Sunday, November 13, 2022

Red Letter Day

Gotta say that yesterday was a red-letter day for this local history nerd. 

I have been searching for an affordable copy of “Pig-Tail Days in Old Seattle” by Sofie Frye Bass for years.  Typically, decent 3rd edition copies go for over $100 with 1st edition copies in good condition between $250 and $350.  All out of my price range.  So, when I saw a copy for $40 I figured that it must be a beater.  That is the cheapest I had ever seen this book so hoping for the best but expecting the worst I ordered it,  

The description read “A nice hardcover with a missing dust jacket, a tight binding and an unmarked text.  1937 Former owner’s inscription.  From a private smoke free collection”. 

Yeah, well, we’ll see what $40 buys me.  I can only check this out of the library so many times, you know, and I really need it in my local history collection.

So, when it showed up a week before expected I was pleased and tentatively opened the package hoping that I wouldn’t be too disappointed.  To my surprise the book was in near-perfect condition sans the dust cover.  Clean with a nice tight binding.  

Opening the cover I saw that the appraiser had mistaken the author's signature for the "Former owner" as it read Sophie Frye Bass.



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