There are many different people in the world that decide to collect books, and surprisingly enough, they decide to collect books for a whole host of different reasons that are just about as diverse as the books themselves. Classic works from the greats like Homer, Shakespeare, Dante and Dickens can jump right out of the pages, stamping themselves on the minds of those reading and collecting them. The reason why so many people decide to collect books is because great books are capable of inspiring everyday readers as well as people that are dedicated to bookbinding, book production and other parts of creating the books that we love to read so much.

Many editions of our favorite classics have seen publishing ever since the invention of the printing press, which occurred more than 500 years ago. These books were held in such high regard that you can tell from the quality of the bindings and covers how important these books used to be, as well as the illustrations that are used to adorn as well as illuminate each of the pages of text. To own a fine quality leather bound classic novel that is artfully illustrated with engravings or woodcuts is a pleasure of the senses and the mind all at once.

These are just some of the reasons for why people like to collect books, and this includes all types of books including fine books and rare books. There are novice collectors that sometimes find themselves asking what types of works are actually worth spending their hard earned money on – And so this basic principle for collecting should be considered: Simply attempt to collect books that are fine and rare and that are by authors that you have once read or intend to read at some point, as long as there is world enough as well as time enough. Your collection, thusly, will reflect your interests and your tastes, and this is what you should be striving to achieve when you collect books.

Some people that collect books decide to organize the books that they collect following a specific well known illustrator. Other people that collect books decide to collect solely on the materials or the craftsmanship of the book itself and its binding, such as calf skin books, morocco books, vellum books. In all of these cases however, it is especially important that you collect books that personally interest you and excite you, because your book collection should be a product of your own interests and your own desires and not based on perceived value of books to other people.

When you decide to collect books, know that the sky is the limit in terms of what you can collect and how you can form your collection. Do not let anything limit your collection but your own capabilities, interests and imagination.

Photo Credits: Matt Seppings

Originally posted 2009-10-11 03:18:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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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

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