September 7th, 2009 — Antique, Antique Books, Vintage Books and Manuscripts
If you are interested in finding a collectible that has a true story to tell, antique books are the ideal choice. These offer the ability to collect something that has value, not only in the actual worth of the item, but in the knowledge that is contained within its pages. Antique books are very popular and it is not terribly difficult to find some truly remarkable ones at sale. Here’s a quick guide to help you find the perfect antique books.
1. Pick your author or subject
One of the easiest ways to start looking for antique books is to find an author that you admire, or one that is very popular. For example, many are in the market for original Jane Austen volumes, while others prefer to find vintage F. Scott Fitzgerald. If you don’t have a particular author in mind, you can start collecting antique books by subject. There are many different ways that you can build up a great collection, but it does help to have at least some idea of what you are interested in before you start.
2. Considering the condition
Once you know what kind of antique books you want to collect, it’s a good idea to learn about how to tell what kind of condition they are in. The most valuable books are the ones that are in pristine shape. One of the major problems facing collectors of antique books is mold, mildew and spine rot. This can greatly impact the overall value of a book, as well as making them undesirable for display or even to have in your home. Always do the “smell test” when buying old books to see if they are overly musty or mildewed. This is perhaps the easiest way to gauge the actual condition of a volume.
3. Look for first editions
While some authors bring in a good price regardless of the edition, the most valuable volumes are going to the best the ones that are first editions. You can find this information in the copyright section of a book. The ideal combination is to find a first edition antique book that was actually signed by the author. These are rare, but they are incredibly valuable if you can come across one.
4. Know where to shop
In order to get the best deals on antique books, you have to know where to shop. In some cases, you can come across a rare find in a second hand or used book store. Frequent these stores often and keep an eye out for a potentially valuable item. You can also find antique books at auctions or in special stores. However, one of the best places to find antique books is online, where you can have access to collections from around the entire world.
Collecting antique books is fun, but remember to keep them in good condition when you do get them. Sealing them off from air and dust is the best way to keep them pristine.
Originally posted 2008-09-25 05:10:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Collecting Antique Teddy Bears Are you wondering why you might want to go into collecting antique teddy bears? It really is a matter of taste when it comes to collecting antique teddy bears. It is quite possible for you to collect these bears on a wide variety of different levels. You can collect all...... -
Collecting Antique Photography It may be difficult for you to understand why anyone would want to give away or to sell their family photographs, but just as there are people that are willing to sell their family photography, there are also people out there who are interested in buying up these old antique...... -
Victorian Furniture Dealers -> Periods-Styles -> Victorian Though its peak popularity was during the late 19th century in America, Victorian furniture still holds quite an appeal for many people today. This style of furniture is distinguishable by the time period in which it was created and the methods that were used. The...... -
Chinese Antique Jade Antiques -> Asian -> Chinese Chinese antique jade isn't just beautiful in its own right, but carries a deep cultural significance for the Chinese people. Historically, it was used for jewelry, in religious ceremonies, culturally, monetarily, and was believed to hold great mystical and healing powers. Today, it's still an...... -
The Basics of Collecting Wine: Storage Some people choose to go about collecting wine to earn money, and other people get into the art of collecting wine just because they are passionate about wine. It does not matter why you are collecting, for profit or for pleasure, the art of collecting wine is one that requires......
Related Websites -
Get Into Bed With Jamaica Layne (Author Interview) LRP: I just read Market For Love and I was impressed by your details of the work atmosphere. Granted I have no background in finance America, you could have said anything and I would probably buy it, but that's not the point. What you did write was entirely believable...... -
Want A Sticky Site? Forget Content! Guest Post By Michel Fortin /caption] An interesting debate is raging among copy writers, web designers and content developers about the differences, if any, between writing copy for the web versus writing content. According to prolific copywriter Nick Usborne of Excess Voice, a recent survey conducted among the readers of...... -
Antique Postage Stamps Stamps -> Worldwide -> Postal History When it comes to collecting stamps, most collectors dream of being able to find the perfect antique postage stamps. By far, these are usually the ones that are the most valuable and in many cases, they are the most visually interesting. If you are...... - Military Coins Coins and Paper Money -> Coins US -> Coins - World Whether you were once in the military, or you are a collector all of things militaria, military coins are a great and valuable item to start amassing. There are many different kinds of military coins that are currently available......
-
Stamp Collection Stamp Collection -> Worldwide -> Collections, Lots Building up a stamp collection is a hobby for thousands of people and it is one of the oldest forms of collectibles. For those that are just getting started with their stamp collection, there are a few things to remember to make sure......
