll need dress-up clothes for tomorrow night which requires so many accessories – an extra purse, jewelry, shoes, a different coat etc. etc. So on that note I’m off and running. We’ll be back on Friday night and I’ll tell you all about it either Saturday or Sunday.

Wish me luck!

6 comments:

Saturday Evening Post said...

Good Luck, Tess!

SEP

tess said...

Thanks -- I do appreciate it! :-)

sundaymornancy said...

Take no prisoners, leave no bargains behind! Keep your powder, er checkbook, dry!
How's that for a send-off? :)

tess said...

I'd say that about covers it! Especially the part abgout keeping the checkbook dry. Rained all day yesterday. Today looks okay so far, but tomorrow's what counts. Thanks for the good wishes!

Anonymous said...

Good luck in Dayton.

I remember this sale from years ago, when the opening of the doors bore a more than passing resemblance to the running of the bulls at Pamplona. Shopping carts were used as mobile battering rams on the sale floor, or as catch bins for books flung from one side of the table to the other.

Despite it all, there is somethign to be said about being in a place surrounded by books.

Regards,
Chris

tess said...

Chris, I am cracking up over here and I just got home and am ready to fold like a pup-tent. You DO know that sale! Oh, wait for the update -- this was everything you said and then some. Stay tuned!