Old Books and A Return To My Haunted Book Shop in Gravenhurst

1850 's Self Help Book Published in England but found on a Muskoka Homestead. Pics are of meat dishes.

MY OWN HAUNTED BOOKSHOP - IN THE BRIGHT SPIRIT OF CHRISTOPHER MORLEY

BUILDING A VINTAGE BOOK SHOP ALL OVER AGAIN

     "AS THE OBJECT OF ALL STUDY, AND THE END OF ALL WISDOM, IS PRACTICAL UTILITY, AS A COLLECTION OF THE MOST APPROVED RECEIPTS, IN ALL THE ARTS OF DOMESTIC AND SOCIAL LIFE, MAY BE CONSIDERED AS A VOLUME, CONTAINING NEARLY THE WHOLE OF THE WISDOM OF MAN, WORTHY OF PRESERVATION. IN TRUTH, THE PRESENT VOLUME HAS BEEN COMPILED UNDER THE FEELING, THAT IF ALL OTHER BOOKS OF SCIENCE IN THE WORLD WERE DESTROYED, THIS SINGLE VOLUME WOULD BE FOUND TO EMBODY THE RESULTS OF THE USEFUL EXPERIENCES, OBSERVATIONS, AND DISCOVERIES OF MANKIND, DURING THE PAST AGES OF THE WORLD."

     THAT'S HOW MUCH CONFIDENCE, THE PUBLISHERS, OF THIS SELF HELP RECEIPT BOOK, OF THE 1850'S, HAD IN THEIR UPGRADED TEXT, WHEN IT HIT THE LONDON MARKET. "WHATEVER MEN DO, OR DESIRE TO DO, WITH THE MATERIALS WITH WHICH NATURE HAS SUPPLIED THEM, AND WITH THE POWERS WHICH THEY POSSESS, IS HERE PLAINLY TAUGHT AND SUCCINCTLY PRESERVED; WHETHER IT REGARD COMPLICATED MANUFACTURERS, MEANS OF CURING DISEASES, SIMPLE PROCESSES OF VARIOUS KINDS, OR THE ECONOMY, HAPPINESS, AND PRESERVATION OF LIFE." HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE BOOKS WERE PUBLISHED FOR SUCH A MARKET, THAT WANTED TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS. EVERY AUTHOR, AND EVERY PUBLISHER, LIKES TO THINK THEIR BOOK, THEIR CREATION, WILL SUFFICE AS THE REMAINING BEACON, IF ALL OTHER BOOKS WERE DESTROYED. IT'S WHAT FILLS OUR BOOK SHOPS; THESE BEACON TITLES, BROWSED OVER BY A PARADE OF BIBLIOPHILES, AND PURSUED BY SOME, TO ADD DEPTH AND QUALITY TO THEIR COLLECTIONS. THERE ARE HISTORIANS WHO LIKE TO OWN BOOKS ON GENERAL SCIENCE AND DOMESTIC QUESTIONS, THAT HELP INFILL THEIR RESEARCH, ON SPECIFIC PERIODS OF WORLD HISTORY. THE BOOK I HAVE JUST QUOTED FROM, EXAMINES EVERYTHING FROM BLOOD LETTING AND AMPUTATIONS, TO HEALTH STANDARDS ON SAILING SHIPS; AND FOR THE ARTIST, HOW TO MIX WATERCOLOR PAINTS FOR THE BEST RESULTS. WHAT MIGHT SEEM TO BE HOPELESSLY OUTDATED, IS OFTEN MOST DESIRABLE BECAUSE IT DEALS WITH SELDOM PROFILED SITUATIONS, AND PRACTICALITIES OF YESTERYEAR.

     WHEN YOU SLOWLY CREAK OPEN THE BIG DOOR, OF AN ANTIQUARIAN BOOK SHOP, WHEREVER YOU MIGHT FIND ONE, THE TRUE BIBLIOPHILE STOPS TO ABSORB THE FRAGILE, HISTORIC AMBIENCE; AN ARCHIVES, WITH A MUSEUM-LIKE ATMOSPHERE, IN THE DULL SPARKLE OF LIGHT AGAINST SHADOWY NOOKS, FROM MODEST, FLICKERING, OVERHEAD OR TABLE-TOP LAMPLIGHT. STOPPING, AFTER A FEW STEPS INSIDE THE SHOP, THE VISITOR INHALES, SNIFFS THE LEGACY OF OLD INK, THAT WHILE LONG DRIED FROM THE PRESSES, STILL HAS A POIGNANT, ALLURING ODOR, MUCH LIKE THE FAINT WAFTING PERFUME SCENT, REMEMBERED OF AN OLD LOVER, MYSTERIOUSLY RETURNED. EACH GENTLE FOOTSTEP INTO THE INTERIOR, AS IF TRYING TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THOSE FRAILTIES OF AGE, OFFERS A DIFFERENT SENSATION; MUCH AS IF YOU WERE STARTLED, BY WITNESSING THE GHOSTS OF FORMER CUSTOMERS, STILL STANDING IN THE AISLES, EVEN IN DEATH, LOOKING FOR GOOD BOOKS. IT IS A SENSORY DELIGHT, TO BE EXPOSED IN THIS WAY, TO SOME OF THE MOST EXCITING, AND IMPORTANT LITERATURE, EVER WRITTEN. OR AS EACH DEALER LIKES TO THINK OF THEIR COLLECTIONS, AS BEING THE BEST IN THE CITY, TOWN, VILLAGE, HAMLET OR NEIGHBORHOOD. HISTORY DOES HAVE AN AROMA, AND IT IS, IN A BOOK SHOP, DELIGHTFUL AND FULFILLING. BUT THEN, I'M A BOOK COLLECTOR AND SELLER. WHAT THE BOOK SELLER DOESN'T INHALE, THE HISTORIAN DOES. BEING ASSOCIATED WITH OLD PAPER, HAS DEFINITELY, AT PERIODS IN MY LIFE, BEEN A MUCH LOVED ADDICTION. BUT LIKE ALL ADDICTIONS, THERE IS THAT SLIPPERY SLOPE OF EXCESS. I'VE BEEN HURT BY THOSE EXCESSES. I HAVE BEEN DOWN THAT SLOPE MANY TIMES. THIS TIME, I HOPE IT WILL BE DIFFERENT. I DON'T LIKE THE SANDPAPER SLIDE, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

