
Transcriber’s Notes:
RAISON D’ÊTRE
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
REFLECTIONS
FIRST COURSE Grandfather Clocks and Old Furniture
SECOND COURSE Old Pewter
THIRD COURSE Old Brass and Copper
FOURTH COURSE Old Mortars
FIFTH COURSE Old Pottery
SIXTH COURSE Old China
A witty, illustrated tour through the world of amateur collecting, this book invites listeners to wander the attic, the market stall, and the dusty shop‑front of curiosity itself. The author weaves personal memories—from choir‑boy days among medieval ruins to unexpected bargains on overlooked figurines—into a gentle guide that balances humor with thoughtful observations. Each half‑tone illustration punctuates the narrative, making the experience feel like a tactile stroll among treasures.
Beyond anecdotes, the writer probes why people collect, questioning whether the habit is innate or shaped by chance encounters and early impressions. He offers candid reflections on honesty, barter, and the unexpected generosity that can surface in a community of like‑minded enthusiasts. Listeners will come away with a renewed curiosity and a gentle encouragement to start, share, or simply appreciate their own small assemblages.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (216K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Chris Curnow, Elisa and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
Jul 31, 2015
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

A lively early-20th-century writer on antiques and everyday treasures, remembered for turning the hobby of collecting into something thoughtful, practical, and fun. His best-known book invites readers to look at old objects not just as possessions, but as pieces of history with stories to tell.
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