The collector's whatnot : $b a compendium, manual, and syllabus of information and advice on all subjects appertaining to the collection of antiques, both ancient and not so ancient

"The Collector's Whatnot: A Compendium, Manual, and Syllabus of Information and Advice on all Subjects Appertaining to the Collection of Antiques, both Ancient and not so Ancient" is a whimsical guidebook on antique collecting written in the early 20th century. Compiled by Cornelius Obenchain Van Loot, Milton Kilgallen, and Murgatroyd Elphinstone, the text offers insights into the practices, characters, and joys associated with the world of antiques, highlighting the importance of discerning true treasures from mere old items. The opening of the work sets a humorous and satirical tone, introducing the fictitious American Academy for the Popularization of Antiquities and detailing its efforts to promote the understanding and appreciation of genuine antiques. Within this context, anecdotes about eccentric members and their quirks are shared, such as Professor Milton Kilgallen's obsession with furniture polish and the tragicomic demise of fellow collectors. The narrative also hints at the complexities of antique valuation, underscoring the art of collecting as both a personal passion and a sometimes perilous endeavor. Overall, this introduction establishes a playful framework for the upcoming exploration of antique collecting. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Newton Booth Tarkington was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his novels The Magnificent Ambersons (1918) and Alice Adams (1921). He is one of only four novelists to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once, along with William Faulkner, John Updike, and Colson Whitehead. In the 1910s and 1920s he was considered the United States' greatest living author. Several of his stories were adapted to film.