January 11, 2005

Amherstiana Interview

I spent some time today talking with a writer for the Amherst Magazine about Amherst memorabilia, Amherst collectibles on eBay, and my collection, which I’ve dubbed “Amherstiana.” His first question: how do you pronounce it? I guess it’s got a flat ‘a’ like “banana” as opposed to a more refined one rhyming with “Madonna,” though I never gave it much thought. In looking around yesterday I found out that I didn’t coin the word, as I might have thought. It’s been in use for many years as part of the Latin name for a variety of flora around the world, including “Wulfenia amherstiana,” “Ardisia amherstiana,” and “Bosea amherstiana,” which is apparently a ‘famine food.’

I didn’t have any particularly interesting stories to tell about buying Amherst-related material online, but I’ve seen some trends (less interesting material, more deep-pocketed buyers eager for anything vaguely college-related) and found a few gems. The article will be out sometime in the next year.

Brian Meacham '97 | January 11, 2005 11:15 PM | Amherstiana