Brattle Book Shop continues to thrive in his Downtown Crossing nook
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 04 January 2012 12:12
- Written by Thomas Dean
Books are practically in Gloss’s genes. According to his parents it was the first word he said, and since he was a child he has helped out at Brattle; his father purchased the store more than sixty years ago when it was located in Scollay Square.
The Brattle Book Shop of today is accurately described by Gloss: “We specialize in not specializing.” Outside, in a lot bordered by red brick walls adjacent to the store, customers peruse a selection of books on wheeled carts—none of which are priced higher than $5 dollars. Inside, the first two floors look less like a bookstore, and more like the collection of a Type A literature hoarder. Four aisles split each floor, and each aisle has several categories that vary from World War II and espionage, to health, cookbooks, etiquette and smoking. The shelves on the perimeter of the rooms are sometimes two books deep. The atmosphere makes books fun and informal, something the plasteredon smile of a Borders employee could never do.
Poster boards cover the space on the walls that is not used as shelves. The posters advertise the treasures on the third floor where Gloss’s expertise lies—rare and hard to find. The third floor is much tidier, and carpeted. The books are not shelved two deep, and many are locked in glass cases.
At the front of the room a girl sits at a desk and asks customers if they need help. Gloss’s collection has or had many holy grails, such as a copy of The Great Gatsby inscribed to T.S. Eliot from F. Scott Fitzgerald, a signed photo of Abraham Lincoln, a first edition of Lolita.
The West Street shop is the business’s home base, but as a book appraiser, buyer and seller, Gloss is always on the move. He ventures throughout the northeast; sometimes he picks a few choice selections, while other times he buys in bulk. Gloss claims once he got twenty thousand books from a professor’s apartment in Cambridge.
When he isn’t tending the shop or visiting estates for more finds, Gloss utilizes his appraisal skills in other ways. He has been on numerous radio shows where he does appraisals over the phone, sometimes he does lectures and he has also been on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow.
Gloss’s voice is soft and even, his quaint appearance, which consists of a grey sweater, collared shirt and slacks, compliments his calm demeanor, but as he talks about his profession, his mouth frequently slips into a meek smile, “Every day it’s like being Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island,” he says. Gloss is one of the few people who handles documents and artifacts written by the people that most of us only read about.
