The saying "lose yourself in a book" is well known and is something bibliophiles can most certainly identify with. However, physically losing one's self in a bookshop is not something even the most ardent book lover could ever contemplate happening.
Shayne Robnson
Books piled on the staircase at Collectors Treasury in Johannesburg. Photo: Shayne Robinson
Any bookworm worth their salt will know all the best bookshops in their city, however, most have probably never visited or even heard of the Collectors Treasury in Johannesburg.
This unassuming and rather ugly eight-story building stands at 244 Commissioner Street in city and suburbia, right near the End Street Bridge.
A small sampling of the 500 000 vinyl records available at Collectors Treasury in Johannesburg. Photo: Shayne Robinson
One would never assume the wonders that are held within, without being told about them or discovering them quite by accident, as City Buzz did.
From the moment you walk through the door, and you are faced with books stacked almost to the ceiling on the staircase leading up to the first floor, your senses are swamped by the smell of old parchment and dust.
Once inside, there is a feeling of complete chaos, organised and wonderful chaos. The first floor is covered in books; books on the floor, books on bookshelves on top of other books. These are separated by trinkets, antiquities and collectables that are packed to capacity on tables, dressers and inside display cabinets.
Some of the old, collectable books available at Collectors Treasury in Johannesburg. Photo: Shayne Robinson
Everything from quaint little porcelain dolls to old cameras and baking tins is available for purchase.
Next, City Buzz was directed to the basement level of the building and to say that there were books everywhere is not to do it justice; they were, just everywhere! The stairs leading down to the basement were covered and one has to navigate a path around them to enter the underground area, which, once again you will find books of every type, genre, and age.
Brothers, Geoff and Jonathan Klass have been in business for 43 years, but not always at this address. Together with their mother, they started the business in the offices above the AA at what is now 44 Stanley Street in Aukland Park. They have been trading at the current address for the past 19 years.
According to the brothers, they have the largest used and rare bookshop in Africa. “We have two million, what I would call books, well, books, collectable paper items, magazines on hand,” said Geoff. In addition to books, they also have substantial offerings of maps, old engravings, and prints.
Geoff Klaas, one of the owners of Collectors Treasury in Johannesburg behind his desk in the office. Photo: Shayne Robinson
The journey to the top floor of the building is one that everyone should experience. The old lift can only take two people at a time as it is also filled to the roof with books and is not a ride that those who suffer from claustrophobia or elevator phobia would enjoy.
It is, however, worth it. As you step out of the lift you are greeted by row upon row of vinyl records, hundreds and thousands of them, everywhere. They are spilling off the shelves and fighting for your attention from their resting places on the floors. According to Geoff, they have about half-a-million vinyl records in stock at the moment. There is everything from 78rpm, to LPs and collectors box sets and it would take months to go through everything that was stashed away in all the little corners, nooks and crannies.
Books piled on the staircase at Collectors Treasury in Johannesburg. Photo: Shayne Robinson
“We’ve been in business now for 43 years and it reached a stage where we are now buying back books from people who were our first clients. You can imagine if they were in their forties when we started, they are now in their late eighties and beyond, and so it’s a full cycle,” said Geoff.
Collectors Treasury is definitely one of Johannesburg’s treasures and one that should be on everyone’s bucket list of places to visit in our wonderful city.
