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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Original poster
FrogInTheFog · 12/09/2023 22:55

@Onlinetherapist Ive dropped them a message asking if there is possibly any flexibility with the price. Nothing ventured and all that!

@Micawbs that's so fascinating

@Stravaig what a lovely post. And your collection sounds amazing

OP posts:
JulianFawcettMP · 12/09/2023 22:58

It's a beautiful and unique piece of history. Priceless in its own way. Buy it. But also don't because I want it 😎

KimberleyClark · 12/09/2023 22:59

Buy it. You will treasure it.

BellaAndDave · 12/09/2023 22:59

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 Grin

I’d be the same. I adore old diaries, vintage jewellery and curiosity shops. We’re in the process of wading through DH’s aunts house who was 98 when she died in June, my SILs and I have spent hours marvelling at stamp collections, embroidered table cloths, fire guards, pottery, china, ration books, gas masks etc. The full house is little a curiosity shop ☺️.

Original poster
FrogInTheFog · 12/09/2023 23:03

@BellaAndDave I'd be in my element! I'd also want to preserve it all so that could be a problem!

Right now I keep my antique curiosities to one room! I have a big dolls house which I am slowly filling with genuine antique furnishings - so that nicely hides a lot of my collection

And the dolls house is on top of apothecary drawers - which themselves hold my other passion in life .... beauty products Grin

I'm drawn mainly to miniatures to easy to absorb. I do have a Victorian letter rack which I use to house my antique letters and I keep the jewellery in two large jewellery boxes

So all in all, the problem is well hidden

OP posts:
XenoBitch · 12/09/2023 23:06

You have already decided you love it, and you can afford it. So get it!
An item does not have to be practical or useful to be worthy of buying. If that were the case, we would all live a boring and bare walled existence.

similarminimer · 12/09/2023 23:10

Surely as an antique it would still hold value so you could potentially sell it in future. You're just renting it - might even make a profit

7catsisnotenough · 12/09/2023 23:11

As others have said, if you're not going to go hungry then buy it! It's a once in a lifetime thing to buy, it's completely unique and if you go down a rabbit hole researching the history then it's more than paid for itself.
I have a couple of inherited books/ files that are falling apart but they call to me, when I have time (?!) I'll give them the attention they deserve, meanwhile I view myself as their custodian and will pass them on if I need to within the family.
Buy it and enjoy holding someone's life history in your hands x

Lagershandy · 12/09/2023 23:12

Buy it! It's worth it just to be able to look at that exquisite handwriting whenever you want to.

Cascais · 12/09/2023 23:13

Buy it

Datgal · 12/09/2023 23:14

I would definitely buy it. Where do you go looking for such things? Not looking at pinching it, as can't afford it 😆. But things like that? eBay and such? I love looking in antique shops when I get the chance.

Enko · 12/09/2023 23:16

If you can afford it then buy it. Years ago I was able to by a painting I had admired for almost a year when going to a shop but it was out of my price range. The shop suddenly had to close due to ill health of owner and on closing day she called me over abd offered me the painting heavily reduced as she said "everyone should have a piece of art they truly love'. Well it's hung in my lounge for many years now and I still truly love it.

I bet you will feel the same about that diary.

Tonight1 · 12/09/2023 23:17

I'm a bit like that, instead of getting a modern squishy sofa recently I bought a carved oak one (albeit reupholstered). I fell in love with it when I saw it.

Mirabai · 12/09/2023 23:23

Love it! I’d have bought it already.

ThinkingAgainAndAgain · 12/09/2023 23:23

I bet you’d spend that on hobbies or classes or sports or holiday club of whatever for the DC.

Buy it for yourself.

Original poster
FrogInTheFog · 12/09/2023 23:23

@Datgal oh all over the place! Antique fairs, eBay, Vinted, the odd charity shop.

I was walking past a primary school one day and a staff member was chucking books and papers in a skip outside. One of the books caught my eye so I fished it out and shouted over if I could take it. Yes he said.

