The second-hand bookstores operating within Üsküdar Bookstores Bazaar and book enthusiasts have recently come together to raise funds for victims of Türkiye's devastating earthquakes that hit the country four months ago.
They have organized three auctions between March and June to support those impacted by the disaster, the president of the association of booksellers noted recently.
Bahtiyar Istekli, who serves as the president of "Üsküdar Booksellers Association" speaking to the Turkish daily stated that the booksellers within the "Booksellers Bazaar" in the former Mimar Sinan Bathouse in Istanbul's historic Üsküdar district raised approximately TL 600,000 ($25,390).
"Some people react to the auction by saying, 'How many months have passed, you remind me of the earthquake'. However, the needs in the region continue. The provinces have been destroyed... We will continue to bring it to the agenda," Istekli vowed.
Following the major earthquakes on Feb. 6, the bazaar, which has become a popular destination for book lovers since its conversion from a bathhouse in Dec. 2022, swiftly organized the book auction in collaboration with the Üsküdar Municipality to aid the earthquake victims.
In the bazaar, which hosts Kırkambar, Kelender, Ekin, Elvin, Ottoman, and Hezarfen second-hand booksellers, the first auction was held on March 4, followed by the "Signed Books Auction" on April 15 and the latest one on June 10.
The combined proceeds of over TL 600,000 obtained from these three auctions were delivered to the southeast region via Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
Auction process
Reflecting on the auction process, Istekli mentioned that the process began to provide a distinct contribution from the profession aside from the financial aid delivered in the wake of the unprecedented disaster which directly affected millions of people.
"In the first auction, we collected antiques and books, sold them, and sent the proceeds. Professor Ismail Kara who is one of our regulars said on a visit after the first auction, "Next time, collect signed books from us authors and auction them." I was confused, too, and we started looking for authors. And we saw that there was a pretty serious list of names," Istekli explained.
Istekli said that they couldn't foresee how the auction process will go on, but that eventually many authors joined their call and signed and sent five or ten copies of the same book.
"In the second (auction), we acted in a more coordinated manner and expanded it by adding the signatures of calligraphers," he added.
Istekli also emphasized the auctions hold significance not only for the financial aid they provide but also for the value they create for collectors' items.
"We should not think of it as a bazaar. We have created value here. We collected signed works from renowned authors dedicated to the benefit of earthquake victims' causes. These became the materials that entered the literature, the items that would be sought-after in the collectibles market," he explained.
Istekli further touched upon his relationship with the book collectors from the earthquake zone, adding that as per his findings, there are not those who are in dire circumstances.
"Those whose (establishments) were destroyed got recovered, there are those who are thinking of opening a shop again, there are those who already did," he explained.
He also opined that the collaborative work which has been conducted during the auctions was collective prayer, as many individuals contributed to the organization, and buyers acquired the works with a sense of moral duty.
The president of the association also acknowledged that their contribution might not be significant individually but stressed the importance of continued support from all circles, since many of the beneficiaries withdrew from the region after some time.
The highest-price item sold at the auction on June 10 was the book "Hasan Çelebi Between Dots and Lines," prepared for publication by Hilal Kazan and signed by Hasan Çelebi, a prominent figure in Turkish calligraphy.