Once you know what books to collect and understand the terms and jargon used in the world of rare books you will be ready to begin building your library. If youve ever thought about collecting first editions, but didnt know where to start, this post is for you. Learn how to care for rare books in this free book collecting video from a longtime bookstore buyer. Moshe prigan tips for collecting rare books and first editions in the second of a twopart interview, moshe prigan an accomplished book collector, freelance writer, and. The mission of the abaa is to promote ethical standards and professionalism in the antiquarian book trade, to encourage the collecting and preservation of rare and antiquarian books and related materials, to support educational programs and research into the study of rare books, and to facilitate collegial relations between booksellers. Rare book collecting, once the privilege of the squire with a baronial library and the staff to tidy it, is becoming the province of the literate everyman. Once bitten, the unsuspecting individual is euphorically transfused with a passion for observing and collecting old master and modern firsts, literary and music manuscripts, illuminated texts, or early examples of the printed book. After the british burned the capitol and its library in 1814, jefferson offered to sell his book collection to congress. While all copies of the first edition fulfill the second criterion of rarity. That way, youre not wasting funds and shelf space on books that dont really suit the needs and purpose of your collection.
A new chapter for rare book collecting this article is more than 8 years old. As a rare book seller i regularly meet people who love old books but arent sure that book collecting is the right hobby for them. May 03, 2012 rare book collecting as an investment. Rare book collections by category the bookshop blog. Rowlings first edition of harry potter and the sorcerers stonenot that old, but quite valuable. Travels in the book world first published in 1997 is the first book i immediately reread. From a book collectors point of view, a rare book is a book you want badly and cant find, or a book that is important, desirable and hard to get. Bauman rare books first editions, signed and inscribed. The only similar one i could find online was a red version.
A rare book can sell for a substantial amount of money but few novice collators know how to tell the difference between a nice old book and a. I made my living as a book scout for a number of years, finding underappreciated items at yard sales, thrift shops and library book sales, and selling them to specialist dealers, and i had an. The unique materials of the rare book and special collections division of the library of congress, now totaling over 800,000 items, include books, broadsides, pamphlets, theater playbills, prints, posters. Bibliophiles, bibliomanes, and the eternal passion for books by nicholas basbanes. Antiquarian doesnt always mean expensive there are many books from the 18th century that are relatively inexpensive, given their age. You can also use the conservation register as an online source for finding a local conservator in the united. You can start with general volumes on book collecting and book history. However, some universal truths are present in the book collecting world. Attendance at auctions is rising, the number of book dealers increasing. Since david bauman represents the pinnacle of commercial rare book dealers i expected a bit more from this all too superficial book. Rare books, like other collectibles such as art, fine wine, coins, gemstones and baseball cards, belong in the class of investments called hard assets these tangible assets are considered by. In the world of book collecting, old means very, very old. Sep 06, 20 book collecting is one of the greatest hobbies there is.
J ust as one example, i was amazed to discover when i published the frank spearman books and people started contacting me, that there is a book collecting category of railroad fiction. In all cases, you want to find the earliest printing of a book. Book collecting is one of the greatest hobbies there is. Popular culture has created an image of book collectors as older, wealthy men.
A gutenberg bible, printed in 1456 and considered the first book of movable. In addition to rare books, outofprint books, antique maps and vintage prints and antique photographs, lighthouse books, abaa also offers expert antiquarian book. How to get ahead or at least stay afloat in the rare. Rare books, learn how to find, buy, and collect them. By actively collecting and digitizing material of historical and aesthetic importance,the rare books department preserves a heritage of thought, artistic endeavor, and. Well pull just one of these to the fore because its a perfect introduction to book collecting.
Johannes gutenberg developed the movable type printing press in the 1440s in fact, any printed book dating from 1500 or earlier is known as an incunabulum, and is virtually guaranteed to be rare and valuable. While our book collecting guide is a useful resource for novice collectors who want to learn more, we would be hard pressed to include everything there is to know about rare books. The love of books is bibliophilia, and someone who loves to read, admire, and collect books is called a bibliophile. If youre an avid reader, you may at one point find yourself with quite a collection of books. The rare book collection at uncchapel hill began in 1929, when the university acquired nearly 400 books printed in europe before 1501. Basics, for beginners, tips, hobby, history 1998 duration. And he had built up quite a few new and antique collectible books by the mid 90s when he moved back to dallas. I am wondering if there is one or two particular books that you would. Bookbinders in your local yellow pages is a good place to start. Today, the collection includes close to 200,000 printed volumes. If cared for properly, rare books can provide their owners with a beautiful collection that. He started collecting books in the 80s when he was out on the west coast.
If cared for properly, rare books can provide their owners with a beautiful collection that will continue to grow in value as time goes. Apr 16, 2008 learn how to find rare books in this free book collecting video from a longtime bookstore buyer. You might think that looking for the meissen crossed swords mark would be the starting point but in fact a mark is only a very small part of the jigsaw, and a lot of pieces, particularly the early pieces, are not marked. Membership in the antiquarian booksellers association continues to grow. We should also stress that just because some books can become very expensive you donat have to spend a fortune to create a beautiful collection.
He describes various types of rare books from different times and places. Bauman rare books first editions, signed and inscribed rare. There are several advantages to doing this 1 the books go a good home, 2 the collection wont be split up, and 3 people can view the collection long after youve gone to the great bookshop in the sky. American book prices current, book auction records, and bookmans price index. A new chapter for rare book collecting books the guardian. Become a bibliophile with our 10 useful tips on collecting rare books, first editions and manuscripts nothing brings us pleasure quite like a good book, and there is certainly plenty of enjoyment to be had as a rare book collector.
