Recently, I had the opportunity to compare the selling practices of two unique used bookstores. They are technically both “book barns” – a popular selling point for bibliophiles like myself. During … [Read more...]
Book Collecting; or Mirth and Marvels
Books and LPs were gauges of all things when visiting; it was a Rorshach Cabinet of Fortune Telling cards. *** It began with the Andrew Lang Coloured Tales Books which soon became 20 or so Dover … [Read more...]
For collectors: where and how to buy Beat Generation books (and others)
We've gathered together booksellers, publishers, and other services for book collectors of all stripes. Please get in touch if you'd like to suggest a resource for this list. Booksellers - Beat, … [Read more...]
How to Identify a First Edition Book
This page has lots of information on it! Here are some quick links to the most important topics. General guidelines for identifying a first edition Identifying 1st editions from specific … [Read more...]
The Best Websites to Buy Collectible and First Edition Books
So, what's the best way to find books online? There are thousands of large bookselling sites, and individual booksellers, and Google searches don't always work well for turning up the results you … [Read more...]
For booksellers – Where to sell your books online
Want to sell books online? There are many sites where you can list your books for sale. Here are our top picks (in alphabetical order), with some details about their size, fees, and other … [Read more...]
Recovering water-damaged books and paper – is it possible?
Having a flood or water damage in your home can be a disaster. Not only can it ruin your floors and walls, it can also cause damage to anything that happens to be in its path. Unfortunately, this can … [Read more...]
First Edition Book Values – How Much is a Book Worth?
What's the Current Retail Value of Your Books? determining value via online sources How do you determine the ballpark current value of the one that's on your desk right now? It's actually … [Read more...]
Book Collecting: Illustrated glossary of terms, edition, & condition
Ever how to interpret the condition, edition, and other terms included in the description of a book for sale? Here we'll unravel the mystery. Book Condition Terms Very fine is a flawless copy, … [Read more...]
Are Books with Binding or Printing Errors Collectible?
Have you ever brought a new book home, only to discover that the cover was on backwards, or there were printing errors (for instance, pages repeated, omitted, out of sequence, or upside down)? If so, … [Read more...]
Steve Sargent of Analecta Books on Limited Edition Remarqued Books
I recently had a conversation with Steve Sargent, proprietor of Analecta Books, where he specializes in selling signed first edition and limited edition books. Analecta also sells "bespoke" remarqued … [Read more...]
How to Date Undated Books
A reader asks, "I have some really old books, but there is no copyright date or publishing date. What is the best way to determine the age of the book?" This is a great question! Modern books … [Read more...]
How to Determine a Book’s Initial Press Run
Recently I've received a couple of emails from visitors to this site, who wanted to know how to determine how large a given published book's initial print run (also known as the first printing, first … [Read more...]
Book Bindings: An Illustrated Guide for Collectors
If you collect books, you've probably encountered several types of bindings. Here's a description of the various types and some things that affect their condition. Primary Types of Book … [Read more...]
About Author Signatures and Signed Books
There are many kinds of signatures which can be found on books. Below we'll discuss them, and how each affects the value of a book. You can click on any of the images for a larger view. Types of … [Read more...]
Where to Sign a Book
Over the past month, I've received emails from two newly-published authors who have upcoming book signing events. They both wanted to know, "Where should I sign the book?" By far the most common … [Read more...]
Review – Guide to the Identification of First Editions
Bill McBride's Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions details the methods over 4,600 different publishers use to identify their first editions. For many years McBride has worked … [Read more...]
Review – Points of Issue: A Compendium of Points of Issue of Books by 19th-20th Century Authors
Bill McBride's other book, A Guide to the Identification of First Editions, shares the basic methods that individual publishers use for distinguishing first editions from later printings. Points of … [Read more...]
On Collecting Literary Ephemera
The term ephemera refers to items, usually printed on paper, which are meant to have a very short life span. These may include tickets, bookmarks, advertisements, event posters, programs, menus, news … [Read more...]
First Edition Condition
Book Condition & Grading Book collectors generally want books that are in as close to their original condition as possible. Books that appear new & unread (or nearly so), are most desirable. … [Read more...]
