This evocative image of the Essex Inn once upon a time probably transports many of us, those familiar with Essex, New York, at least, into our imaginations. Living in a town where past and present blur so often and so seamlessly, there’s something especially poignant about looking back in time through the magic of a photograph. Not too much has changed!
I’ve commented before about the notable uptick in the prices of historic Essex artifacts recently. A curious trend in recent years. Why? Who knows! I just came across this postcard photograph of the Essex Inn that commanded $1,257.57 in an eBay auction in June 2022. Considering that there are plenty of identical copies of this sepia tinged image floating around (including in our Rosslyn collection), it’s a little difficult to understand what drove the bidders to such a spendy win.
It’s easy to get carried away in an auction. Competitive energy. Scarcity. Adrenaline. Something potent percolates in the heart and the head, compelling us to part with our dollars and cents event when it makes little sense.
A similar Essex Inn image drew my attention recently.
The third item in today’s Essex memento medley appears to be a souvenir paperweight with an Essex Inn postcard visible through the glass. I actually thought it might be a glass ashtray at first, but the auction description is obviously more accurate. A quirky souvenir likely purchased during a family’s visit to Essex 3/4 of a century ago.
I’ve never seen a similar paperweight, and my curiosity was briefly piqued. But I’ve confirmed that all three of these vintage postcards are already in my collection, so I’ll [probably] resist the temptation to bid this Essex memento medley up into the stratosphere as happens with increasing frequency. (Source: Artifacts & Ephemera: Essex Memento Medley)
I skipped the auction. But I do keep an eye on others. And I try to resist that overzealous auction frenzy that leads to sky high auction prices.
After stumbling on my screenshots of the postcard and the final auction price, I recalled that I had wanted to archive some of the conversation that happened after I posted about this on Instagram. It can be difficult to recover some of those exchanges as they get buried in the social media avalanche that never seems to stop avalanching. So here goes. Better later than never.
@rosslynredux The Essex Inn (a looong time ago!) Do you have any idea when this historic photograph of the @theessexnnn might have been taken? And, yes, the deep-pocketed bidder beat me again. The price of historic Essex photos is stratospheric lately!
@essexoldbrickstore Great photo, but what is up with that bidder?
@rosslynredux The mystery bidder with a deep desire for historic Essex memorabilia (and apparently even deeper pockets!)
@essexoldbrickstore It seems old Essex postcards are hotter than NFTs
@raresmanuelfarcas How much now?!
That’s obscene really
@rosslynredux It’s been a curious upswing, gradual at first (and roughly following the riding real estate demand.) until recently I assumed it was the same better again and again, but I’ve recently begun to compare these over-the-top auctions, and my assumption was wrong. Peculiar times!
@ladyonthelake_adk Naturally. Just when we want to start to collect historic Essex photos to feature at the Lady on the Lake Cottages.
@sbrayden13 What the what!?!?!?!? $1200???
@rosslynredux Right? And another recent one went for more than $2k.
@miriam.klipper Any clues from the height of the trees in other Essex Inn photographs with those same trees….
@rosslynredux Oh, that’s an interesting idea. Any thoughts? For me one of the most notable clues is the brick block still standing just north of the Essex Inn.
What do you think?