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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to spend £160 on a 'curiosity?'

109 replies

FrogInTheFog · 12/09/2023 21:30

I collect little antique bits and pieces - mainly jewellery, ring boxes and dolls house furniture, letters and postcards - interested in anything Georgian period through to about 1910

I've seen a diary that I'd love. It's from 1822 and contains hand written poems, newspaper clippings and personal drawings.

But it's £160 and more than I usually spend on this sort of thing. I can afford it I suppose but it just seems like a frivolous purchase tbh and I can't make my mind up if it's just a colossal waste of money or if I'd like to own it

It's hardly a practical or useful purchase

WWYD?

OP posts:

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 12/09/2023 21:52

Is anybody going to go hungry or cold if yiu buy it? Then don't. If not, do.

Original poster

FrogInTheFog · 12/09/2023 21:52

@Sunshinebuttercupsrainbows @caringcarer

Now the problem here is I treat myself quite often to bits and pieces! I tell myself ' life is short' and ' Christ it's only money!' and 'life is bloody tough sometimes so just buy it!'

So this wouldn't be a purchase and yet many long months of denial!

I do tend to go cheaper for my antique bits and pieces though. I spend hours looking for bargains ... recently a ring from 1877 that someone listed as being ' probably 1970s' but I could tell by looking at it that it was antique so I snapped that up for 30 quid

OP posts:

Gnomegnomegnome · 12/09/2023 21:53

It’s beautiful. You will forever regret it if you don’t!

Original poster

FrogInTheFog · 12/09/2023 21:53

@caringcarer what drew you to tea sets?

OP posts:

Rainbowsandbutterflies1990 · 12/09/2023 21:54

This looks beautiful and I'm very jealous ur able to buy it and have it!

Original poster

FrogInTheFog · 12/09/2023 21:56

And if I buy it, I'll then be on a mission to find out who it actually belonged to! And then research all about them. Because that's what I'm like

OP posts:

Fedupwitheveryone · 12/09/2023 22:01

in that case OP it's also therefore going to offer you a hobby, so £160 sounds like a fair price overall ;-)

Original poster

FrogInTheFog · 12/09/2023 22:01

@Fedupwitheveryone ooh that's a good way to look at it! It'll keep me occupied too

OP posts:

AcrossthePond55 · 12/09/2023 22:10

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever". Buy it!!! That wonderful penmanship alone is worth the price.

Whatsmyusername1235 · 12/09/2023 22:11

It’s looks like it’s in great condition

ShipshapeShore · 12/09/2023 22:11

Go for it. Loads of people have a regular hair colour and cut , I spend a small fortune on riding lessons for my girls, I know people who spend hundreds going to high end restaurants... the actual number doesn't matter too much if you can pay it and it's worth it to you and it makes you happy.

GreyCarpet · 12/09/2023 22:17

My daughter paid the same amount for a hair cut and dye before going back to school a couple of weeks ago... 🙄🙈

Buy it.

Tombero · 12/09/2023 22:18

Please buy it. You sound like the perfect owner for it.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 12/09/2023 22:20

Personally I think it sounds like a waste of money, but I have no interest in that kind of thing. I’d also think spending £££ on trainers, a handbag, a smart watch, a necklace etc were wastes of money but plenty of people buy them without a second thought! If it will make you happy and you can afford it then I don’t see any reason not to.

sassyduck · 12/09/2023 22:21

Buy it. If you don't, you will regret it forever.

SalviaDivinorum · 12/09/2023 22:22

I'd buy it. That's just 3 tanks of petrol!

givemeasunnyday · 12/09/2023 22:24

Buy it. It will bring you joy, and you can afford it - life's too short not to indulge ourselves now and again. It's gorgeous, and you will have it forever.

thegreylady · 12/09/2023 22:25

It will bring you joy for the rest of your life I would buy it if I wanted it that much .

BrioNotBiro · 12/09/2023 22:37

£160 is less than a pound for every year of its life. Buy it, you'll never get another chance!

IslandAngle · 12/09/2023 22:44

Having now seen the pics I’m even more on Team Buy It, it’s fabulous. How fabulous to own such a thing, and then yes, research who possibly owned it etc.. What joy!

Stravaig · 12/09/2023 22:45

It's tatty with a busted spine and foxing on the pages and probably smells a bit!

This makes it all the more precious, the traces of life and love, and more likely you will feel free to enjoy it too.

My grandmother left me a complete set of Temple Shakespeare, pocket sized, printed on bible paper, floppy binding in red leather, dated 1890's. If they were pristine, I'd have to lock them away. They're not, they've had several owners, and are tatty, dog-eared, annotated, well loved. Which means I can grab one if I want a small flexible book, and shove it in the pocket of my waterproof, or under the clip on my bike rack, or in the bib of my work dungarees. As it should be.

So I say go for your diary! I would be fascinated to immerse myself in the minutiae and dreamings of another time.

However I should declare a conflict of interest, because I hope you might someday share some of it with us :)

Onlinetherapist · 12/09/2023 22:48

Would they be open to an offer do you think? If you ask very nicely?

Items like that tend to retain their value. So if you decided you didn’t want it you could probably sell it on. Perhaps after enjoying it for a while..

Micawbs · 12/09/2023 22:49

Definitely buy it OP, it sounds like a real treasure. A few weeks ago I read this online and have hankered after a book of old newspaper clippings ever since.

https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/17089072

Scrapbook of advertisements, broadsides, poetry, newspaper clippings, etc., 1745-1838 (bulk 1780-1800).

https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/17089072

Howlongwillthistake · 12/09/2023 22:50

Less than 50p a day... buy cheaper wash powder if it makes you happy 🤣

barelyfunctional · 12/09/2023 22:51

Buy it!

Then take lots of photos so we can all see

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