2 weeks Ago By Kerri Sackville
This story is part of the November 3 edition of Sunday Life. See all 12 stories . For the past 30 years, I’ve owned an extremely valuable book.
It’s a second edition copy of Pride and Prejudice that’s more than 150 years old. Every now and then I have taken it gingerly out of its box, unfolded its acid-free wrapping paper and admired it. I have always been aware of how much money it is worth, and so I have treated it with tremendous care.
I may have been mistaken. “I felt like a participant on an episode of Antiques Roadshow, ready to be stunned and amazed by how much my little book could fetch.” Credit: Recently, I took my antique book to be valued by a rare books expert.
I wanted to know if I should insure it, or preserve it differently, or make provisions for it to be passed on in my will. I was terribly excited to meet with the expert. I felt like a participant on an episode of Antiques Roadshow , ready to be stunned and amazed by how much my little book could fetch.
I wondered if I would be tempted to sell it if it was worth a truly staggering amount. I love the book, but if it could buy me a new car, I could probably be convinced to part with it. Well, one part of that fantasy came true.
I was definitely stunned and amazed by the expert. He examined the book, muttered something about it being “interesting”, and then informed me it was worth about $95. I couldn’t buy myself a new tyre for that amount, let alone a new car.
The entire exercise was humbling, to say the least. Happily, though, I had another shot at riches, when my mum gave me some vintage handbags. My mum had inherited the bags from my grandmother, who had been given them as presents by a very wealthy friend.
All the bags were Italian, and all designer, and most dated from the 1970s. After three months, and several significant price drops, I managed to offload exactly (hang on, let me just count quickly) zero designer bags. KERRI SACKVILLE What a treasure trove! What a haul! What would I do with such largesse? I kept a couple for my own use, and had the rest authenticated and valued.
At least one was worth $1500, the others $500 to $600 each. Thoughts of that new car bubbled up again. At the very least, I could buy petrol for a while.
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