Online Stores Online Stores
August 19th, 2009 — Antique, Antique Books, Collectible
Many people who collect rare books have relationships with a number of booksellers who handle these types of books, and have lists of the books they’d like to own. The seller, when that book becomes available, will contact the customer and then they negotiate on a price. Some online rare book sellers give the option of making such a wish list with them, and then you could be notified if they should find they have your books available.
If you’re interested in collecting rare books, establishing a relationship with several sellers and giving them your wish lists is an excellent beginning. You can at least be assured that if one of these sellers come across a book that you’ve expressed an interest in, you’ll be contacted and you’ll have the opportunity to negotiate its purchase. Whether or not you’ll end up with the book depends on how many other people the seller has to notify, and how aggressively the other customers go after the same rare book.
But rare book sellers aren’t the only way you can find rare books. Flea markets can provide interesting finds, as can yard sales. Very often people take their old books and sell them for pennies at these kinds of sales. If the seller isn’t well-read or interested in rare books, he or she might not be aware that the old book they’ve never read and don’t even remember where they got could be quite valuable in the rare book market.
Auctions like eBay are an excellent place to find rare books, too. While it’s fun to browse through the tables at flea markets and yard sales and come across an old book that costs virtually nothing and could very well be worth something, when you approach booksellers or auctions, it’s best to know exactly what books you want.
If you’re looking for rare books by a specific author, that makes it quite easy to search the numerous auctions you’ll find online, and if you’re looking for a specific book or books, then your search is simplified even more. Though it can worthwhile to simply browse the books at eBay, you’ll want to narrow it down. Go to the category called “Antiques” and then choose “Books and Manuscripts.” You can narrow it down further by choosing the region of the world you’d like the books to originate from, or you can choose the main category and spend hours browsing the rare book auctions.
As far as judging the value of rare books, much depends on the author, the condition of the book and its binding, and the book itself. First editions are the most coveted types of rare books available today, as they represent the very first printing of the book, and are almost always more valuable than later printings. If you’re looking at an auction that says “reading copy,” then pass on it. This is a book that’s in poor enough condition that you can enjoy reading it, but it’s not collectible.
Originally posted 2008-11-16 05:00:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Antique Shops Online One thing that you will know if you are interested in antiquing is that there are antique shops located all over the world. When people think of antiques and antiquing, what they think about is buying items that and then hoping someday that they will gain value. When it...... -
Finding Antiques and Collectibles If you are interested in the art of antiquing, then you should know that there are antiques and collectibles that you can find in all shapes, all sizes and all kinds of locations. All of these antiques and collectibles have history, a past, a story to them. People can find...... -
Antique Bird Cages Dealers -> Antiques -> Decorative-Arts Years ago, before the introduction of plastics and resins, even animals’ indoor homes like antique bird cages were considered beautiful pieces of furniture. Of course, some were plain and utilitarian, but many more were actually created in the popular furniture styles of the times. Bird...... - Antique Bench Antiques -> Furniture -> Benches, Stools: 1800-1899, 1900-1950, Post 1950 One great way to add function and beauty to any home is by purchasing a unique antique bench. There are many different types of collectible benches that can be found in antique stores around the world, but it is important......
-
Revolutionary New Antiques Site Aggregates the World's Stock of Antique Silver, Bringing Buyers and Sellers Together There is a new player in the international silver trade. My Family Silver is a revolutionary new website that offers a unique way to buy and sell antique silver. For the first time, myfamilysilver.com enables dealers and auctioneers worldwide to list silver for sale on one exclusive and fully independent......
Related Websites - Homes For Sale In Anaheim California by Dan Killoe Homes for sale in Anaheim California run the gamut from extremely affordable small condominium units all the way up to some truly fantastic real estate and property that most people in the middle class probably aren't really able to afford. This is so even in the new......
- Treat Your Business Like A Business And Get Serious About It! Even if you're doing this as a hobby my opinion is that you should treat it as a business. Make all your dealings in a business like way. Don't get personally involved with anyone you are buying books from. That's my advice. Take it or leave it as you......
- Sales Training Bootcamp Teaches How To "Sell Naked!" Sales Training does NOT have to be painful and intimidating. How would you like to use the telephone to book appointments at 85%? Sounds impossible, doesn't it? That's what I thought before I experienced Joe & Dawn Pici's Sell Naked Sales Training Bootcamp! This post has nothing to do with......
-
Announcement: Sunday Devotionals with Jason Mitchener Over the past few weeks I've been feeling a bit like I've been letting an important part of this blog suffer. I haven't really been posting very much about the Bible part of "Bible Money Matters". It's easy to get caught up in material things, and worry about the things...... -
Finding Collectibles Online Everybody has some kind of special item that has been in the family for as long as anyone can remember. It might be a vase, an antique jar or some other special collectible. As far as we can tell, its been handed down from one generation to the next, and......