     IN MY OWN PATHETIC, HAUNTING MOMENT, OF SELF-LOATHING, AS A BOOK COLLECTOR / DEALER, HOW DEEPLY I REGRET SELLING MY SIGNED AND INSCRIBED FIRST EDITION, HARDCOVER COPY, OF THE WELL KNOWN BOOK, "THE HAUNTED BOOK SHOP," BY REVERED AUTHOR, CHRISTOPHER MORLEY. I INTENDED TO KEEP IT FOREVER, ALONG WITH A FIRST EDITION OF HIS OTHER BOOK, "PARNASSUS ON WHEELS," WHICH IS THE STORY OF A SALESMAN, TRAVELLING FROM COMMUNITY TO COMMUNITY, HOMESTEAD TO FARMSTEAD, WITH HIS HORSE-DRAWN BOOK WAGON; A SORT OF DREAM REALIZATION, OF BEING A STALWART BIBLIOPHILE. "THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP," IS ONE OF THE FIRST MAJOR BOOK FINDS I MADE, BACK IN THE EARLY 1980'S. AT THE SAME TIME, IN A LITTLE SECOND HAND SHOP, I FOUND A FIRST EDITION CANADIAN ART BIOGRAPHY, WITH A NEATLY PENNED AUTOGRAPH, BY CANADIAN LANDSCAPE ARTIST, AND GROUP OF SEVEN MEMBER, "a.y. jackson." HE SIGNED HIS ART IN CAPITAL LETTERS. THE SECOND BOOK THAT DAY WASN'T REALLY IN THE RIGHT AREA OF THE STORE, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN KEPT IN A DISPLAY CASE. IT WAS A 1940'S LOG BOOK FOR THE CREW OF A LANCASTER BOMBER, STATIONED IN ENGLAND. WHAT A JEWELL. THE THIRD RARE BOOK I FOUND THAT DAY, WAS MORLEY'S "THE HAUNTED BOOK SHOP, WHICH ALTHOUGH NOT IN SHORT SUPPLY, WAS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO ME. IT WAS TO BECOME A CORNERSTONE FOR MY OWN BOOK COLLECTING; THIS AND THE MOVIE "84 CHARING CROSS ROAD," STARRING ANTHONY HOPKINS AND ANNE BANCROFT. IF YOU ARE A COLLECTOR OF BOOKS, AND HISTORIC PAPER, YOU KNOW THE SENSATION OF HOLDING A PIECE OF LITERARY HISTORY. THE FACT THE AUTHOR HELD THAT BOOK MOMENTARILY, TO SIGN IT FOR A PATRON (OR FOR A COLLEAGUE), PUTS THE COLLECTOR, AT ONCE, ON AN INTIMATE LEVEL WITH THAT SPECIAL OCCASION.

     "THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP," IS A STORY OF SUSPENSE, ALTHOUGH FOR MOST OF THE BOOK YOU WOULDN'T GET TOO WOUND UP, IN THIS REGARD. THE STORY DOES TURN GRADUALLY INTO A SPY SCENARIO, REGARDING A CERTAIN BOOK BY THOMAS CARLISLE, "THE FRENCH REVOLUTION" (ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN 1837) I BELIEVE, WHICH BECOMES PART OF THE MESSAGING-CONNECTION BETWEEN THOSE OF ILL REPUTE, WHO HAPPEN TO FREQUENT THE BOOK STORE. THE STORE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IS LOCATED A FEW STEPS DOWN FROM THE ROAD, IN AN OLD, BASEMENT STOREFRONT, AND IS NEITHER HUGE OR CLUTTERED, AS THE PROPRIETOR IS QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT ITS APPEARANCE, INSIDE AND OUT. THERE ARE REGULAR GATHERINGS IN THE EVENING HOURS, TO DISCUSS OLD BOOKS, GREAT AUTHORS, AND COMPELLING MYSTERIES. THE BIGGEST MYSTERY OF COURSE, WOULD OCCUR IN THE AISLES OF HIS HAUNTED BOOKSHOP, AND THAT'S THE MAGIC OF THE BOOK; THE ALLURE OF THE GOOD MR. MORLEY, AS A WRITER OF MEMORABLE FICTION. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE ANTIQUE-DEALER MOMENTS OF WEAKNESS, WHEN I REACHED FOR THOSE TWO MORLEY BOOKS, AND AGREED TO SELL THEM TO A COLLECTOR FOR A PRETTY FAIR PRICE; FOR BOTH OF US. FIVE SECONDS AFTER THE BUCKS HAVE BEEN PASSED, I'M FILLED WITH REGRET, AND WANT TO TACKLE THE BUYER; RIPPING THE BUNDLE FROM THEIR GRASP. BAD PLAN FOR AN ONGOING BUSINESS. ANTIQUE DEALERS THE WORLD OVER KNOW THIS FEELING, MORE LIKE SEPARATION ANXIETY, BUT THE FEAR OF LOSS IS REAL. ALTHOUGH I COULD BUY OTHER SIGNED COPIES OF BOTH BOOKS AGAIN, IT JUST WOULDN'T BE THE SAME TO A CAREER HUNTER-GATHERER. THAT'S THE CRAZY PART. AND IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN, BECAUSE IT HAS SO MUCH TO DO WITH KARMA AND WEIRD COINCIDENCE; THAT IS A SUBLTY (SELDOM SPOKEN ABOUT) INGRAINED PART OF THE ANTIQUE PROFESSION. I CAN'T CALL IT THE PLAY OF SPIRITS, BUT IT'S AWFULLY CLOSE. EVENTS PUT US COLLECTOR / DEALERS TOGETHER WITH ANTIQUE AND COLLECTABLE PIECES, BUT ANY OF US WITH TENURE, AND A LITTLE LEGEND HUNG OFF OUR REPUTATIONS, KNOW THAT LUCK AND THE UNKNOWNS OF THE PARANORMAL, PLAY A HUGE ROLE IN WHAT WE FIND OUT ON OUR ADVENTURES. THE "YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT I FOUND," ISN'T JUST ABOUT A BIG SCORE, IN TERMS OF INVESTMENT VALUE. THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE, IT WILL BE ONE OF THE GLOWING EXAMPLES OF GOOD FORTUNE, WITH A BIG COINCIDENCE ATTACHED. CALL IT LUCK, CALL IT GOOD FORTUNE, BUT WE KNOW NOT TO TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, THAT IT WILL ALWAYS BE ON SIDE.

