Today in the studio we have an album of vacation photos from the 1890’s, taken by an anonymous but well traveled amateur photographer. Interest in collecting these sorts of vernacular photos has been increasing, in part because the work of well known photographers has become prohibitively expensive, but also because of their unstaged quality and fascinating candor. With these pictures we travel around the world, but also back in time, catching glimpses of everyday life at the edges of scenic vistas and tourist attractions. Come with us, on today’s #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #45 - John Ledyard's Voyages
He voyaged with Captain Cook, escaped from college via canoe, and attempted to walk across Russia. But, most importantly for our purposes, he also wrote a plain looking, easily discarded book, some volumes of which contain an extremely valuable map. He's John Ledyard, the most interesting New England character you've never heard of and the author of Captain Cook's Voyages, the book we should all be scouring yard sales for!
Brattlecast #42 - 23 Questions
What makes a book valuable? Is it age? Scarcity? How old is an old book? Which souvenir reprints consistently trick people into thinking they've got a million dollar antique on their hands? Are public libraries good? What unassuming volume does Ken ravenously hunger and thirst for? If I spill a glass of fruit punch on my book, is it cool to dry it off in the microwave? Answers to most of these questions and more, from Ken and a little pamphlet called 'Your Old Books'.
Brattlecast #15 - Fair is Fair
What better place to spend a weekend than at your local book fair? Books, antiques, photographs, authors, you never know what you'll find! Ken talks about how to make the most of a a book fair, and what their future might hold.