A Collector’s Lot

[Carol the Dabbler]

27 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

Yeah, I worry when the baby I have now gives out, I won't be able to figure out how to drive the new models. My Echo is 20 this year, and she's been a peach. Not a single bell or whistle on her, I love it.

 

There's a car called Echo?  I take it that's the model, not the manufacturer, but I don't recall ever hearing of it (and an internet search was no help).

 

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[Arcadia]

Toyota, they only made them for about 5 years, I think. Too bad, it's been the best car I've ever owned. 40 mpg, low maintenance, huge trunk for my art show supplies, comfortable seats. As I said, a peach.

[Carol the Dabbler]

They apparently don't make Tercels any more either.  We used to have two of those (an '86 wagon and a '91 sedan), but now it's the '91 and the '06 Matrix (Corolla hatchback) that I mentioned.  They make good cars, at any rate.  Even if the engine goes, they're worth repairing -- it's cheaper than buying another car.

[Arcadia]

Yeah, my parents' Camry lasted almost thirty years, until my crazy sis-in-law drove it into the ground and abandoned it. *sigh*

[Caya]

Note from Carol the Dabbler:  I'm combining a new thread into this one for the simple reason that (unlike the last few pages) it's actually ON TOPIC!!!    Here's the original post:

 

19 hours ago, Occasional Irregular said:

Over 55 years, (since I was 20)  I have accumulated a lot of books and other sherlockiana.  Since no one in my family is interested  ,'I'd like to know where to find either a market, or at least a good home for the accumulation.  I do not have a current inventory.  It is mostly modern parodies/pastiches, but some rarer stuff.  At least 50 original BSJ's, The Hound in shorthand, for use in teaching shorthand,  and stuff like that.  Can anyone point me in the right direction(s)?

... and here's Caya's response:

Hello Occasional Irregular and welcome to the forum!  

Unfortunately, I have to admit that I, for one, can't help you, but we have some bona fide Holmesians on the forum and I'm sure one of them will be along shortly. Meanwhile, you are from the US, right? Asking because it might help to clarify if you are looking for a home for your collection in the US as well or if you would be willing to ship it overseas if need be?

Sad to hear that your family doesn't share your passion. If you want to chat about all things Baker Street-related, we'd be happy if you stuck around.

[Artemis]

I don’t know if this is the kind of thing you were looking for, but the University of Minnesota is currently home to the world’s largest Sherlock Holmes collection.  You might consider contacting them and donating, if there’s mutual interest.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Hello, Occasional Irregular, and welcome to Sherlock Forum! 

I'm in somewhat the same boat as you, though as more of an acquirer than a collector as such.  For example, I have my father's complete set of Perry Mason novels (three boxes full!).  Although I loved Raymond Burr's television series, I haven't really been able to get into the books, and nobody that I've contacted so far seems to want them either.  I may eventually donate them to a local Friends of the Library used-book sale -- though I hope they'd let me specify that the set be kept together.

Good luck with your search -- and keep us posted, OK?

[Arcadia]

Do any of you have "used book" stores in your area? We have 2-3, they're fabulous. You don't get a whole lot for your books (usually you're offered either cash or trade-in value, which is higher) but at least you don't have to throw them out. I've found it's a great way to slim down my collection ... I usually go for the trade-in value, which means I'll take in 20 books and come home with 1 or 2 new ones and a couple CDs. 

Of course, due to the virus shut down, now might not be a good time to try it, but you might want to start looking to see if you have such a place near you.

I suppose another option is contacting one of the booksellers on eBay, but I wouldn't know how to go about it.

[Carol the Dabbler]

3 hours ago, Arcadia said:

Do any of you have "used book" stores in your area? We have 2-3, they're fabulous. You don't get a whole lot for your books (usually you're offered either cash or trade-in value, which is higher) but at least you don't have to throw them out.

In my rather limited experience, one is better off taking older books to an independent used-book store, rather than a chain.  Some years back (when we were getting ready to move back from California) I sold a huge box of books to a local store, and though I didn't get much for them, I was pleased to see a few days later that their entire window display was my books.  So they were obviously being appreciated.

Whereas last year I took six or eight boxes of my late parents' books to a Half-Price Books outlet, and they didn't even want but two of them -- not two of the boxes, TWO BOOKS (for which they gave me a dollar apiece).  They had also sorted out a stack that they thought could be donated somewhere, but the vast majority of them they merely offered to recycle.  Heresy!!!

These were books I'm sure a lot of people would find interesting.  They were clearly old, but in good shape.  I chose to take quite a few of them home with me, so now they're sitting in my kitchen.  Maybe I'll take them to a little hole-in-the-wall used-book store I know of.  The place has just a touch of a musty smell, so they're clearly not real snooty about what they'll accept.

Back to my father's complete set of Perry Mason novels -- does anyone know if there's a Perry Mason club, analogous to the various Holmes clubs, or a Perry Mason newsletter?  Maybe I could place an ad.

 

[Artemis]

Most libraries will accept used book donations as well.

I tried Half-Price once, wouldn’t do it again.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

18 minutes ago, Artemis said:

Most libraries will accept used book donations as well.

Right, they want them for their Friends of the Library fundraiser sale.  I'm considering that for at least some of my parents' books -- just trying to figure out what would give them the best chance of ending up with someone who really wants them, rather than "Oh what the heck, it's only a couple bucks."