Exchanges have always had more than economic significance: values
circulate and encounters become institutionalized. This volume explores
the changing meaning of the circulation of second-hand goods from the
Renaissance to today, and thereby examines the blurring of boundaries
between market, gifts, and charity. It describes the actors of the
market - official entities such as corporations, recognized professions,
and established markets but also the subterranean circulation that
develops around the need for money. The complex layers that not only
provide for numerous intermediaries but also include the many men and
women who, as sellers or buyers, use these circulations on countless
occasions are also examined.