Bookworms about to surface

'I am no expert.” But Glenn Pettit has a gut instinct about books. 'Knowledge accumulated from being a book lover all my life I suppose.”

He can sniff out a good book and certainly a valuable one. 'Valuable as in rarity.”


Caption: Christine Currie and Glenn Pettit with a 3 volume set of a Picturesque Atlas of Australasia, dating from 1886, which will be part of the big book sale. Photo: Chris Callinan.

He's worked at many book fairs. ”And if I spot a volume I haven't seen before, it makes me wonder.”

Like the classic 1969 publication of ‘Mr Explorer Douglas' which recounts the South Island exploits of a great early European explorer of New Zealand, Charlie Douglas.

'It's in good nick. It will be a good buy.”

A good buy because on the internet some dealers are asking for more than $80 for a copy of the same book. But at the Tauranga harbour City Lions Book Fair on November 11 they will strike what they call a 'reasonable compromise”.

'Not top dollar, go low and adjust it down a bit,” says Glenn. So about $20 or $25. 'A nice little find. We will have a good collectibles table at the fair.”

Glenn is a retired newspaperman. ”You decide what you want to call me.” A wordsmith then, someone who loves the written word. He's collected books all his life, passionate about books, New Zealand history, military history and history generally. How many books? 'God knows. Too many.”

And here he is today at book fair central, 168 Devonport Rd, opposite the AA, ferreting through everybody else's books, masses of them, all non-fiction. 'I'm looking for the special one, the one that may be more valuable than the others.”

But he still needs more books to ferret through. The Lions are still accepting contributions at Payless Plastics in Cameron Rd, Liquor King in Brookfield and Livings Quarters at Bethlehem Town Centre.

Then Glenn strikes pay dirt. 'These will be the prizes at this particular fair.” Three tomes hailed as 'one of the most significant cultural projects of 19th Century Australia”.

They are the ‘Picturesque Atlas of Australasia' published in 1886.

'Brilliant,” says a delighted Glenn. 'The engravings are absolutely magnificent.” Apparently they were some of the finest engravings to be found anywhere in the world at that particular time. And all 1100 of them.

That's because writers, artists, academics and politicians came together to prepare a book of what they deemed to be 'unprecedented grandeur and ambition”.

They are certainly beautiful things. Substantial books, gilt titles front and spine and leather-bound corners and spine. 'You would need a big bookcase.”

And the market will decide the value of the three books. 'There will be a tender process. 'Make an offer and as long as we get a reasonable offer, they will go.” But as a set of three and maybe $100 for each volume.

Then again they are as valuable as the sum someone is prepared to pay. It may be a lot more.

And there are duplicates of two volumes – not quite in the same condition. 'But also a good find,” says Glenn.

Further down the trestles there are dozens, hundreds rather, of other bargains. Patricia Cornwell for $3 – which would pull $35 in the bookshop.

Martina Cole $3, which would be $40 in the shop. Lee Child, almost brand new for $4, usually commands $35 on the label. Bargains to be had, good cheap reads to be had and substantial money raised for Tauranga charities.

Still, the Tauranga Harbour City Lions need more books. The fair went off last year. 'The place was crammed,” says Lion Christine Currie. 'Crammed” also meant a very lucrative fundraiser.

But still the Lions are wanting more books for this year's sale, many more.

The Tauranga Harbour City Lions annual book fair is on at 168 Devonport Rd on Friday, November 11. Friday night it's open between 5pm and 9pm and on Saturday, November 12 and Sunday, November 13 from 8am-5pm.

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