--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On a spring day in 1988…a Massachusetts…" description: "\"“On a spring day in 1988…a Massachusetts man who collected books about local history was rummaging through a bin in a New Hampshire antiques barn when ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/allison-hoover-bartlett-45441_allan-poe_on-a-spring-day-in-1988-a-massachusetts_1436633.jpg" --- # On a spring day in 1988…a Massachusetts man who collected… ![“On a spring day in 1988…a Massachusetts man who collected books about local history was rummaging through a bin in a New Hampshire antiques barn when something caught his eye. Beneath texts on fertilizers and farm machines lay a slim, worn pamphlet with tea-colored paper covers, titled Tamerlane…” quote by Allison Hoover Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/allison-hoover-bartlett-45441_allan-poe_on-a-spring-day-in-1988-a-massachusetts_1436633.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/allison-hoover-bartlett-45441_allan-poe_on-a-spring-day-in-1988-a-massachusetts_1436633.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/allison-hoover-bartlett-45441_allan-poe_on-a-spring-day-in-1988-a-massachusetts_1436633.jpg) > ““On a spring day in 1988…a Massachusetts man who collected books about local history was rummaging through a bin in a New Hampshire antiques barn when something caught his eye. Beneath texts on fertilizers and farm machines lay a slim, worn pamphlet with tea-colored paper covers, titled Tamerlane and Other Poems, by an unnamed author identified simply as “a Bostonian.” He was fairly certain he had found something exceptional, paid the $15 price, and headed home, where Tamerlane would spend only one night. The next day, he contacted Sotheby’s, and they confirmed his suspicion that he had just made one of the most exciting book discoveries in years. The pamphlet was a copy of Edgar Allan Poe’s first text, written when he was only fourteen years old, a find that fortune-seeking collectors have imagined happening upon probably more than they’d like to admit. The humble-looking, forty-page pamphlet was published in 1827 by Calvin F.S. Thomas, a relatively unknown Boston printer who specialized in apothecary labels, and its original price was about twelve cents. But this copy, looking good for its 161 years, most of which were probably spent languishing in one dusty attic box after another, would soon be auctioned for a staggering $198,000.”” [Allison Hoover Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-hoover-bartlett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A rare early work by Poe was unexpectedly found, authenticated, and sold for a huge sum, highlighting the value of hidden literary treasures. **In simple terms:** A forgotten Poe pamphlet was discovered and sold for a fortune. Key Takeaway Recognize and preserve obscure historical items. Themes literature history collecting valuation serendipity Mood excitement curiosity nostalgia Type historical inspirational cautionary When to use this quote - antique book hunting - archival research - museum acquisition - private collecting - auction houses Key Concepts authenticity market dynamics cultural heritage Questions to Reflect On - What drives the monetary value of rare texts? - How can collectors balance profit with preservation? A Different Perspective High price may reflect market hype rather than intrinsic literary merit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Local history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/local-history/) [Spring day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring-day/) ## Related quotes > [I'd love to do a whole series of stories and have them collected into books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-aragones/i-d-love-to-do-a-whole-series-of-stories-and-have-them-collected-into/) [Sergio Aragones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-aragones/) > [Aziraphale collected books. If he were totally honest with himself he would have to have admitted that his bookshop was simply somewhere to store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/aziraphale-collected-books-if-he-were-totally-honest-with-himself-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“My walk through the cemetery was an acquaintance with local history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-s-wren/my-walk-through-the-cemetery-was-an-acquaintance-with-local-history/) Christopher S. Wren > [I think a lot of what I was taught, gathered, and learned is worth keeping. Heritage and "wisdom" and simply personal family and local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-gygax/i-think-a-lot-of-what-i-was-taught-gathered-and-learned-is-worth/) [Gary Gygax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-gygax/) > [“My father was a man of iron will. He had a red beard and eyes like caves. He married my mother sensibly for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-nye/my-father-was-a-man-of-iron-will-he-had-a-red-beard-and-eyes-like/) Robert Nye > [As soon as I moved to Princeton in 1978, I became fascinated by local history, much of it Revolutionary War-era; and I became fascinated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/as-soon-as-i-moved-to-princeton-in-1978-i-became-fascinated-by-local/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“In general the assumption of all of us, child or adult, was that this was a new country and that a new country had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/in-general-the-assumption-of-all-of-us-child-or-adult-was-that-this/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“Remember that a little learning can be a pleasant thing. Italy gives much, in beauty, gaiety, diversity of arts and landscapes, good humor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-simon/remember-that-a-little-learning-can-be-a-pleasant-thing-italy-gives/) [Kate Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-simon/) > [“They ended up at the Old Corner Bookstore, which Brian had read about in a tour guide to Boston. "Longfellow and Hawthorne and Oliver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-b-cooney/they-ended-up-at-the-old-corner-bookstore-which-brian-had-read-about/) [Caroline B. Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-b-cooney/) > [A masterly analysis of how political interests, economic circumstances, development strategies, and local history have shaped what are surprisingly different versions of the welfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-birdsall/a-masterly-analysis-of-how-political-interests-economic-circumstances/) Nancy Birdsall > [“For years, walking round London, I had been aware of the actual land, lying concealed but not entirely changed or destroyed, beneath the surface…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-tindall/for-years-walking-round-london-i-had-been-aware-of-the-actual-land/) Gillian Tindall > [“Tremble had a secret. Underneath his dreary exterior, he was quite interesting. When his penchant for investigating the area's past was indulged, a light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fowler/tremble-had-a-secret-underneath-his-dreary-exterior-he-was-quite/) [Christopher Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fowler/) > [The cosmic calendar compresses the local history of the universe into a single year. If the universe began on January 1st it was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-cosmic-calendar-compresses-the-local-history-of-the-universe-into/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Nothing