These book collecting tips are simple techniques to improve your collection and your experience of collecting. A buyer may collect first editions from their favorite author, or their interest in collecting books may be incidental to the larger interest. Perhaps no writer has made this beat his own as much as nicholas basbanes, author of many books on book collecting and the history of the book. Book collecting tips ive learned over the years ive always enjoyed visiting book stores. Book collecting is the collecting of books, including seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever books are of interest to a given collector. How to be a better rare book collector rare books digest. Become a bibliophile with our 10 useful tips on collecting rare books, first editions and manuscripts nothing brings us pleasure quite like a good book, and there is certainly plenty of enjoyment to be had. The most essential factor in determining rarity is the books intrinsic importance, or how important the book is considered to be in its field. A mans bookshelf is a map of his mind and memories. Rare books marriott library the university of utah. Books signed by the author are considered collectible, as are rare books. Its exciting to collect in a niche subject area, and youll have less competition for material. May 20, 2014 i made my living as a book scout for a number of years, finding underappreciated items at yard sales, thrift shops and library book sales, and selling them to specialist dealers, and i had an algorithm or heuristic or two to help me. Smalter said that collectors store books in an area that doesnt experience big swings in temperature, so attics and basements are not used.
While all copies of the first edition fulfill the second criterion of rarity substantive importance, this copy also fulfills the fifth association, having belonged to two important individuals. For general rare books, three printed evaluation sources are widely used. Rare books for beginners national library of scotland. Our extensive and constantly changing inventory includes everything from the most elusive and desirable rarities such as an 1814 first edition of the account of the lewis and clark expedition, the 1640 first. You may also wish to consider donating a collection to a rare book library at an academic establishment. Popular culture has created an image of book collectors as older, wealthy men who attend glitzy auctions and have beautiful libraries. It combines beautiful, interesting objects with the excitement of the hunt and, who knows, maybe even the possibility of making some. All books should be handled and stored with care, in order to preserve their good condition or to prevent existing damage becoming even worse. John carters abc for book collectors is one of the best guides a free. With so much book shopping and book collecting taking place on the internet these days, it might be difficult to imagine why travel can be an important part of building a rare or antiquarian book collection. He started collecting books in the 80s when he was. Sep 04, 2015 collecting rare books is at once a hobby, a passion, and an art form.
I followed my brotherinlaw around used bookstores for years. Its in pretty good condition other than it appears to need a rebinding. Rare books the rare books department holds more than 80,000 books, maps, ephemera, and realia documenting the record of human communication from clay tablet to artists book. It combines beautiful, interesting objects with the excitement of the hunt and, who knows, maybe even the possibility of making some money. The rare book and special collections division traces its beginnings to thomas jeffersons wish to create a library for statesmen and for the people of the new nation. However, there is no clearcut definition of what makes a book.
Barrons penta visits rebecca romney of bauman rare books for insights on assembling and caring for your collection. This is a special guest article by adam weinberger of, a book dealer with over 30 years of experience. Yet rare books are a great example of getting what you pay for. You will find that the entire adventure of collecting can be much more enjoyable if you focus on what matters to you. Book dealing was once, as graham greene told me, a treasure hunt. Is rare book collecting done for profit or for fun. Mar 28, 2012 a new chapter for rare book collecting this article is more than 8 years old. The number of book collecting categories is virtually endless and if you can think of it, there are probably people out there collecting it. Book collecting tips this short guide gives basic tips for starting your book collection.
Here are a few tips for determining the fair market value for various books as well as caring for your newest treasures. This is a special guest article by adam weinberger of, a book. Decide what types of condition and completeness are within your price range, and pick the very best available. Whatever your interests literary classics, landmarks in the history of ideas, monumental accounts of travel and exploration, revolutionary scientific and medical works, exquisite decorative bindings and sets, beloved childrens books, inscribed or association copies bauman rare books has much to offer. Many people like collecting older books from flea markets and antique shops but it can be hard to tell which books in your collection really have value.
The operable word in rare book collecting is rare and not the age of the publication. Well pull just one of these to the fore because its a perfect. Often collectors pursue very modern titles and modern works may rank among the most desirable of rare books due to the demand. Caring for rare books rare books collections national. This short guide gives basic tips for starting your book collection. Why travel can be an important part of book collecting. Collecting rare books is at once a hobby, a passion, and an art form. What are some rare books to look out for when used book. If you want to get your rare book repaired it is worth contacting a specialist bookbinder and conservator who will use special archival materials to carry out repairs. Today, the collection includes close to 200,000 printed volumes, as well as substantial holdings of original graphics, medieval and renaissance manuscripts, and literary and historical papers. Learn how to find rare books in this free book collecting video from a longtime bookstore buyer. Details of their journey are abundant and informative and prompted me to make a trip to royal books in downtown baltimore in search of a heritage press edition of tom sawyer. The process is filled with nuances, and there are perhaps as many ways to go about forming a collection as there are collectors. When i cant find eco books in italy, i search exhaustively in switzerland, france, brazil and the states looking for libri italiani stores.
The reasons that people collect certain types of books are varied and highly personal. A first edition of to kill a mockingbird may be half the price in a wrecked dust jacket, but its still a wrecked dust jacket in a world where condition matters. There are several advantages to doing this 1 the books go a good home, 2 the collection wont be. Here are 5 tips from me on how to begin collecting. With so much book shopping and book collecting taking place on the internet these days, it might be difficult to imagine why travel can be an. Abaa antiquarian booksellers association of america. The operable word in rare book collecting is rare and not the age of the. The mission of the abaa is to promote ethical standards and professionalism in the antiquarian book trade, to encourage the collecting and. Johannes gutenberg developed the movable type printing press in the 1440s in fact, any printed book dating from 1500 or earlier is known as an. Rare book and special collections reading room, libraryof.
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