Stories About Books Libraries reveal what is between the covers, and what motivates and moves a reader By Ralph Finch
I
n the August issue of AB&GC, Kevin Sives revealed what the many books on his shelves meant to him, and of how they made him a better collector, and a happier collector. Indeed, people who don’t have libraries won’t really understand what they are missing. People who write, or read, can tell you how words on paper can come alive, inspire you and educate you. And, trust me, I was late to enter the world of reading or writing. It would make for an interesting story (but I admit I’m biased) to interview every writer, or even just someone with a library large or small, and ask them what was the first book that inspired them, or their favorite book. For me, it was Mark Twain and as teenager, late at night with a flashlight, reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (published in 1885). As an adult it was discovering the adventures in James Clavell’s Shogun, published in 1975. It was an incredible 1,152-page book and the only disappointment was knowing that each page turned was taking me one page closer to the end. (It was the story of John Blackthorne, around 1600, the first Englishman to reach Japan.) Later, it was Middlesex, revealing the experiences of a man born as a girl, whose memory not only took him back to his birth but before that!
32
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
But I digress. Let’s go back to books, libraries, and the antiques hobby.
were published by Ralph and Terry Kovel of Cleveland.
As I said, I was a retarded adolescent reader, but becoming a journalist merged with being a collector, so that by the time I retired to my current condo I had wallto-wall bookshelves and display cases. The total project cost more than my first home (which was a jewel, by the way.) There are eight glass display cases and 17 built-in bookcases plus maybe eight freestanding bookcases.*
But there are whole sections of bookcases dealing with: movies and actors; travel (around the world and across the U.S., and especially about London); U.S. history, especially presidents; war, from centuries back involving our problems with King George on up.
My favorite free-standing bookcase is the one next to our bed, and contains forty unread books. Why unread? There are times when well-meaning friends force a book on you — “You must read this” — and won’t take no for an answer. Finally, I accept the book and tell them “It’ll be put on the bookcase next to the bed.” (Heck, I haven’t read a book in bed since Huck Finn.) And while I have given away hundreds and hundreds of books, my shelves are stacked with books, magazines, auction catalogs and … trust me, the volume of it (pardon the pun) causes Janet to make me promise that I will somehow get rid of some of this stuff. There are so many books on collectibles: toys (so many types), dolls, dishes, knives, mouse traps, carousel horses, folk art, porcelain, kitchenalia, tools, scientific items, buttons, etc., etc. And so many of them
And world history. England and big on China and the whole Far East. Japan has its own, and large, section. Like Kevin, glass bottles take the lion’s share (and somewhat glass-related, such as Pure Ketchup, the history of … well, you make the leap). That book, three copies, one hard bound, one soft bound, and one signed by the author. In fact, the ketchups are always within reach in case a quick ketchup question arises. Or lunch. But pure glass takes the lion’s share: marbles, European glass, fruit jars, historic flasks, bitters, beer, etc., etc. And bottles related to specific areas, like Western stuff, or New England glass or even specific cities. And glass publications. Many of Alan Blakeman’s issues of the BBR are here, along with many of the first bottle monthlies: The OBX, (the Old Bottle Magazine), Jerry McCann’s ABW (Antique Bottle World), every issue of the AB&GC, and my personal fave, On