truly beautiful without its element of strangeness, nothing whole without its own incongruity, these (Jacksonville-area pioneer house) ruins sand up from the earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gilmore-this-kind-of-city-ghost-stories-and-psychological-landscapes/nothing-truly-beautiful-without-its-element-of-strangeness-nothing/) Tim Gilmore This Kind of City Ghost stories and psychological landscapes > [Irish people are educated not only about artistry but local history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-shaw/irish-people-are-educated-not-only-about-artistry-but-local-history/) [Fiona Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-shaw/) ## More by Allison Hoover Bartlett > [“There was a pair of books, one by Hemingway, another by Thomas Wolfe. Each had written a long inscription to the other. A knowledgeable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-hoover-bartlett/there-was-a-pair-of-books-one-by-hemingway-another-by-thomas-wolfe/) [Allison Hoover Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-hoover-bartlett/) > [“The difference between a person who appreciates books, even loves them, and a collector is not only degrees of affection, I realized. For the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-hoover-bartlett/the-difference-between-a-person-who-appreciates-books-even-loves-them/) [Allison Hoover Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-hoover-bartlett/) > [“I valued that half-dream state of being lost in a book so much that I limited the number of pages I let myself read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-hoover-bartlett/i-valued-that-half-dream-state-of-being-lost-in-a-book-so-much-that-i/) [Allison Hoover Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-hoover-bartlett/) > [“A book is much more than a delivery vehicle for its contents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-hoover-bartlett/a-book-is-much-more-than-a-delivery-vehicle-for-its-contents/) [Allison Hoover Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-hoover-bartlett/) > [“After all, much of the fondness avid readers, and certainly collectors, have for their books is related to the books' physical bodies. As much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-hoover-bartlett/after-all-much-of-the-fondness-avid-readers-and-certainly-collectors/) [Allison Hoover Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-hoover-bartlett/) > [“It had a crisp paper jacket, unlike the paper-covered library books I was used to, and the way the pages parted, I could tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-hoover-bartlett/it-had-a-crisp-paper-jacket-unlike-the-paper-covered-library-books-i/) [Allison Hoover Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-hoover-bartlett/) [Explore all 7 Allison Hoover Bartlett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-hoover-bartlett/) ## More Allan poe quotes > [Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/man-you-should-have-seen-them-kicking-edgar-allan-poe/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [ “To me \[Edgar Allan Poe's\] prose is unreadable—like Jane Austin's \[sic\]. No there is a difference. I could read his prose on salary, but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/to-me-edgar-allan-poe-s-prose-is-unreadable-like-jane-austin-s-sic-no/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality.” ― Edgar Allan Poe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/words-have-no-power-to-impress-the-mind-without-the-exquisite-horror/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [ I would say that Edgar Allan Poe, \[Georges\] Perec, Thomas Pynchon, and \[Jorge Luis\] Borges are all boy-writers. These are writers who take... a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/i-would-say-that-edgar-allan-poe-georges-perec-thomas-pynchon-and/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [The sky was the color of Edgar Allan Poe's pajamas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-sky-was-the-color-of-edgar-allan-poe-s-pajamas/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“EDGAR ALLAN POE was born on January 19, 1809, in Boston, the second of three children born to actors David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/edgar-allan-poe-was-born-on-january-19-1809-in-boston-the-second-of/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“Edgar Allan Poe called it “the imp of the perverse,” that willful, self-destructive voice within that impels us to do things or say things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-cashill/edgar-allan-poe-called-it-the-imp-of-the-perverse-that-willful-self/) [Jack Cashill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-cashill/) > [I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe; nor am I one of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/i-am-an-invisible-man-no-i-am-not-a-spook-like-those-who-haunted/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [“Suffice it to say I was compelled to create this group in order to find everyone who is, let's say, borrowing liberally from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-schmelling/suffice-it-to-say-i-was-compelled-to-create-this-group-in-order-to/) Sarah Schmelling > [“And so it is with old HPL: the very model of an 18th century hipster, born decades too late to be one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-so-it-is-with-old-hpl-the-very-model-of-an-18th-century-hipster/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“of Edgar Allan Poe’s 1841 classic “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” may have been history’s first behavioral profiler.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-douglas/of-edgar-allan-poe-s-1841-classic-the-murders-in-the-rue-morgue-may/) [John E. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-douglas/) > [“Edgar Allan Poe was an American poet, short story writer, playwright, editor, critic, essayist and one of the leaders of the American Romantic Movement.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/edgar-allan-poe-was-an-american-poet-short-story-writer-playwright/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“The Rough Beast snorted. “You don’t get it at all, buddy. It’s not about wrestling. It’s about stories. We’re storytellers.” Caperton studied him. “Somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-lipsyte/the-rough-beast-snorted-you-don-t-get-it-at-all-buddy-it-s-not-about/) [Sam Lipsyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-lipsyte/) > [“Wasn't he the one who sliced off his ear and mailed it to his girlfriend?" "Van Gogh," said Varen, in a monotone that suggested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-creagh/wasn-t-he-the-one-who-sliced-off-his-ear-and-mailed-it-to-his/) [Kelly Creagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-creagh/) > [“To the Greeks this problem of the conditions of poetic production, and the places occupied by either spontaneity or self-consciousness in any artistic work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-the-greeks-this-problem-of-the-conditions-of-poetic-production-and/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) Browse all 71 Allan poe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“On a spring day in 1988…a Massachusetts man who collected books about local history was rummaging through a bin in a New Hampshire antiques barn when something caught his eye. 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