     ANTIQUE BOOK DEALERS WOULD JUMP OUT OF THEIR SHOES AND SOCKS, AND POSSIBLY THEIR UNDIES AS WELL, IF, AT A LOCAL FLEA MARKET, OR ESTATE SALE, THEY PULLED OUT A SIGNED FIRST EDITION OF FRANK BAUM'S "THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ," OR LEWIS CARROLL'S "ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND." WHAT AN ORGASMIC MOMENT, TO BE STANDING AT THE BOOK TABLE, AND FIND A SIGNED FIRST EDITION OF JOSEPH CONRAD'S "LORD JIM," OR "TYPHOON." WHAT ABOUT J.M. BARRIE'S BOOK "PETER PAN?" MAYBE A HEMINGWAY, OR STEINBECK FIRST EDITION. I'D PROBABLY FAINT, TO GET A FIRST EDITION CHARLES DICKENS, OR WASHINGTON IRVING. I ASPIRE TO ONE DAY OWN SIGNED COPIES OF BOTH IRVING'S "THE SKETCH BOOK," AND "BRACEBRIDGE HALL," SIGNED OF COURSE. WHAT I REALLY WANT, IS TO SAY, WITH CONSIDERABLE POMP AND PAGEANTRY, THAT I OWN A FIRST EDITION, OF "THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW," AS PART OF THE 1818-1819 RELEASE OF "THE SKETCH BOOK." IT'S MY FAVORITE ALL TIME SHORT STORY, AND I READ IT AS A TRADITION, ON OR BEFORE HALLOWEEN EACH YEAR; ONE OF MY MOST SPIRITED TIMES OF THE ROLLING YEAR. I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF ICHABOD CRANE, AND THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN; AND PART OF THIS I SUPPOSE, IS THAT OUR DUTCH KIN FOLK, ON MY GRANDMOTHER'S SIDE, "THE VANDERVOORTS," SETTLED IN THE AREA OF THE HISTORIC HUDSON, IN NEW YORK STATE, AT AROUND THE TIME THE STORY WAS SET BY MR. IRVING. IT'S MY OWN FEELING OF SEMI-ENTITLEMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT THERE ONE DAY SOON, AND WANDER AS A POET, SOME OF THE TRAILS IRVING FOLLOWED, IN HIS DAY, PONDERING THE GHOSTS AND BANDY-LEGGED WEE BEASTIES, THAT REPORTEDLY PROWLED THE HOLLOWS, AND RIDGES, ON THESE MOONLIT NIGHTS OF EARLY SPRING.

      I WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY BE CONSIDERED, OF THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF HYPOCRITE, IF I WAS TO SAY, COLLECTING OLD BOOKS ISN'T ABOUT THE MONEY. IT'S WHY A LOT OF OLD BOOK DEALERS FEEL MISUNDERSTOOD. DUE THE THE OVER-USE OF THE WORD "PASSION," IF I WAS TO TELL YOU THAT WE OLD BOOK DEALERS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR ENTERPRISE, IT WOULD IMMEDIATELY SEEM A WATERED-DOWN EXPRESSION, TO DISGUISE THE FACT WE LOVE TO MAKE HUGE QUANTITIES OF MONEY FROM OUR COLLECTING PROWESS. I CAN ONLY SUGGEST, THAT WHERE "PASSION" SEEMS A LITTLE HOLLOW, THE WORD "OBSESSIVE," MAY BE CARRYING IT TOO FAR. SOME OF US DO REACH THE STAGE OF BIBLIOMANIA, BUT IT HARDLY DESCRIBES THE MAJORITY OF BOOK SELLERS, WHO ARE IN THE TRADE, BECAUSE THEY LOVE REPRESENTING THE PRINTED WORD IN BOUND FORMAT. IF YOU DON'T INBED WORDS LIKE PASSION AND OBSESSION, WHEN LOOKING AT WHAT WE BOOK-HUNTERS DO, THEN IT WOULD BE TO SELL THE DESCRIPTION SHORT OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY REPRESENTS. WHEN I WROTE A FEW WEEKS BACK, ABOUT TRYING TO FIND MY MO-JO AGAIN, IT'S PRETTY MUCH TIED INTO THOSE TWO KEY WORDS, THAT HAVE ALWAYS DEFINED THE WAY I WORK IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE. NOT BEING ACTIVE IN THE OLD BOOK PROFESSION FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, AT LEAST, I HAVE BECOME SOFT AND LACKING IN DYNAMIC, WHEN IT COMES TO BEING OUT ON THE HUNT. THE SAME GOES FOR ANTIQUES, BUT I'VE NEVER STOPPED BEING AN ANTIQUE DEALER. AS FOR OLD BOOKS, I SOLD MOST OF MY COLLECTION OFF, IN THE PAST HALF DECADE, AND IT'S ONLY BEEN IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THAT I'VE DECIDED TO MAKE A COME-BACK. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

