Oh, the Things You Can Discover in Random Searches...

[liz_marcs]

I own a book worth up to $400.

This book right here: Nathaniel Hawthorne's Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales for Boys and Girls, illustrated by Maxfield Parrish and published as a first edition in 1910.

*blink-blink-blink*

It was a gift from my late Uncle Tom, who was so pleased when I squeed upon seeing the book that he gave it to me on the spot.

Y'know...I always said that if I had something worth that much money, I'd sell it in a heartbeat.

However, I just realized something: There is no fucking way I'm parting with this book.

I love this book. I love how worn it is. I love it came from my weird Uncle Tom who had completely no notion of the worth of things and would give me a well-loved book from his childhood just because my adult self made squeeing sounds when I saw the cover.

Suck it. It's staying on my shelf. They can pry that puppy out of my library over my cold, dead body.

This same weird Uncle Tom also gave me a Royal Dalton tea set from the late 1800s just because I like tea and he wanted to cheer me up. It was given to me on the understanding that I would actually use it to make and enjoy tea.

The original owner? President Grover Cleveland's first cousin.

And yes, I actually do use it to make tea. I use the tea cups and the saucers, too. It can't make herbal tea worth a damn, but if I want a black tea? The pot makes black teas taste like pure heaven.

So...

To you my darling, weird Uncle Tom (wheresoever your soul may currently be), for not just your fantastic parting gifts, but also for giving me links to the past that can't be bought or sold.

Comments

[girlfan1979.livejournal.com]

I want to say something profound, but I've got nothing.

I do want to say how right-headed I think your decision is, and how much I appreciate you telling this story.

I love this book. I love how worn it is. I love it came from my weird Uncle Tom who had completely no notion of the worth of things and would give me a well-loved book from his childhood just because my adult self made squeeing sounds when I saw the cover.

It made me happy today.

Thank you.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

I was hoping to sell an original copy of a Nancy Drew novel, The Mystery of the Moss-Covered novel, on eBay - except it turned out it was worth only maybe $10. Might not be worth the bother.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Prices tend to be largely in the eye of the vendor - quite often the price you find on line is a LONG way from what you'll find if you look around.

Case in point - A couple of years ago I bought 3 copies of a boxed DVD collection, a British kid's puppet SF show of the 1960s called "Space Patrol". I gave two of them to friends for Xmas since it wasn't very expensive. It eventually dropped off vendor web sites, I assume that they sold out the original production run and didn't think it was worth making more.

Today the same set is selling at £500+ on Amazon UK. But if you look there is only one guy trying to get this money, and he's been trying for a long time - the real price is almost certainly a LOT lower.

[ponders-life.livejournal.com]

Ooh, Maxfield Parrish illustrations! ::drools:: I hope you will allow me to look at it sometime...

As ffutures said, just because someone is trying to sell it for $400 doesn't mean that's what it's worth. I went to ABEbooks.com (aka the American Book Exchange, a network of independent booksellers) and plugged the author, title, and publication date into the Advance Search (and clicked the "first edition" box) and got these results, which are probably more realistic.

But, as you've discovered, it doesn't matter what it's worth in dollars. It's worth a lot more than that to you. I think I would have liked your weird Uncle Tom. :)

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

Oh, I adore that book and Parrish; I'd treasure it, too; good for you!

And Royal Doulton is made in my home town; I'm from the Potteries. My great grandmother was one of the people who painted the china; I have a figurine from the 1930's (Top o' the Hill) on my mantelpiece that she painted. It's not worth much, although it's fairly rare in this colour; there's the odd crack in the glaze and such, but I remember dusting it at my grandmother's after my great grandmother dies, then my mother had it and now me.

[fufumira.livejournal.com]

You give me hope for the future. What a lovely book!

[xxmagex.livejournal.com]

Now only if my wife understood. I've got several books I've collected over the years that she just can't understand why I don't ebay them or donate to goodwill. Most depressing when she brings up the subject.

[herself_nyc]

Frankentim icon!!!!

[shakatany.livejournal.com]

My godmother once gave me a lovely book called "Daughters of the Stars" by Mary Crary and illustrated by Edmund Dulac that is quite rare. Unfortunately I had to put some of my belongings in storage and it was lost :( Hold on to your treasures.

Shakatany

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

Sometimes the things we treasure are worth real money, but the price rarely exceeds the worth of the item in the sentimental value to us.
I have a few things like that: a beautiful cameo that was my grandmother's; my Mom gave it to me because I liked it. I don't wear it, but I look at it and feel the connection to the women who wore it before me.
My Mom inherited a biscuit jar that is at least 200 years old, and is probably worth some money; we decided it will stay in the family forever. My elder sister has it, and will pass it on to her daughter. It's family history in china.

[ebony14.livejournal.com]

Kudos to you for your fortune, and doubly so for actually using these items. I really dislike it when antiques that clearly have a purpose and are capable of being used for that purpose aren't. It seems wasteful to me.

[jimbos.livejournal.com]

Not to be contrary, but it sounds like your uncle knew exactly the value of things. Thanks for the story.

[drmercurious.livejournal.com]

I have my grandfather's retirement watch he got when he retired, back in the days when companies cared enough that they gave you a REAL gold watch. I wore it when I was younger, then when the battery wore out I took it to a jeweler to have it replaced.

HIM: Gah...gah....
YOUNG ME: What?
HIM: You did know this was 14K gold, right?
YM: Yeah, so?
HIM: Not gold-PLATED. Gold.
YM (Thinking) So that's why it's so soft.

Ah, the innocence of youth...

[texanfan.livejournal.com]

Beautiful things should be used. Read the book, use the tea set and smirk at the people who might cringe and want to put them untouchably behind glass somewhere. Some things are worth more than money.