It's a huge hardback head teachers record book - basically what we would now know as 'the register' I suppose but expanded.

It runs from 1862 for about 10 years and is filled with life at school, the 'school inspectors' (that we would now onow as ofsted), the weather - the weather was a MASSIVE thing as kids had to work in the fields a lot so were often absent.

Oh and one poor boy. 'John Miller did it attend school today because he died'

It's filled with all that. And just how stupid some of the children were - his exasperation leaps off the page in parts!

OP posts:
honeyfox · 12/09/2023 23:34

It's beautiful, buy it!

I'm also interested in old books, paintings, you name it. Love the history of the past.

Tonight1 · 12/09/2023 23:38

It looks really beautiful and like something you could immerse yourself in and be lost in thought for a while.

Another buy. Hope you get a slight discount!

caringcarer · 12/09/2023 23:41

FrogInTheFog · 12/09/2023 21:53

@caringcarer what drew you to tea sets?

I think I remember my Gran always using a proper bone china tea set to give us a cup of tea when I was little. She always had a tea pot, milk jug and cup and saucer on a tray and at home my Mum gave us a mug. I always have a little bone china tea pot, milk jug and cup and saucer on a bone china tray just like my Gran had. I think the tea tastes nicer. DH brings me a pot of tea in it in bed every morning before I get out of bed.

SatsumaNightmare · 13/09/2023 01:02

With respect, OP, you provided enough info that I found it in two seconds online - so you’ve just advertised this to anyone who would want it. Cynical me would say you’re the seller and that was your plan, but your posts clearly show how much you love things like this. So what I’m saying is you’d better hurry up and grab it before someone else does!

mistermagpie · 13/09/2023 07:36

FrogInTheFog · 12/09/2023 23:23

@Datgal oh all over the place! Antique fairs, eBay, Vinted, the odd charity shop.

I was walking past a primary school one day and a staff member was chucking books and papers in a skip outside. One of the books caught my eye so I fished it out and shouted over if I could take it. Yes he said.

It's a huge hardback head teachers record book - basically what we would now know as 'the register' I suppose but expanded.

It runs from 1862 for about 10 years and is filled with life at school, the 'school inspectors' (that we would now onow as ofsted), the weather - the weather was a MASSIVE thing as kids had to work in the fields a lot so were often absent.

Oh and one poor boy. 'John Miller did it attend school today because he died'

It's filled with all that. And just how stupid some of the children were - his exasperation leaps off the page in parts!

That sounds fascinating!! I did my thesis on banking history and got to read all these massive old ledgers of account details, it was so interesting.

AlrightThen · 13/09/2023 07:41

If the curiosity is harmless, it doesn't really matter how much they ask for it.

Theraffarian · 13/09/2023 08:02

So I’m going to assume OP isn’t the seller , because that would ruin the post .

Over a year this works out at £13.33 a month , the cost of a couple of paperbacks , so not a huge expense, and something to keep forever.

Unless you wanted to be the owner and research it for a year or two, and then there’s a healthy market for antique diaries , so you could sell on for the same price .
However my favourite idea , is that you buy it , love it , use it as a research tool , and create a post on here and post a page a day ( or week depending on how dedicated you feel ) so you can spread the love of it .

Original poster
FrogInTheFog · 13/09/2023 08:58

@SatsumaNightmare with respect, you're completely and utterly wrong.

Of COURSE I knew you'd be able to find it. It's an old book, hardly something that I need to keep to myself. And if someone else buys it then meh! Wasn't meant to be.

OP posts:
Original poster
FrogInTheFog · 13/09/2023 09:01

@SatsumaNightmare I have messaged the seller though (myself?! Grin) and asked them if they'd consider an offer blah blah but I've not heard back yet.

I think after considering it that yes I'll buy it but £160 is just a little over what I want to pay so I'd like to see if they will consider dropping a little.

There's over 20 watchers on it but if I'm meant to have it, I will.

OP posts:
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