     MY BOOK FRIENDS CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW A HOCKEY NETMINDER EVER BECAME AN OLD BOOK DEALER. IN TEXTURE AND PHILOSOPHY, THEY SEEM ABOUT AS OPPOSITE AS YOU CAN GET. YET, IN PRACTICALITY, I HAVE FOUND A PARALLEL. FOR THOSE WHO LIKE SPORTS, I'LL OFFER THIS AS AN EXAMPLE. THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE SPORTS, CAN INFILL ANY WAY YOU LIKE. FOR MANY YEARS, AND FOR A DOZEN HOCKEY TEAMS, I WAS THE BACK-UP GOALIE. I SAT QUIETLY, EITHER FREEZING ON THE END OF THE PINE BENCH (KNOWN AS RIDING THE PINE), OR BAKING, IF WE WERE IN ONE OF THE BETTER RINKS THAT HAD HEATERS OVERHANGING THE BLEACHERS; ARENAS THAT WERE WARMER INSIDE THAN OUT. FIFTY POUNDS OF GOALTENDING EQUIPMENT CAN GET A BODY HOT IN A SHORT PERIOD OF SITTING-TIME. NATURAL ICE ARENAS WERE BRUTAL IN MY ERA OF PLAY, BACK IN THE 1960'S AND EARLY 70'S. WE OFTEN SUFFERED FROM FROST BITE INSIDE THESE ARENAS; AND OLDTIMERS USED TO BOAST THAT IT WAS COLDER INSIDE THAN IT WAS OUT. THAT'S WHEN WE HIT LOWS OF THIRTY BELOW "F." FOR US, HALF FROZEN LADS, THE "F" HAD "HOLY" AND "IT'S COLD" ATTACHED. SOME OF THOSE ICE PALACES, IN MUSKOKA, WERE IN VILLAGES LIKE BALA, PORT CARLING, MACTIER, AND BAYSVILLE.

     NOW IMAGINE, IF YOU CAN, SITTING FOR TWO AND A HALF PERIODS OF PLAY, IN A PLAYOFF GAME, AND JUST AS YOUR TEAM TAKES THE LEAD, WITH TEN MINUTES LEFT ON THE CLOCK, THE STARTING GOALTENDER GETS A VILE CASE OF THE TROTS. THE JIMMY-JAMS. DIARREA. NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THE GUY, WITHOUT A MASK, AND A WILD LOOK IN HIS EYES, IS SKATING TOWARD THE DRESSING ROOM DOOR, AND THE COACH IS LOOKING DOWN THE BENCH FOR A REPLACEMENT. IN NINETY-NINE PERCENT OF THE CASES, AT THIS POINT IN PLAY, NO BACK-UP GOALIE WANTS TO BE CALLED INTO THE GAME. IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT, MAYBE A LITTLE EARLIER IN THE GAME, ESPECIALLY IF THE STARTING NETMINDER HAD BEEN POUNDED, AND THE SCORE WAS EIGHT TO ONE, OR SOMETHING SIMILAR. A COLD GOALIE DOESN'T WANT THAT KIND OF PRESSURE. "OKAY, CURRIE, YOU'RE IN!" I CAN'T POSSIBLY PRINT SOME OF THE REBUTTALS TO THAT STATEMENT, MADE UNDER MY BREATH. THE PROBLEM IS, "A SHORTAGE OF MOJO." THE MOJO FOR ME, NEVER CAME BACK, IN THE FIVE MINUTE WARM-UP. WORSE THING, WAS WHEN MY GIRLFRIEND WAS IN THE STANDS. IT'S A STATUS THING TO GET THE NOD, BUT IF IN YOUR HEART, YOU HAVE TO ADMIT A MOJO SHORTFALL, ALL YOU CAN WISH FOR, IS THAT THE OPPOSITION NEVER ACTUALLY TAKES A SHOT ON NET. A BACK-UP GOALIE KNOWS HOW TO GET IT BACK QUICKLY, BUT THAT DEPENDS ON THE FIRST SHOTS, AND HOW THEY ARE HANDLED. I'VE HAD GAMES, WHEN I NEVER GOT UP TO SPEED, AND WATCHED FIVE OR MORE GOALS HIT THE MESH. IT'S GREAT THEN, TO LOOK UP TO THE STANDS, AND WATCH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER, SHARING POPCORN, AND SUNDRY OTHER AFFECTIONS, WITH ONE OF MY CONTEMPORARIES. NOW IF I MADE FOUR OR FIVE IMPOSSIBLE SAVES, AND THE CROWD WAS CHEERING, MY GAL PAL WOULD PROBABLY THWART THE ADVANCES OF MY BUDDIES, AND BE TELLING ALL THOSE AROUND HER, THAT THE IRON MAN BETWEEN THE PIPES, WAS HER BOYFRIEND. BUT I'LL TELL YOU, IN SPORTS, LOSING YOUR MOJO IS DANGEROUS BUSINESS. AT MY LOWEST POINTS, WAS WHEN I'D GET HURT. FOR SOME REASON, MOJO HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH ADRENELIN SURGES, AND WHEN HYPED-UP, EVEN IF I TOOK A SLAPSHOT IN THE THROAT, I'D BE ABLE TO BRUSH IT OFF, AS JUST THE RIGORS OF THE GAME. EVEN A BOUNCING SHOT, COULD INJURE THE MOJO-LESS GOALIE. SO IN TERMS OF BOOK HUNTING PROWESS, IT TAKES A LOT OF MOJO TO DO IT RIGHT. YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE MOOD, LIKE AN ARTIST IN HIS STUDIO, OR A WRITER POSED AT THE KEYBOARD. OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF STARING GOING ON, AND MISSED OPPORTUNITIES PASSING BY, DAY IN, DAY OUT!

