Rare items on sale to aid Cedar Rapids library rebuilding fund

By Diana Nollen

“Tom and me found the money that the robbers hid in the cave, and it made us rich. We got six thousand dollars apiece - all gold. It was an awful sight of money when it was piled up.” - “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library are hoping to see at least that much money pile up from the sale of a rare, limited centennial edition of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”

The numbered copy of Mark Twain's enduring tale is the centerpiece of a silent auction Friday, Nov. 6 benefiting the library, whose main branch and much of its inventory were destroyed in the 2008 flood.

The silent auction of rare, signed and collectible books will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6 in the former Econofoods East building, 1800 51st St. NE. Admission is $20 beginning at 3 p.m. and $10 after 5 p.m.

The auction is being held in conjunction with the Friends' 38th annual book sale, which offers more than 100,000 books, CDs, DVDs, tapes and videos. Hours and admission are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, $5; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, $3; and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, free. Children ages 12 and under are admitted free all three days. Sunday, Nov. 8, is “bring a box day,” priced at $8 to fill your own standard moving box size. Payment is by cash and checks only; no credit or debit cards will be accepted.

Only 350 copies of the Twain book were printed in 1984 to mark the 100th anniversary of its first publishing. Former Cedar Rapidian Doug Halliday of Minneapolis donated two copies of the book for the Friends sale, each featuring a portfolio of 49 drawings in the book signed by the artist, Barry Moser. One already has been sold.

Beginning bid for the remaining book and signed drawings is $6,000, says Todd Meyer of Cedar Rapids, one of the sale organizers and owner of Mystery Cat Books, 112 32nd St. Dr. SE.

 “We have something there are only two of,” Meyer says. “None of the prints were signed on the limited edition that came out 25 years ago, so we can offer a one-of-a-kind item. We think that's kind of neat. We talked to some auction houses on both coasts, asking what do you price something like that.”

 “Huck Finn” isn't the only rarity on the silent auction block.

Meyer enlisted the help of noted author Ed Gorman of Cedar Rapids to obtain the silent auction items.

“Ed sent a letter to the Mystery Writers of America, and that's how it started,” Meyer says. “It just mushroomed from there. We've had an incredible amount of help from Once Upon a Crime in Minneapolis. They put out a distress call to customers on their e-mail list of over 2,000. We brought back 15 SUV loads of books from the Twin Cities.

 “People here in town have donated collections. It's just been a phenomenal thing,” Meyer says. Other donations have come from residents of a New York City building and an author in Bangkok.

 “The Friends have been absolutely incredible in putting this (sale) together,” Meyer says. “People in this area are going to see some things they've never ever seen before and have the opportunity to purchase things a fabulous prices to not only help the library, but get things they never thought they'd get.”

Among those items are signed books; signed first editions; an 81-volume Agatha Christie mystery collection; signed books from Kinky Friedman, who ran for Texas governor; a stereographic library; and scarce volumes by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Dennis Wheatley, published in 1936, and Helen Reilly, published in 1937.

All proceeds will benefit the library's rebuilding fund.