HANDWRITTEN DIARIES of a CAR SALESMAN PORTLAND, OREGON 1959-1965
Item #1407
Six diaries and one address book belonging to Warren Golden, a man of small-town Oregon, are packed into an English Leather Mem Company Inc. dovetailed wooden box. Warren Golden was a family man, a car salesman, and a record keeper. Golden scribbled his daily machinations in these six diaries between 1959-1965 (a diary for the year 1960 is not present). One diary cover offers the year 1958, but truly pertains to the year 1965. Diaries range in size 2 5/8” x 4 1/4” to a spiral-bound 5 1/2” x 8”.
Documentation from the first year, 1959, was a trying year for Mr. Golden. He sold a few cars here and there while looking for additional work at the employment office. The first entry in this 1959 journal references their dog who birthed nine pups, and the final entry made on September 8th was written in children’s handwriting, “first day of first grade. Got Mrs. Jackson for teacher. Andrea got Mrs. Carpenter”. This first journal at times is sparse, though the months of March and April are well-populated some months are completely empty and some days only reference the weather in one word (sunny, cloudy, etc). All journals thereafter are more robust.
By 1961, it appears he was gainfully employed, at times selling three cars and parts in one day. He dealt in American-made vehicles, i.e. Buicks, Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler.
Warren Golden was more than a salesman, he was a doting husband, a father, a gardener; a man who appeared to enjoy his life. He played whist, bought tricks (coins and cards), enjoyed contra dancing, watched television, and took his daughters to the movies. In 1960, “T” and Warren had a son they call “Jr.”.
The Golden’s, in the beginning of this record, lived in a town somewhere south of Portland, Oregon, as indicated in phrases such as “T took kids Uptown Portland for a haircut”. Later, they sold their house and moved to Portland, OR.
Most of Golden’s entries are to do with transactions, surveying cars, potential clients, beers with his friends, and his daily travels and stops around town.
Along with this collection of personal diaries, are three receipts, one from Girod’s super market, one from Plaza Drugs, and the other in unknown. As well as six car catalogues (Buick 1952 featuring the Roadster convertible, the Riviera, and the Sedan; Buick 1957, 1961; Chrysler 1957; Chrysler 1959 featuring the New Yorker, Saratoga, and Windsor models; and Imperial 1951 magazine).
Price: $350.00