3 ms·

Interesting story. Last year, I found Volume 2 of the 1932 edition from The Odyssey Press in a charity shop for just €0.50 [1]. At home I discovered a round pa

Interesting story. Last year, I found Volume 2 of the 1932 edition from The Odyssey Press in a charity shop for just €0.50 [1]. At home I discovered a round paper sticker with the words 'Buning' and 'Djokja'. It seems it either was sold in Yogyakarta are belonged to someone who lived there [2]. [1] https://www.iwriteiam.nl/D2201.html#26 https://www.iwriteiam.nl/D2201.html#26 [2] https://www.iwriteiam.nl/D2201.html#27 https://www.iwriteiam.nl/D2201.html#27

madaxe_again 3y ago
I always feel so uncharitable when I find something special in a charity shop. The best find yet was from oxfam in Winchester - Arabian Nights, numbered and signed by Dulac, 1914 edition - £2, as the spine was (had it restored) damaged. Oh, and a rather nice Moxon Idylls of the King, same shop a few months later, which I think was £25. Both are worth a fair bit, but I’ve no intention of parting with them. Non-literary works… a tiny watercolour by Nolde, gallery stamped and all, for £5. That, I sold at auction as I’m not much of a fan of his, and it paid for the renovation of a cottage. I think these days they’ve largely wised up, but I still can’t resist a delve whenever I go by a charity shop.
- DoughnutHole 3y ago
  Those all seem like shockingly rare finds - do you spend a great deal of time investigating different charity shops? Most I find are full of utterly mundane second hand mass-market paperbacks.
  - madaxe_again 3y ago
    I stick my head in pretty much any charity shop I pass to get a feel for the place, and there’s a huge variability in what you’ll find. Winchester’s second oxfam was a goldmine, as was their municipal dump - got a lovely set of late 18th c. Anglo-Indian rosewood dining chairs for a nominal sum at the latter, which took me all of an afternoon to bring back to life. Broadstairs in Kent I also had some great finds. It’s to do with the local populace - elderly, wealthy, and often lacking inheritors - and then they staff in the shops being just parochial enough to have no idea what they have. Big cities, forget about it, you’re more likely to win the lottery.

madaxe_again 3y ago

I always feel so uncharitable when I find something special in a charity shop. The best find yet was from oxfam in Winchester - Arabian Nights, numbered and signed by Dulac, 1914 edition - £2, as the spine was (had it restored) damaged. Oh, and a rather nice Moxon Idylls of the King, same shop a few months later, which I think was £25. Both are worth a fair bit, but I’ve no intention of parting with them. Non-literary works… a tiny watercolour by Nolde, gallery stamped and all, for £5. That, I sold at auction as I’m not much of a fan of his, and it paid for the renovation of a cottage. I think these days they’ve largely wised up, but I still can’t resist a delve whenever I go by a charity shop.

DoughnutHole 3y ago
Those all seem like shockingly rare finds - do you spend a great deal of time investigating different charity shops? Most I find are full of utterly mundane second hand mass-market paperbacks.
- madaxe_again 3y ago
  I stick my head in pretty much any charity shop I pass to get a feel for the place, and there’s a huge variability in what you’ll find. Winchester’s second oxfam was a goldmine, as was their municipal dump - got a lovely set of late 18th c. Anglo-Indian rosewood dining chairs for a nominal sum at the latter, which took me all of an afternoon to bring back to life. Broadstairs in Kent I also had some great finds. It’s to do with the local populace - elderly, wealthy, and often lacking inheritors - and then they staff in the shops being just parochial enough to have no idea what they have. Big cities, forget about it, you’re more likely to win the lottery.