     FOR FIVE YEARS, I WOULD ONLY BRUSH BY THE BOOK SECTION OF CHARITY SHOPS, AND FLEA MARKETS; AND SELDOM IF EVER, PUT MY HEAD IN BOXES OF BOOKS AND PAPER, AT AUCTIONS OR YARD SALES. AT ONE TIME, IT WAS MY RECOGNIZABLE TRAIT, AMONGST MY PEERS IN THE ANTIQUE PROFESSION. FOLKS COULD RECOGNIZE ME BY THE EXTENSION OF MY ASS IN THE AIR, AND MY HEAD AND ARMS THRASHING ABOUT IN A BOX. "HI TED, I KNEW IT WAS YOU!" SO I THEN ENTERED THIS "BOOK HATER" PHASE, AND I FOUND IT EASY TO WALK BY THESE SAME BOXES, THAT HAD ONCE HELD ME SPELLBOUND; WITHOUT NARY A TWINGE OF CURIOSITY ABOUT WHAT WAS INSIDE. ANTIQUE DEALERS, IN SHOPS WE USED TO VISIT, WOULD TRY TO SELL ME SOME OLD BOOKS THEY WERE TRYING TO UNLOAD, FOR VERY GOOD PRICES, BUT I JUST WASN'T IN THE MOOD. IT WASN'T THE CASE I WOULDN'T BUY BOOKS, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO APPEAR TO ME, IN CONVENIENT LOCATIONS, AND AT ACCEPTABLE HEIGHTS, SO THAT THE WORK TO GET THEM WASN'T TOO AMBITIOUS. THIS IS THE DIRE STRAITS FOR ANY COLLECTOR, BECAUSE THE ONE WAY TO BOOST MOJO, IS TO TREASURE HUNT, AND TO DO IT PROFITABLY, MEANS CONSIDERABLE PHYSICAL EXERTION. A DEALER NEVER WALKS BY A BOX OF OLD BOOKS, WITHOUT FEELING THE NECESSITY TO BEND OVER, AND DIG INTO THE CONTENTS.    MY FIVE YEAR HIATUS, FROM ACTIVE BOOK SLEUTHING, CAN BE PARALLELED TO RETIRING FROM HOCKEY FOR THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, MAKING A COME-BACK. THE COME-BACK CAN ONLY HAPPEN, IN THE PROFESSIONAL SENSE, WHEN THERE'S A CHANCE OF RENEWING ONE'S MOJO. IT'S NOT THAT IT MAKES US SEXY "INDIANA JONES" TYPES, BUT IT DEFINITELY PUTS ADVENTURE BACK INTO THE MIX. THESE ADVENTURES CAN BE SURPRISINGLY WEIRD AND EXOTIC, AND TRUTH IS, IT'S WHAT I CRAVE THE MOST; AN ARM'S LENGTH AWAY FROM SAME OLD, SAME OLD. BEFORE THE CRYPT-KEEPER COMES AFTER ME, I WANT TO FULFILL SOME LONG-AWAITED OPPORTUNITIES, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE ANTIQUE AND VINTAGE BOOK TRADE, CAN GET PRETTY EXCITING, AND A LITTLE CUT-THROAT, UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES. IMAGINE IF KING TUT HAD BEEN BURIED WITH A LIBRARY OF HIS FAVORITE BOOKS. MY HOLY GRAIL. THERE'S SOMETHING ENCHANTING, TO BE IN THE COMPANY OF REALLY OLD BOOKS; THE READABLE DUST OF AGES.

     IT'S BASICALLY, AND WITHOUT EMBELLISHMENT, THE PLACE WHERE I FIND MYSELF TODAY. I'M A BOOKSTORE SHY OF BEING AN OLD BOOK DEALER. WHILE I HAVE SEVERAL THOUSAND BOOKS, HERE AT OUR GRAVENHURST SHOP, I AM EMBARKING ON AN ENTERPRISE, TO BUILD IT INTO SOMETHING MUCH LARGER AND MORE DIVERSE, WITH A HEAVY CANADIANA THEME. I'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT I'VE GOT THE TIME. THE FIRST STEP OF THIS, WAS TO BUILD A LARGE COLLECTION OF VINTAGE AND COLLECTABLE COOKBOOKS, FOR SUZANNE'S "COOKERY NOOKERY," WHICH IS ONE ROOM OVER FROM WHERE I KEEP MY VINTAGE BOOKS. HER COLLECTION IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT WE HAVE DONE WELL IN JUST OVER ONE YEAR, SINCE BEGINNING THE DRIVE TO BUILD A SMALL BUT DYNAMIC LIBRARY. TWO YEARS FROM NOW, I PREDICT WE WILL HAVE FIVE THOUSAND COOKBOOKS. FOR ME, I'D LIKE TO HIT TEN THOUSAND BOOKS, MOSTLY CANADIANA, DUE TO SPACE RESTRICTIONS. IT WILL DEPEND ON HOW GOOD I AM, IN THE BOOK HUNT, AS TO WHETHER I CAN MEASURE UP TO MY OWN AMBITIONS. I HAVE APPRENTICED WITH SOME HIGHLY SKILLED BOOK AND PAPER COLLECTORS, SO I KNOW WHERE TO START, AND HOW TO JUDGE MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS. BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE LONGER TO RE-FUEL MY MOJO, WHICH I LET DIMINISH, BECAUSE OF OTHER ANTIQUE INTERESTS. I WANT TO GIVE GRAVENHURST A SOLID, WELL APPOINTED OLD BOOK SHOP, THAT SCHOLARS WILL VISIT, AND HISTORIANS WILL TALK ABOUT, AND BIBLIOPHILES WILL FLOCK TO, OUT OF PASSION AND OBSESSION. AS I DIDN'T JUMP ONTO THE ICE, AND HEAD FOR THE NET, THINKING I WAS GOING TO COST THE TEAM A VICTORY, I AM HEADING INTO THIS NEW PHASE OF AN OLD BUSINESS, DETERMINED TO INSPIRE MYSELF ONE FIND AT A TIME. HOPE YOU WILL COME FOR A VISIT, AND FIND OUT WHY I CALL IT MY "HAUNTED BOOKSHOP."

