Library plates

Library Administrator's Digest, Apr 2003 by Robinson, Charles W

Several years ago I mentioned in LAD that over the years I had amassed a small collection of souvenir library plates. These are plates, which generally were made in Germany in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with various scenes on them showing buildings that apparently were the pride of the community. Lots of towns elected to put their public libraries on these souvenir plates.

I used to run across them in antique/collectible shops, chiefly in New England, and over the years I bought about 30 pieces, mostly plates but including some pitchers, vases and other items.

There was really no room for them at home, so I displayed them in the director's kitchen when I was director (yes, a kitchen. Handy for feeding the trustees before the monthly meetings) behind glass cabinet doors.

Several years ago I decided to dispose of them and asked here whether anybody had a good idea how I could. Well, I received no response, and I did nothing. My librarian daughter wasn't interested.

Then I discovered eBay. A library staff member uses the Internet auction to sell old comic books, paperbacks and hardbacks that he picks up at book sales. Most of his items list for under $5, but he has a lot of fun.

I asked if he was interested in helping me sell my collection of library plates. He liked the idea and he put the first batch of seven - all Maine libraries - up on his site. He listed seven items, each with a minimum bid of $15. A week later all but one was sold, with two for prices over $50 each (Houlton and Clinton, ME libraries). All he had to do then was ship them out, with shipping paid for by the buyer.

I was amazed. We now have the next batch of seven up on eBay and plan more until they are all gone.

Too bad the collection, as a collection, is gone, but Don Sager's (while he was president of PLA) idea of a library museum never got off the ground. But it was fun collecting them and now it's fun selling them on eBay. It's especially fun when you see a couple of bidders fight it out in the couple of minutes before the auction closes.

Now my wife asked to sell six remarkably ugly oyster plates she inherited years ago. Two of them are currently at over $50, with four days to run. Maybe I'll clean out the cellar.