Bringing History To Life

From the city’s buzz to the countryside’s charms, James Findlay is no stranger to the Midlands. Having gone to school at Michaelhouse, he grew up around these parts and, ready to start a new chapter, found his way back after many years living in Johannesburg and Cape Town. He runs an online store specialising in collectable items such as rare books, manuscripts, letters, antique maps, and vintage posters, and Nottingham Road has now become his office, so to speak, and he ships all over the country and overseas.  

James started trading books at the Rosebank flea markets in Johannesburg in 1997; he had his own bookshop in Melville and also ran online book auctions. In 2018, he and his partner Katie renovated a shop and apartment at Rand Club in Marshalltown, where their bookstore filled a 200-square-metre basement space with not only books but also live jazz music and engaging talks. “This was a wonderful space, and we have many fond memories of all the events we had at the grand Rand Club. I wore a jacket and tie there most days. Now, in the Midlands, I wear flip-flops to work in summer,” shared James. 

Afterwards, they lived in Cape Town and had a bookshop and gallery on the third floor of the Cape Town Club overlooking the majestic Table Mountain and The Company’s Garden. “We have always wanted to end up in the Midlands, and so when the owner of the Cape Town Club wanted to turn our shop space into three hotel rooms, we decided to migrate to an online business. This has turned out to be a blessing. We realised we could have moved anywhere in South Africa as long as there was an internet connection and access to courier companies. Notties appeals to me because of the breathtaking natural landscape and the people. We particularly love the vibrant local community,” explained James. 

And the Rest is History …

James’s passion for history began when he was a teenager. According to him, his love for it was inspired by the life his mentors breathed into it, from family members, teachers, tour guides, booksellers, and even theatre productions. It was a path he knew he needed to take, and it’s led him on grand antiquarian adventures. From 19th-century manuscripts, a map with the location of Atlantis on it, to a 400-year-old hand-coloured sea chart, “This field requires a mix of detective work and storytelling; you have to look past the surface of an item to uncover its provenance, its biases, and its unique place in the historical narrative. I particularly enjoy handling original items and the research that goes with it,” shared James. 

He is now sharing this passion with the community and has started storytelling dinners at Rawdons Hotel. This offers avid collectors and history buffs another way to engage with his shop’s items in person, rather than solely online, including exploring wild and wonderful historical topics. For example, one of his recent talks was: “Fake News & Banned Books”, which covered topics ranging from Atlantis to banned books from the Apartheid era. For more information, check out James’s extensive inventory on his website and get in touch with him for details about his next storytelling dinner. If you have an item you’d like to sell, he is always looking to buy something that has a rich story behind it.  

http://www.jamesfindlaycollectablebooks.com/