DAVE BROWN AND THE AUCTION COMPETITION - DAVE 1 HISTORICAL SOCIETY 0.

SOMETIMES AUCTIONS BRING OUT THE BEAST WITHIN

I WOULD HAVE PAID DAVE BROWN TO MENTOR ME IN THE FIELD OF ANTIQUES AND COLLECTING IN GENERAL. I WOULD HAVE OFFERED HIM FOLDING MONEY, LOTS OF IT, TO LET US KNOW HOW TO BE THE BEST BOOK COLLECTORS, THE MOST PROFICIENT ANTIQUE HUNTERS, THE MOST THOROUGH HISTORIANS, AND HOW WE COULD IMPROVE OUR ACQUISITION TECHNIQUES. I ADMIRED HIM THAT MUCH! IT WAS UNDERSTOOD, HOWEVER, THAT PAYMENT WAS ALWAYS THE SAME. A PLACE TO SLEEP ON TRAVELLING WEEKENDS, FOOD AND CONVERSATION. DESPITE WHAT DAVE MIGHT HAVE LED US TO BELIEVE TO THE CONTRARY, HE WAS OFTEN QUITE LONELY, AND JUST LOVED SOCIAL OCCASIONS TO TALK ABOUT LIFE AND TIMES. MOSTLY HIS. I DIDN'T MIND. THAT'S WHAT DINNER AND LODGING PAID FOR. ON MANY OCCASIONS I EXTENDED THE LENGTH OF DAY JUST TO GET ONE MORE HOUR OF CONVERSATION OUT OF DAVE, BECAUSE HIS STORIES WERE FABULOUS. AS HE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE SAID…..I DIDN'T HEAR IT THOUGH, "NEVER LET FACT GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY." DAVE NEEDED US, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATED HIS COMPANY. I'M PRETTY SURE HE KNEW I WAS STUDYING HIS STORIES, LIKE A UNIVERSITY STUDENT HANGING ONTO THE WORDS OF AN ECCENTRIC PROFESSOR…….NOT SURE WHAT IT ALL MEANS, BUT NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES; EVEN THE CRAZY STUFF, WILL PROBABLY FIT SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW IN THE FINAL BIG PUZZLE OF THE "BIOGRAPHY."

DAVE BROWN DIDN'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT MY FEELINGS. IF HE THOUGHT, AS A COLLECTOR, OR AN HISTORIAN, I WAS MISSING THE MARK, OR MISINFORMED, HE LET IT BE KNOWN. I GREW UP THROUGH THE MINOR SPORTS PROGRAMS IN THIS PROVINCE, AND I WAS PRETTY USED TO HOCKEY AND BASEBALL COACHES BERATING ME FOR SWINGING AT A BALL, AND LETTING IN A FLUKE……I WAS A GOALIE IN HOCKEY, AND THE COACH USED TO CALL ME "FUNNEL". I HAD SUGGESTED THIS, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT MY PARENTS HEARING HIM CALL ME "SIEVE," WHEN SCREAMING FROM THE BENCH. I WASN'T A BAD GOALIE OR A POOR BALL PLAYER, BUT WE ALL GOT YELLED AT BACK THEN, AS THERE WAS NO POLITICAL CORRECTNESS OR SENSITIVITY AWARENESS POLICIES. AS WITH MR. BROWN, HE CALLED IT THE WAY HE SAW IT. WITH ME, I HOPE HE THOUGHT I WAS A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH, BECAUSE HE REALLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO SHAPE ME UP FOR THE BIG LEAGUES OF COLLECTING. AS HE HAD APPOINTED ME HIS BIOGRAPHER, JUST BEFORE HE DIED, HE HAD A SERIOUS AND VESTED INTEREST, IN MY EDUCATION IN THE FIELD OF OLD BOOKS ETC. SO, WITHOUT FEELING THAT BEING PUT-DOWN BY THE EXPERT WAS A BAD THING, I LISTENED AND MADE COPIOUS NOTES ABOUT OUR DISCUSSIONS.

