Steamboat Cyclopoedium

WOW! While I've always maintained that Alan's CYCLOPOEDIUM is worth its weight in gold, it does sell for much less than $550 in our museum gift shop and elsewhere. When the anxiously awaited CYCLOPOEDIUM was published in 1968, I was 14 years old and in the eighth grade. Many was the night that, instead of spending much time on homework, I pored over what I regarded and revered as "the answer book" about all things steamboat. Probably why I never did understand algebra!

Alan also wrote a companion CYCLOPOEDIUM for the engine room, another treasured tome -- especially to those like me who are not mechanically minded!

Looks like I'd better have a safe constructed for my bookshelves.

I have two copies of the Steamboat Cyclopedium, and one of the Engine Room Cyclopedium. A copy of each traveled with me on the boat at all times. They are two of the most valued books in my steamboat library. I never understood algebra, either, Keith--but these books made the connections for me!

My books have been offered for more than they are worth for a long time.
Belle of Louisville sold for $2.50 when first published. Now: $65.00 even though it remains in print and can be bought for nine bucks.
Moonlite at 8:30 with authors' signatures sold for $37.00. Now:$125.00. We'll sell all I still have on hand for $30.00.
Think what they'll sell for after I die! I reckon I'll be obliged to commit suicide to get rich!

Mary, I, too, have an "upstairs" and a "downstairs" copy of the CYCLOPOEDIUM for quick and handy reference. I've forgotten what the original price was in '68, but I think it was less than $5, including postage! Besides the book dealers, I see copies of it surface on Ebay now and then. One of Alan's generous gifts to me is his thick file of correspondence and materials as the CYCLOPOEDIUM was a work in progress. It's a treasure too!

Not long ago I purchased a pristine copy of MOONLITE AT 8:30 in a Madison, Indiana antique mall for $5, an absolute steal! Although I had several copies of it already, I always pick up extras of river books to give as gifts, especially to young and aspiring steamboat buffs and buffettes.

At the Howard Steamboat Museum, we often receive telephone orders for Alan's books, some requests coming from far away places such as Italy, England, Germany, etc. Some of these books are in limited supply, so if you don't have them in your river library, my advice is to get 'em soon!!!

Multiple copies

I've had RI and NOLA copies of many books, including Moonlight, Saga, Packet Directory, Cyclopedium, but since I no longer have the NOLA apartment, they've become upstairs and downstairs copies now. I brought several extra copies of tomes over to the River Rummage at River Ramblings last year, so I know they've found good homes. Its amazing how you can forget what you have already, so you buy a copy just in case, only to find its your 3rd or 4th copy! But its never money wasted...

From Italy

Keith Norrington;25353 wrote: Mary, I, too, have an "upstairs" and a "downstairs" copy of the CYCLOPOEDIUM for quick and handy reference. I've forgotten what the original price was in '68, but I think it was less than $5, including postage! Besides the book dealers, I see copies of it surface on Ebay now and then. One of Alan's generous gifts to me is his thick file of correspondence and materials as the CYCLOPOEDIUM was a work in progress. It's a treasure too!

Not long ago I purchased a pristine copy of MOOLITE AT 8:30 in a Madison, Indiana antique mall for $5, an absolute steal! Although I had several copies of it already, I always pick up extras of river books to give as gifts, especially to young and aspiring steamboat buffs and buffettes.

At the Howard Museum, we often receive telephone orders for Alan's books, some requests coming from far away places such as Italy, England, etc. Some of these books are in limited supply, so if you don't have them in your river library, get 'em soon!!!

I am a misplaced Cincinnatian now living in Rome, Italy. About two years ago I telephoned the Howard Museum to buy the Steamboat Cyclopoedium, and at the same time I had a nice chat with Yevonne Knight, a very gracious lady. She told me the Engineroom Cyclopoedium was also available, and I bought it too, also for $20.00. These are two very valuable steamboat books, and I still spend hours browsing through them and learning from them. As we said in the Navy, BRAVO ZULU (well done!) to Alan Bates. I have also found on-line good used copies of "Belle of Louisville" ($18.00) and "Moonlight at 8:30 ($20.00), mostly through Abe Books. There are lots of good book deals on-line, as well as some big rip-offs. You just need to shop around.

An esteemed museum visitor today was none other than Capt. Alan L. Bates, the famous author of those wonderful books that now sell for BIG prices! Kenny Howe was here and suggested that perhaps Alan could take the museum staff to lunch since his books are commanding such big bucks! Alan had to get back across the river, but he did give Yvonne and me two historic bottles which formerly contaned KENTUCKY DEW WHISKEY, featuring a steamboat scene on the label. Thanks Alan!

I still have an extra copy of Moonlite at 8:30, autographed to me by both authors. $50 bucks takes it.

At the Howard Steamboat Museum we now have a "book nook" adjoining the gift shop of gently used and out of print river books. Two of the primary donors have been Judy Patsch and yours truly, as we have cleared out closets and dusty boxes of duplicates. We have a great selection featuring titles by Capt. Fred Way, Capt. Alan Bates, Ruth Ferris, Ben Lucien Burman, Clark Firestone, etc. The prices are very nominal and all proceeds benefit the museum operating fund. Be sure to browse, buy and fill in those gaps in your collection when you next visit us. Thanks!

Howard Museum used book nook

And I suspect that this book nook will be enlarged at this summer's Ramblings as I've had time to more carefully integrate my RI and NOLA collections and am finding quite a few duplicates.