DOI: 10.4324/9781003342229-24 17 VINTAGE NOT RETRO The Secondhand Social Life of Christian Material Culture James S. Bielo There is a thriving secondhand market in the United States for Christian material culture. Bibles, Bible study guides, prayer books, hymnals, rosaries, icons, relics, statues, holy cards, pilgrimage souvenirs, liturgical objects, devotional plaques and prints, denominational periodicals, and evangelical pamphlets are just a few of the diverse genres from diverse theological traditions. Items are sourced from shut- tered churches, estate sales, auctions, fea markets, thrift stores, antique malls, and garage sales and resold in brick-and-mortar shops and online venues such as eBay, Instagram, and Etsy. What organizes the circulation of the secondhand sacred? Instagram is a lively space for this market; every day, dozens if not hundreds of items are posted for sale. Some sellers host “live sales” that exclusively feature Christian materials. In May 2022, I attended one of these sales and learned an im- portant lesson about how valuation works in this marketplace. Four sellers joined the live stream from their respective locations (southern Michigan, central Florida, and two in separate Chicagoland suburbs). For 3 hours (5–8 pm), they took turns presenting their inventory. Each auction lasted 5–10 minutes, allowing each seller about 15 turns. The sequence for each turn was consistent. An initial presentation focused on the item’s material qualities (e.g., size, weight, substance), as well as any information the seller could share about its use, production history, or previous owner. Following this description, attendees use the chat window to comment on the item and enter bids. While bidding is open, sellers talk with each other, usually making complimentary observations about the item’s aesthetic details, proposing potential uses, or exchanging stories about their own related “fnds.” The seller eyeballs the chat, and when bidding stalls, they ask for a “bid end.” The conversation among sellers is especially important; it is a time when the valuation of an item is actively constructed, a time when bids can stagnate or es- calate. It was during this talk about the seventh item up for sale that a particular BK-TandF-EINSTEIN_9781032378428-230778-Chp17.indd 285 16/11/23 3:32 PM