Anyone else facing the task of Rebuiling their Titanic book collection

[Tarn Stephanos]

A few months ago I sold off 98% of my rare Titanic books so as to finace a ticket and expenses to move to Australia to be with my girlfriend.

It was all done for love...well, alas, due to visa problems and some unforseeable big bumps, the relationship hasnt worked, and we have reluctantly broken up, but want to stay friends...

..so my girl and i will likely stay friends, but nothing more..i move back to the US next week....

Of the rare books I KEPT, I still have my Gracie, Beesley, Logan marshall,
Lightoller, Thayer, Filson Young, Titanic Commutators 1975-89,etc.....

I hocked my Shipbuilders, Shan Bullock, Alma White, Mowbray, Russel, Rostron, Baarslag, Ocean's greatest tragedy, Titanic Commutator issues from the years 1990-2000,etc......

I have no regrets though, I had a wonderful time here, and would do it again, and love Narelle very much.....

But alas, I will rebuild my collection..Ive built, sold and rebuilt my collection at least 3 times in my lifetime....

Down the road, if any of you come across any of these rare volumes, id be most interested!

Any of you ever have a vast Titanic collection,but lost it or nneded to sell key pieces off? Who else here is rebuiling their one vast Titanic collection?
Peace

tarn Stephanos

Melbourne Australia

soon to return to
Boston Massachusetts, USA

 

[Michael Tennaro]

Hi Tarn,
sorry to hear things didn't work out down under. knowing you though and your unique talent for unearthing great book finds, I know you will have your collection back up to speed in no time! let me know if I can be of any help.

all the best, Michael (TheManInBlack) T

 

[Kelly Beth Vogelsong]

I know I'm just now starting to rebuild mine (just bought 5 the other day).

Mine is but a story of laziness, though. When I was preparing to move out of my last apartment, I was going through my storage unit and throwing some things out. I had box after box of books and didn't want to move them all again! Two boxes I thought were filled with romance novels (which my mother gave me and I don't read). Of course, it turned out that a bunch of my Titanic books were underneath those novels and got thrown in the dumpster.

I realized this later, of course. Had I known then, I would have jumped INTO the dumpster to get them out. Better yet, had I just looked through the entire box first, this never would have happened.

But I also had a lot of books on Jim Morrison and the Doors (which I love and also collect)...a portion of these were also tossed.

I think I've learned to be a little more patient now.

KB

 

[Craig Sopin]

Tarn-

So what are you selling to buy your ticket BACK? With what you have left I trust your eye is on Economy Class!

Craig

 

[Randy Bryan Bigham]

I wouldn't know anything about this subject!

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Thanks everyone!

Hi Craig-
my plane ticket back to the US is bought and paid for..My selling days are over, at least till I build a stock of duplicate books, down the road think ill defer selling in favor of trading...
just need to recollect about 6 rare 1912 books...in about 5 years my collection wilkl be back to normal....

This has happened before..ive built, torn down, and rebuilt my collection a few times. I really have good luck at finiding rare volumes...

Thanks for the nice words Michael.. I may be seekng some help down the road to see if any dupes come your way...

Hi Kelly- i lost some books in a move too. I too collected Jim Morrison books- I was the main writer for the Doors Collectors Magazine

doors.com

I used to have 1st edition of Jim's "The Lords And the New Creatures", plus an original Morrison autograph...all lost....ah well....

But im not bellyaching..im glad I came down under....

The hunt is on for replacement copies for my sold Bulloch, Shipbuilders, Rostron, White and 'Oceans Greatest tragedy'...

Ive had at least 3 copies of the other titles at one point or another...
peace

wish me luck!

Tarn Stephanos

 

[Kelly Beth Vogelsong]

Tarn~

Wow! Checked the site. I'm impressed. How did you come about that (being the main writer for the magazine, that is)?

Hope you find the Titanic books you're looking for...soon.

