A week ago this evening saw me standing at a podium in front of 60 Friends of the University of Tulsa’s McFarlin library. I was there, for last June, Adrian Alexander, the McFarlin’s dean, and Marc Carlson, Head of McFarlin Special Collections, had invited me to speak to the group on the Workings of the Antiquarian Book Trade. I [obviously] accepted.
In case you were interested… taken from the Denver airport. Ouch!
Getting there was not without some trepidation… I flew out on Wednesday, through Denver, which at the time I landed, was reporting blowing snow, with visibility less than a quarter mile. Guess they’re used to such weather, for we got in and out with any big problems, only a short departure delay.
The next day dawned clear in Tulsa, and after a nice lunch with the McFarlin folks, I visited Special Collections, and while there had the opportunity to see their wonderful exhibit on comics in popular culture, Comic Books, Up Up and Away, an overview of American Comic Books. Which, in turn, reminded me that my collection of such [including Daredevil #1] went missing when I returned from my first semester in college…. wonder what that Daredevil would bring today?
From left to right: Adrian Alexander (Dean of the McFarlin Library) with his wife Nicole, Vic Zoschak of Tavistock Books in the middle, and Melinda & Mitch Adwon (President of the “Friends” group).
That personal musing aside, the evening was soon upon us, and it started with a convivial cocktail hour where all mingled, sipped wine & caught up with each other as people are wont to do at such events. A tasty lamb dinner followed [seriously, it was quite good, and when was the last time you could say that about a banquet dinner?]. Then it was my turn…
The Workings of the Antiquarian Book Trade… I started by quoting the old adage, “Want to make one million dollars by bookselling? Start with two.” For the next 45 minutes, I talked about various aspects of the trade, factors that give books commercial value (“Condition, condition, condition!”) and other mundane matters relevant to this quaint business of ours. My formal talk concluded with the traditional Q & A, and from the subsequent informal conversations, I infer the talk was well received.
“Murder by the Indians of a Mother and Ten Children”: A broadside acquired by the McFarlin Library (from Tavistock Books) in 2013, detailing the brutal torture and murder of William Bond’s family in Upper Louisiana, 1810. One of two copies known.
I’ll conclude this blog piece by saying that the one point I took considerable pains to convey that evening was the importance of groups such as the McFarlin Friends, by applauding their efforts in support of the library. I did this by talking of two [for all practical purposes] unique items that now reside in their library due to the Friends’ largesse (one of which can be seen to the left).
As to the Workings of the Antiquarian Book Trade… I can confidently say there would not be such a profession without institutions such as the McFarlin Library, and folks such as the McFarlin Friends.
My thanks to both for their hospitality last week.
– Vic Zoschak Jr., Proprietor, Tavistock Books
