EST. 1892 • LONDON
THE WAITING
ROOM
A private curriculum of measured idleness
offered at auction, 17 March 1997
A private curriculum of measured idleness
offered at auction, 17 March 1997
Observe three strangers in succession. Note the angle of their shoulders, the tempo of their reading, the precise moment their attention drifts. Record the smallest gesture that betrays impatience. This lot rewards the disciplined eye.
Excavate one fashion monthly. Locate every instance of the word “timeless.” Trace the lineage of a single cufflink through three advertisements. Note which pages have been most handled by previous occupants.
Walk the length of the corridor at the exact pace of the second hand. Count the number of times the receptionist’s telephone rings before you complete five lengths. The winner receives the satisfaction of having measured time itself.
Each lot has been calibrated to the average duration of a private appointment. The curriculum may be completed in any order, though we recommend beginning with Lot 01. All exercises are silent and require no equipment beyond the room itself.
Upon completion of three lots, participants are invited to inscribe their observations in the leather-bound register kept at the front desk.
Those who complete the curriculum may submit their findings for inclusion in the next private printing.