L8r~

KB

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

I think my gem in my bookcase would be my Lightoller with the dust jacket, and a near mint Titanic by Filson Young. Thank heavens i still have those..
Im collect mainly pre 1955 Titanic books- im not too interested in aquiring modern Titanic books, unless they are about exploration of the wreck, or contain previously unpublsihed phtoos.....

Books ive sold this year and will eventulaly need to replace are

(1)The Olympic/Titanic souvenier edition of the shipbuilders. Ive had three over the years, now none..i know where i can get another. Mine was $2500, which seems the going rate...

(2)Oceans Greatest tragedy, 1912- pops up time to time, but mine was mint condition..i should have kept this one....

(3)Thomas Andrews Shipbuilder-by Shan Bullock, 1912- a very nice book, i bought my 1912 original for $25!!! I might be able to get this back, as the buyer is my best friend....

(4)Home frm The Sea by Arthur Rostron- mine was mint with original dj- im not concerned, copies are easy to find, though dust jacketed ones are rare......

(5)SOS To The Rescue by Karl Baarslag- mine was mint with dj- easy to find, but not so for ones with dust jackets....


as for the recent books- Maiden Voyage, Titanic and the Califirnian,etc, they always pop up on Ebay or bookfinder.com.....


The biggest chalenge will be to find the book Oceans Greatest Tragedy.....

Hi Kelly
There have been about 10 issues of the Doors Collectors magazine..i wrote in every issue, and in July 2001, was at Jim's grave in Paris...

email me at
[email protected] if you want to talk about Jim Morrison and/or the Doors....
(or if anytone has any of these books im seeking)

peace

Tarn Stephanos

.."There will never be another one, like you
There will never be another one who can
do things you do, oh.." JDM

 

[Kelly Beth Vogelsong]

Hey Tarn~

Where can you order back issues of the magazine?
I still use a "flyer" for the magazine that I got with something else Morrison I bought...

Email sent...

L8r~

KB

 

[Walter Karmazyn]

Hi Tarn,

Be glad my budget couldn't handle everything you had to offer, or you'd be looking for more than you are now;-). I'm finally getting up to speed to do some more buying, after all this time. Looks like I'll be bidding against you on ebay again in the near future ;-). In the meantime, I'll keep your wish list in mind while browsing through the numerous used bookstores here in the Bay Area. How long are you going to be in LA? I have some downtime later in the month and, if it lines up, I could think of nothing better than to take a drive down and tour the Titanic exhibit with you, maybe dinner on the QM.

Walter

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Hi Walter!
Im glad to know that you bought some of my rare books, as I know you are someone who will love them and treat them well (and not use them as drink coasters). If you ever snag duplicates of the ones you got from me (ie Oceans Greatest Tragedy); please let me know!
Actauuly im heading back to Boston, but will try to visit LA in the coming months...
peace

Tarn Stephanos

 

[Mike Herbold]

Tarn:
Drop me a line about when you'll be in the LA area. Would love the opportunity to share a beer and a meal with you, maybe aboard the Queen Mary. As a sidelight, I've got a few extras of the books on your hot list, although none are mint or with dustjackets. Do have my Commutators complete from 1975 to date, and most with supplements, with lots of dupes.

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Thanks Mike! Hopefully I can make it out to LA, and tour the exhibit with you and Walter.....

Im back in Boston on Monday...4 more days..
peace

tarn Stephanos

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

Hi Tarn,

I'm sorry to hear things didn't work out for you. I'll keep an eye out for any of the books you are looking for.

Hope your collection is back to where it was soon.

Best regards,

Jason

 

[Rob Ottmers]

Tarn,

You better send those remaining works to me (for safekeeping, of course) lest they go next.

I've never actually stopped building my collection - rather it has gone through phases. Whether it be books, videos, postcards, photos, etc., I've been collecting them off and on - Oh Lord, 'tis a vicious cycle. Will it never end...

My latest acquisition, which I'm excitedly awaiting, the first 46 issues of the Commutator. Just what I needed to gel out that collection. Yayyyyy..

All my best,

Rob