Receipt from Black Books Plus Inc., NYC, 1991
“It felt like a gift in a gift. It was already amazing that I had the book; it was doubly amazing to have the receipt.”
About This Item
Creation Date: December 23, 1991
Keeper’s Description: Handwritten bookstore receipt from Black Books Plus Inc., New York, dated 1991. The receipt is stamped with the store's name and was found inside a copy of Black Bibliophiles and Collectors in 2025, thirty-four years later. The paper is slightly yellowed with age but remains in amazing condition, no tears and few creases.
Keeper’s Discovery: I was talking on Zoom with a friend, telling them about flipping through the pages and BAM. On a random page was the original receipt.
The Keeper of Wonder: Julie B.
The Keeper’s Story
Memory (a special moment): I remember seeing the receipt for the first time. It wasn't for a few days after I received the book. I was talking on Zoom with a friend, telling them about flipping through the pages and BAM. On a random page was the original receipt. It felt like a gift in a gift. It was already amazing that I had the book; it was doubly amazing to have the receipt. I remember not touching it, and immediately writing down what was on it to Google later. I was grateful and surprised mostly.
Meaning (why it’s kept):It's part of my collection now! It's historic and exactly the kind of thing I love to collect. Finding it felt like completing a treasure hunt. Having it makes me feel cool and inspires me to keep searching for more pieces like it.
Legacy (tell the future): If someone in the future knew this was part of my collection, I'd hope they understood how excited I was to have it. How it feels like holding a piece of history. I hope they know I read the book it was found in, researched the store, and care about the cool people I found in the story. I loved that it was purchased close to the holidays. Ultimately, I'd tell the future that it mattered because we care about it.
More Details
Collection: Evidence of Wonder: A Living Archive
Contributor: Julie B., 2025
Source: Digital file contributed by Julie to the Evidence of Wonder Collection, 2025
Subjects (keeper identified): Curious, Wonder-struck, Content
Rights / Access: This digital image is contributed with permission for display on The Lost Shelf website and is available for viewing for personal, creative, and research purposes only. All other use, including reproduction or distribution, requires written permission from the contributor and The Lost Shelf.
