He specialises in photographs of foreign countries and travel books about them - lots of Africa, Indian and Asia (Ukraine - Borneo and everything in between!). Really interesting job, lots of old and very rare things to see. Fair opened at 4 for the preview and I went home at 8:30. The clientele were quite extraordinary - perfectly prepared to spend tens of thousands of pounds on an old book but NOT ONE PENNY on dandruff shampoo. If I'd been a germaphobe I'd have to have showered every fifteen minutes. Some proper English eccentrics too which was also nice to see. One ex-military type barked at me 'Have you got anything on the area formerly known as Chinese Turkistan?' .... ummmmmmm?
I'm a huge fan of reading and a great lover of books so I'd always thought at the very back of my mind I'd get into rare book collecting. Now I'm not so sure. Believe me there were some EXTREMELY covetable things there. I loved the original Art Deco graphic leather covers for sets of books and a four volume set of an encyclopedia of animals including Hydras and other mythical creatures which was £322,000!!!!!! That was the problem - everything was insanely expensive. The four volume animal encyclopedia I get - its beautiful, 500 years old, in amazing condition and an actual physical bit of history. But I don't think that that should have a trickle down effect. Pablo was pricing something up for £680 and I was thinking 'Oh I guess that's not too bad, still a bit much but ... oh wait, he's adding another 0'.
It just seemed like books were worth what people were prepared to pay for them, everything is priced so high to try and skim off the one person crazy enough and rich enough to pay what they're asking. A leather bound, boxed, first edition set of His Dark Materials signed by Philip Pullman - covetable? YES! £12,333? No. Why are they worth that? Because other people want them? Hmmmm. Made me very disillusioned with the whole thing. I'd advise rebinding new books with exquisite covers, creating your own future valuables, rather than starting collecting in that market.
So the job was meant to go on for three days but I had a big bike accident cycling into work the next day. Van pulled out suddenly from a side street, in front of me, I had to brake really hard (admittedly I was FLYING along a busy street with no helmet), it had been raining and as I swerved to avoid him my bike went down. I smacked my head and landed heavily. Guy didn't even notice and drove off - the reason the accident happened was because he hadn't looked in the first place. Nice lady helped me up and looked after my bike while I went in Nero to examine my wounds. I decided I was in OK shape and cycled off to work. By the time I got there I had a bump the size of a grapefruit on my temple and was so confused I couldn't work out how to get into the exhibition. I couldn't work out how to get from outside to inside, the transition between the two realms made no sense to me. Obviously I was in great shape. So I called Pablo to come from his other stand and went to hospital in a taxi.
Ended up waiting FOREVER for a doctor (3/4 hours) while organising Henry and mum to cover work for me (saviours). By the time I got in there my bump had subsided and my shoulder had started to be the main source of discomfort. Had a few x-rays and the doctor thought I might have fractured my shoulder. Put me in a sling and sent me home with an appointment at the fracture clinic on Thursday. I don't think so, it really doesn't hurt any more and I've hardly worn the sling. I can get full range of motion without anything hurting or grinding so I really don't think its fractured. Still going on Thursday, just to be sure, of course. It might not be fractured but it sure ain't pretty:
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