Synopsis
A lyrical and enchanting memoir set among the stalls of New York's legendary Chelsea flea market.
Michael Rips is not a collector. The only things he holds onto are books and his diaries. But then he moves into the Chelsea Hotel with his wife and young daughter and discovers the Chelsea flea. A famous secondhand market haunted by those hunting for lost treasures, the flea was an integral part of Manhattan for decades, occupying several blocks and an old garage on the west side of the city.
It's not long before Rips is a regular. In turn, the vendors educate him on the items they sell, from trinkets and vintage clothes to rare books, West African boli, and Old Master paintings. As his fascination turns to obsession - and comes to focus on a mysterious painting of a woman - Rips must consider what gives an object value, and what drives his compulsion to collect.
In richly evocative and stylish prose, The Golden Flea paints a portrait of a curious world that is itself a lost treasure.
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About the Author
Michael Rips is the author of Pasquale's Nose, and The Face of a Naked Lady. He is the executive director of the Art Students League of New York and lives in the Chelsea Hotel in New York City.
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The Golden Flea (Paperback)
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Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. For decades the legendary Chelsea flea market sprawled over several blocks 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, seeking treasure. In The Golden Flea, Michael Rips tells the story of his obsession with this curious, captivating world and its eccentric cast of characters. Writing with a beguiling style that has won praise from Joan Didion and Susan Orlean, Rips introduces us to the flea's 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 amongst 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. The captivating story of Manhattan's legendary Chelsea Flea Market. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9781911547761
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