Online Stores Online Stores
August 19th, 2009 — Antique, Antique Books
Maintaining the integrity of old books that are considered to be archives, historic or heirlooms can be a challenging task given the wide variety of elements and types of situations that are capable of causing damage to them. Fire, water, mold and smoke are all elements and situations that are capable of causing damage to books that are archived or historic if the proper level of prevention is not practiced in order to keep these books in worthwhile shape. Although much of what was once in print has been converted into an online format as a result of the digital age, there is still a great amount of value that comes from preserving the books that history has been built on.
Restoring antique books that have been in some way damaged is a unique and challenging task that is not impossible but may sometimes seem it. Depending on the severity of the damage, the type of binding and paper and other details, books are capable of being restored by way of freeze drying as well as vacuum drying methods. Both of these methods for restoring antique books is going to require professional services, meaning that you are going to want to work with a professional that understands how sensitive each of these methods is and how sensitive the books are to them.
When restoring a book that is damaged by water, it is recommended that the book be left in its original found condition. If the book was closed, do not open it. If it was open, do not close it. If there was coated paper on the book, then you can use wax paper between the pages. To store or move the books prior to treating them, pack them with their spines down in crates or boxes with freezer paper keeping individual books separated.
Mud and dirt should absolutely only be removed from the book if it has been allowed to dry fully. Do not use detergents or bleaches in order to clean the books. Dry the wet books using a fan. Do not use the sun. If you want to prevent mold and absorb extra moisture, you should use talcum powder or cornstarch. If the pages of the books are folded or wrinkles, then you need to wait until the book is at least partially dry before placing the book between two dry boards using a clamp or a vice for a period of at least 24 hours to allow for straightening of the pages.
If the delicacy and the detail involved in managing the restoration and drying of an old antique book seems too daunting for you, please find a service that can do the work for you. If you become overwhelmed by the process you may end up hurting the book sooner than helping it. Contact a professional immediately to find out what your options are and you may have better luck.
Photo Credits: Patrick Q
Related Posts - Revolutionary New Antiques Site Aggregates the World's Stock of Antique Silver, Bringing Buyers and Sellers Together There is a new player in the international silver trade. My Family Silver is a revolutionary new website that offers a unique way to buy and sell antique silver. For the first time, myfamilysilver.com enables dealers and auctioneers worldwide to list silver for sale on one exclusive and fully independent......
- Antique Lighting Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Lamps Whether you are trying to restore an older home and would like to keep it in the period style, or you just appreciate older light fixtures, antique lighting has much to offer. There are many different styles from Victorian, to Art Deco to Modern......
-
How to Find Antiques to Buy If you are trying to learn how to find antiques that you can buy and add to your collection or resell through other avenues such as online or through antiques auctions, the following guide should prove useful to you. Here is a brief guide on how to find antiques that...... - Antique Books Antiques -> Books and Manuscripts -> American If you are interested in finding a collectible that has a true story to tell, antique books are the ideal choice. These offer the ability to collect something that has value, not only in the actual worth of the item, but in the......
-
Buying Antiquities on Ebay Antiquities and antiques are separate entities all together. Antiquities are ancient objects that are most commonly at least 800 years of age or older. There are a number of truly nice antiquities on eBay if you know where to look. For every authentic piece that you can find when it......
Related Websites -
centsibility -- teen personal finance book review One fun part of working in the library is seeing all the PF books out there (and we have a good collection). I've noticed a number of them are particularly oriented towards teens. The book is Centsibility: The Planet Girl Guide to Money. I decided to do it first because...... -
How to Lay A Tile Floor There is nothing quite like a tile floor. They look nice, they're pretty easy to maintain and they are reasonably easy to install. You need only a basic amount of do it yourself experience to lay your own floor and it can give you a great feeling of accomplishment when...... - Five PF Books I Really Like It's Book Club time here on The Amateur Financier. If you have even a passing interest in personal finance, you've likely browse through the money and investing books available. There are thousands of books covering these topics, ranging from the good, well-researched books, to the bad, unhelpful books, to the......
-
Looking For Methods For Improving Your Credit Score? Being able to improve your credit score is a very important part of today's financial environment and many people are seeking to improve their credit score to improve their personal financial situation. Making the choice to improve a credit score can save a person a great deal of money and...... -
How To Book Your Band The digital revolution has changed MANY things for musicians. But one thing hasn't changed much, physically performing your music to a live audience. Nothing can or ever will replace the energy and excitement of live performance. So how do you go about scoring gigs? Here is some guidance to help......
Online Stores Online Stores
