The Golden Flea - A Story of Obsession and Collecting (Paperback)

Across America and around the world, people wander through flea markets to search for lost treasures. For decades, no such market was more renowned than the legendary Chelsea flea market, which sprawled over several blocks and within an old garage on the west side of Manhattan. Visitors would trawl through booths crammed with vintage dresses, rare books, ancient swords, glass eyeballs, Afghan rugs, West African fetish dolls, Old Master paintings, and much more. In The Golden Flea, the acclaimed writer Michael Rips takes readers on a trip through this charmed world. With a beguiling style that has won praise from Joan Didion and Susan Orlean, Rips recounts his obsession with the flea and its treasures and provides a fascinating account of the business of buying and selling antiques. Along the way, he introduces us to the flea's lovable oddball cast of vendors, pickers, and collectors, including a haberdasher who only sells to those he deems worthy; an art dealer whose obscure paintings often go for enormous sums; a troubadour who sings to attract customers; and the Prophet, who finds wisdom among all the treasures and trash. As Rips's passion for collecting grows and the flea's last days loom, he undertakes a quest to prove the provenance of a mysterious painting that just might be the one.

General

Imprint:	W W Norton & Co Inc
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	July 2021
Authors:	Michael Rips
Dimensions:	211 x 140 x 15mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	224
ISBN-13:	978-0-393-86757-2
Categories:	Books > Arts & Architecture > The arts: general issues > General Books > Arts & Architecture > Antiques & collectables > General Books > Language & Literature > Biography & autobiography > General Books > Biography > General Promotions
LSN:	0-393-86757-9
Barcode:	9780393867572

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!