Joan Chapple

Dime Shrine

Bidding closed. Sold to number 417. Lot 293. Lot 293 was a small red box. It contained 13 9x4 books bound in soft black leather. They were weathered - they looked to be at least 100 years old, with ruled pages and bearing the Moleskine brand. The details of this bid were strange. The lot was identified only by an image of the journals in the box. The starting price was $20,000. The seller was anonymous. And, perhaps the most interesting part, the money paid was to be donated to the buyer’s choice of charity or foundation. Bidder Number 417 was slender and petite, perched on a blue velvet chair at the auction house. She lowered her placard, smiled at the auctioneer, nodded at the other bidders, and gracefully rose to collect the red box.