NOW, THIS DOES NOT MEAN I AGREED WITH HIS STRATEGIES, OR HIS METHODS, BECAUSE I DIDN'T. I STILL NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM, AND HOW I COULD CIRCUMVENT, TO HANDLE IT DIFFERENTLY, WITH MORE SENSITIVITY, AND ACHIEVE SOMEWHAT THE SAME RESULTS. IF YOU THINK THIS IS A LONG-WINDED INTRODUCTION TO THE STORY, BELIEVE ME IT IS REQUIRED. DAVE COULD TIP-TOE THE ETHICS BETWEEN HONESTY AND DISHONESTY LIKE A RAZOR-THIN TIGHT ROPE……AND NEVER LOSE HIS FOOTING…..BUT ALWAYS LEAVING THAT FAINT IMPRESSION SOMETHING WASN'T QUITE RIGHT. WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS ETHICAL, TO ME, WASN'T ALWAYS SO. FOR EXAMPLE, HE HATED HISTORICAL SOCIETIES…..NOT BECAUSE OF THE WORK THEY DID CONSERVING HERITAGE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT BECAUSE THEY ATTRACTED, IN HIS MIND, A COLLECTION OF "KNOBS," AND "THE FRIENDS OF KNOBS." NOW WE HAD AN IMMEDIATE CONFLICT, SORT OF, BECAUSE I WAS THE FOUNDER OF ONE OF THESE ONTARIO REGIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES. IN THE WINTER OF 1978 I SET ABOUT TO ESTABLISH THE BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AS THE FIRST STEP IN SAVING AN OCTAGONAL SHAPED HOME, IN TOWN, FOR A NEW COMMUNITY MUSEUM……WHICH ACTUALLY OCCURRED A FEW YEARS LATER. I WAS ONLY A SMALL COMPONENT OF THIS, AND A FUTURE PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY, BUT STILL IT PUT ME ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH DAVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARGUED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE OF PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF ARTIFACTS AND PAPER ARCHIVES, AND PUBLIC STEWARDSHIP. DAVE WAS FOR "PRIVATE IS BEST"……ON LOAN, WORKS FOR EVERYONE.  HE WAS PRETTY SURE OF HIMSELF, IN THIS REGARD, SO THE STORY I'M ABOUT TO RELATE WILL MAKE SOME SENSE.

IT WAS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE ON THE AUCTION CIRCUIT, IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO, THAT DAVE BROWN WOULD BE IN ATTENDANCE TO BID ON HISTORICALLY RELEVANT BOOKS AND ARTIFACTS, ALSO BEING THE CHOICE ITEMS OF THE LOCAL OR REGIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES. THEY ALL KNEW DAVE. TO SAY THEY LOATHED THE MAN IS QUITE CORRECT, BUT GENERALLY, IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT, HE MOST DEFINITELY LOATHED THEM. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PREVIOUS CONFLICTS DAVE USED TO TALK ABOUT, THAT TAINTED HIS OPINION OF CERTAIN MUSEUMS, AND THE CORRESPONDING HERITAGE SOCIETIES THAT OFTEN PROVIDED THEIR ADMINISTRATION. HE COULD GET ALONG WITH CURATORS AND SOME DIRECTORS, BUT WHEN IT WAS A FORCE AGAINST HIM AT AN AUCTION SALE, HE MADE IT A PERSONAL WAR TO OUT PLAY THEM.

THERE WAS A PARTICULAR AUCTION, TOWARD THE END OF HIS LIFE, WHERE THIS PLAYED OUT BEAUTIFULLY. I WOULD HAVE GLADLY PAID, TO HAVE SAT IN THE GALLERY, WATCHING THE PRE-AUCTION HUSTLING OF SOCIETY MEMBERS, AND DAVE BROWN, SCREWING WITH THE BOXES OF OLD BOOKS AS PART OF THE ESTATE SALE. SO HERE'S WHAT THE CONFLICT WAS OVER. OF ABOUT THIRTY OR MORE BOXES OF OLD AND SOME RARE BOOKS, THERE WERE SOME IMPORTANT REGIONAL HISTORIES SCATTERED OVER THE COLLECTION, STREWN ON A SECTION OF LAWN; BOOKS THAT WOULD BE SOLD OFF SOME TIME IN THE AFTERNOON. IT WAS A BIG SALE. WHAT ANGERED DAVE, WAS THAT THE "OLD FARTS" FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WERE TAKING THE BOOKS THEY WANTED, AND BUILDING A "SUPER BOX," OF ALL THE ONES THEY WISHED TO PURCHASE THAT DAY. NOW WHAT THAT MEANT TO DAVE, WAS THAT THEY HAD JUST ENOUGH MONEY, TO MAKE A GOOD STAB AT WINNING THAT ONE BOX, WHICH WOULD CONTAIN POTENTIALLY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF REGIONAL MATERIAL. HE DIDN'T WANT THE SOCIETY UNLOADING THEIR SPENDING LIMIT ON ONE BOX, BECAUSE HE WAS INHERENTLY FRUGAL…..CHEAP. VERY CHEAP. SO HE WOULD GO BACK, AND CHANGE ALL THE BOOKS THE SOCIETY HAD BROUGHT TO ONE BOX, BACK WHERE THEY ALL CAME FROM…..A RATHER PAINSTAKING TASK.

