Stories About Books

Libraries reveal what is between the covers, and what motivates and moves a reader

By Ralph Finch

In 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! But I digress. Let’s go back to books, libraries, and the antiques hobby.

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.*

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

were published by Ralph and Terry Kovel of Cleveland.

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.

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

Target!, the Journal for Collectors of Antique Target Balls.

And bottle-related stuff: trade cards, advertising, specific glasshouses or specific glass people.

The bibles are all there, back to the first fruit jar publications, from Arleta Rodrigues to Alice Creswick to Douglas Leybourne (and Jerry McCann, too).

And the “glass godfathers and godmothers”: Ken Wilson, Helen and George McKearin, Dick Watson …

And all the auction catalogs from the major sales: Gardner, Blaske, Roy Brown, Burt Spiller and on and on.

But it is comfortable to have them around, like when collectors are chatting and ask, “When did such-and-such flask sell? At what auction, and for how much?” You walk over to the shelf and find the answer.

Maybe the bottle sold at a Skinner auction, or a Heckler event, or one of Hagenbuch’s Glass Works sales, or John Pastor’s AGG offerings, or even back to one of the Harmer-Rooke sales in New York City. Finding the answer and sharing it adds to the hobby’s camaraderie.

Nice.

Hmmmm. I was always aware I had a lot of stuff, but…

Recently, I was exchanging emails with my “pen-pal,” Terry Kovel, the Cleveland queen of antiques publishing, more books and articles than I can count. My 1,000 hobby articles are but a tiny fraction of what she has written/published. And, at age 94, Terry still loves the hobby.

Terry recently revealed, “Did I ever tell you I have 22,000 books here in my research library, all about antiques and collecting, including shelves of bottle magazines and books. Hiding somewhere is my catalog from the Gardener sale. We went to the auction.” Enjoy and share your information. Knowing about the hobby’s past and present make the future even more enjoyable.

To throw a book at Ralph, email rfinch@ twmi.rr.com

TOP: One corner of one bookcase, with glass and collectible references. ABOVE: About one half of the material I gathered for researching the world of early target and exhibition shooting.

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