Auction Finds - Sometimes You Get a Nasty Surprise
As an individual I hold my own political views and moral approach to life. As a business person I have a need to make sales, or I won't eat. I'm not talking about discarding moral beliefs for huge profits as applies to the corporations that run our world, but more like ignoring the fact that some material is distasteful to me, but sought after by others of an alternative political persuasion. As I said, I need to eat! BUT there are limits and sometimes I come across heinous articles, especially of the literary type.
Yesterday saw me tearing up a pamphlet with an original stamp which would have made it highly collectible to some, but the contents therein I judged to be so evil that I decided the world would be a better place without it. I won't go into what it contained as I have no wish to spark a political discussion. I live in South Africa, and with our turbulent political history, recent and not so recent, there are numerous opportunities for individuals to take offence. Probably many of the books I have posted have been offensive to one group or another and I don't really care, I preserve history, and I sell history, for what it is. However I will not sell outright hatred.
Fortunately incidents like this are few and far between and most of the nasty surprises I get are those of the smelly kind, in my line of work. Still, I am proud to rescue bits and pieces that might have been lost forever, and find homes for them with collectors who will treasure them. This is why I, and my husband, will gladly risk the dirtier and smellier joblots that others won't touch, in the hopes of finding gems. And we often do!
I found this ledger, turned scrapbook, full of political newspaper clippings. The cover is stamped "Union Of South Africa", which dates it somewhere from 1910-1961, though from some of the ledger entries it appears it was used in the 1930's on wards, with the newspaper clippings being more recent.
I can't really imagine who wouldn't want this book! 1151 pages and small print will keep you busy for...a century?!
I have to be honest and say that this dictionary/encyclopedia is not really collectible at all, as simply too many copies were published. But I listed it and shared it because I find it quite beautiful!
This book is worth quite a lot (R750/$57), and it was literally lying in the dirt with a couple of other books at our local auction held outdoors.
I simply loved this book. How cheeky doesn't the man grinning in the photo look?! I think he deserves to be immortalised on the blockchain.
I do love old books :)
Me too 😀
I can well understand you won't sell certain items, but don't destroy them, even the most obnoxious stuff could be of historical interest. I usually ask museums, universities and study centres if they are interested in preserving such things, and if they are, I give it to them for free.
I agree with this. Plus destroying stuff like this has the effect of erasing history. Many awful things have happened in the world but we need to learn from them, not hide from them or pretend they didn't happen. Plus, I don't necessarily think that most people interested in collecting this sort of things hold those views. Lots of people collect Nazi memorabilia that do not hold the views of Nazis.
Point taken. Sometimes I feel that some things, purely by their existence, taint our world, but it is probably not for me to judge.
I do understand your point and it is not a bad idea.
great posting... thanks for sharing....^^
Thank you!