"OH THEY WERE WATCHING ME TED," HE SAID. "EVERY TIME I MOVED THE BOOKS BACK TO THE BOXES THEY HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM, ONE OF THE MEMBERS WOULD REVERSE IT BACK AGAIN, SO THEY COULD BID ON ONE BOX INSTEAD OF THE LOT." IN THEIR OPINION, DAVE WOULD HAVE HAD MORE CAPABILITY OF OUT-BIDDING THEM ON A BOX BY BOX BASIS, VERSUS HAVING ONE SUPER COLLECTION OF BOOKS IN ONE NEAT AND TIDY CONTAINER. DAVE WAS WAY AHEAD OF THEM, AND HE KEPT REVERSING THE BOOKS, EVERY TIME THEY'D MAKE THE CHANGES. "THEY WERE GETTING MAD," HE SAID. "WE MUST HAVE DONE THIS BACK AND FORTH THING FIVE OR SIX TIMES, BEFORE I FINALLY GOT FED UP AND WENT TO TALK TO THE AUCTIONEER." FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW SOME OF THE PREVAILING AUCTION PROTOCOLS, THE AUCTIONEER COULD HAVE SOLD THE BOXES "ON CHOICE," WHICH IS DIFFERENT OF COURSE, THAN HOLDING THE BOXES UP INDIVIDUALLY, AND HIGHLIGHTING THE CONTENTS. THE SOCIETY WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED THIS TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE DRAWN MORE BIDDERS TO THE "SUPER BOX," AND THUSLY A MORE SIGNIFICANT BIDDING COMPETITION. THIS IS TIME CONSUMING. SO IT'S TO BE EXPECTED, THAT THE AUCTIONEER, WOULD SELL ON CHOICE, AND THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT BOX WAS "STACKED." THE FLY IN THE OINTMENT, SO TO SPEAK, WAS THE FACT DAVE WAS WATCHING CLOSELY, AND THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE WAS NO LONGER A FACTOR IN THE SALE. DAVE MADE IT HIS BUSINESS TO WATCH THEM, EVEN IF HE STOOD AT THE BACK, AND LOOKED THROUGH THE ARMS AND LEGS OF THE CROWD IN FRONT.

WHEN THEY SAW THAT DAVE HAD LEFT THE SCENE OF THE "BOOK SWITCHING CAPER," THEY WENT TO WORK ONE LAST TIME, TO GET THEMSELVES ALL THE BOOKS THEY WANTED IN THAT ONE SPECIAL BOX. DAVE KNEW THEY WOULD. HE ALSO PREDICTED, THAT WHEN THE AUCTIONEER TOOK A COFFEE BREAK, SO WOULD THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. AND HE WAS RIGHT.

SO HERE'S THE SCENE THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBERS GOT TO SEE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. MR. BROWN LOADING HIS RED PICK-UP TRUCK WITH ALL THE BOXES OF BOOKS THAT HAD BEEN PUT UP FOR AUCTION AT THAT ESTATE SALE. EVERY BOX, EVERY BOOK, EVERY HISTORIC PIECE OF PAPER, WAS INCLUDED IN THAT JOB-BLOT OF PRINT HERITAGE.

Well sir, what a scene that must have been. "What are you doing with those boxes," they demanded, of the portly little man, with dirty t-shirt and shorts….and really big running shoes. 'Well, I'm loading the books I just bought, onto my truck…..is that okay?" "What do you mean, your books," questioned the officials of the local heritage group…..most standing with stunned looks etched on their sunburnt faces. "Go and ask the auctioneer….I just purchased these books while you people were having coffee."

What was trademark David Brown, was that he had reached a point of frustration with the society members doctoring the boxes, and decided to call a favor of a friend….a long time buddy, the auctioneer, asking if he could please sell off the books as soon as possible, because he had to attend another event that day. Dave was a huge buyer of books at these auctions, and auctioneers knew he'd remove them all, leaving none behind at the end of the day. He was an asset to them. (They would otherwise have to deal with the left over items themselves). I've used this excuse about a dozen times in the past, and it has never failed to work as intended. They don't want to lose my cash contribution to the sale, so they are usually willing to bend if the audience approves. So the auctioneer agreed, told the audience in front, what the next auction lot would be, and without moving more than a few feet, started the bidding. He wasn't the only bidder, and it probably cost him quite a bit of money, but the boxes were not sold "on choice" as the society had hoped would be the case. So he got all thirty odd boxes, and the members of the historical society were left to "hiss" in unison, at the bad, bad, bad bibliophile who had, in their minds, pulled a fast one. If only it ended there.

Dave knew the books that were in that auction. There may have been thirty boxes of old books, but there were only about five exceptional texts, amongst what the society had wanted to purchase. One of the five was missing when he got home. I can imagine he let out a Homer Simpsonesque "doah!!!", when he realized it had been removed from the collection. In about a month's time, he made a point of going to the local museum that had been represented by the historical society, and when he went to look at their archives collection of regional books, he found the copy that had gone missing. He didn't accost them, didn't make a fuss, never called a cop, a lawyer, or had any kind of reaction to the folks who ran the museum. What it did, for him, was justify his actions at the auction, and made it a personal mantra thereafter, to have nothing to do with historical societies. All kind of crazy stuff, but this is not uncommon behavior amongst the vested interests, who attend auctions and estate sales. The auctioneer was doing what he was supposed to do……looking out for the client he was representing, and regarding customer service to be of the utmost importance. Just because the historical society was out of earshot, when the announcement of an order change was made, didn't mean there was any slight of protocol on his part. Dave played fair. He asked a question…..that in his mind was the same as a favor, and put the jockeying for position to rest. This was the way Dave acted for decades, to get what he wanted out on the antique hustings. He was a gentle man in most other ways, and a wonderful teacher to thousands of kids in Hamilton, but he was a champion at getting the big deals out there……and he outplayed many dealers and collectors with similar methodology.

There are those folks who go to auctions, and have no idea how rough it can get between competitors for important and valuable pieces. I've been with Dave at auctions, and he could lock-in like a heat seeking missile, when something of value was coming up. Friendship meant nothing at this point.

I confess to borrowing some of Dave's strategies for acquisition but I won't ever balance on the high wire……in that tippy-toe between honesty and dishonesty, because I don't ever take things that seriously, to wager a reputation on a box of old books. But none the less, I needed to see just how determined some collectors and dealers get out there, so that when I see them clench their teeth, while bidding against me, they're actually wishing I might vaporize, before I dare bid them up one more time.

It's hard to be a pacifist out there, and still come home with something for your efforts.