At the risk of boring regular readers of Tentaclii, here are four more glimpses of the ‘Uncle Eddy’ bookshop on Weybosset in Providence. Readers of the Lovecraft Annual 2022 will recall my detailed article which revealed the bookselling uncle of Eddy Jr., a firm “favorite” for the book collectors in Lovecraft’s circle whenever they visited Providence. The largest used bookshop in Providence, for many years. In the article I was only able to furnish a bit of a poor picture-postcard…
I’ve since found four more glimpses of the site. Though only glimpses, not a straight-on picture of the doorway to the cellar bookstore.
First, an early image of the site (here outlined in red) from the archives of the Providence Public Library. Two distinctive domes are clearly seen. The nearer one on the far-left, and in the distance the old Beneficent Congregational ‘Round Top’ Church. These provide useful orientation.
Next a detail from another Public Library picture. Here we look the other way, and see only the distinctive domed building on the corner. Again, the doorway is outlined in red.
Next we again look toward the Round Top church. The bookstore entrance, or what would later be a bookstore, is obscured by a street fountain.
Here we look toward the Crown Hotel, and can just see the same distinctive dome on the corner building. The entrance is again obscured, by what might be a short telegraph pole.
While looking for pictures I did however stumble on a rare good front-view of a Providence ‘news-stand’ store, and in what might be the early 1920s. The Narraganset Smoke Shop, probably in Dorrance Street since an adjacent/above sign (seen on the wider picture) for “T.H. D’Arcy, Engraver” leads me to 86 Dorrance Street. Just around the corner from Weybosset Street. This hole-in-the-wall magazine, tobacco and candy store looks a likely prospect for a fellow wanting to bag a copy of the curious new magazine called ‘Weird Tales’. Here newly colourised.