Basic Guidlines for Book Collecting

By Jeri Bass

From the earliest illuminated manuscripts, long before Gutenberg’s printing press, certain individuals have been smitten by the need to collect the written word. Poor scholars and bibliophiles have often gone without decent shelter and food to spend their last few dollars on old books from the barrows and boxes of antiquarian booksellers such as those on Charing Cross Road in London.

However, bibliophiles are not totally undisciplined in their collecting mania. Good collectors follow certain rules and patterns to insure their collections will be both pleasing and of value in the future.

So, if you find yourself addicted to collecting old books or if you have simply found a trunk full of old books in your grandmother's attic, here are some basic guidelines to consider.

SUBJECT AREA: Whole volumes of tide tables for 1927 may be of value to someone, but I have yet to meet that person in over 24 years in the antiquarian book world. On the other hand, a children's book published in 1924 would be of value to thousands of collectors. The moral here is that subject matter counts. Firstly, you should only collect books which are of interest to you, not those you are betting will become valuable. There is no such thing as a sure bet in collecting. If you love trains and really like a good read about railroads maybe that is a potential area of book collecting for you.

Do others share your area of interest? Well, if you are collecting books about one species of fruit fly you may find you have fewer companions, but if you are collecting children's books of the 1800s many people will be interested in your books and in your knowledge about these books. Popular subjects, like children's books, generate high interest, especially for older prized titles such as Peter Pan or Winnie the Pooh. A recent phenomenon in this area is a first edition of the first Harry Potter title which, in hardcover, can now fetch between $10,000 to $25,000 dollars.

CONDITION.CONDITION.CONDITION: While old scars and stains may add what is known as "patina" to some furniture, patina does not exist for books. On books those marks are considered plain old damage. The only addition to a book which may add value is the signature of the author or the signature or inscription of some other famous person.

If the book was issued with a dust jacket, that dust jacket must be present and in fairly good condition for the volume to reach its maximum value. For example an early first edition Leonard Cohen will be worth a hundred dollars more with the dust jacket.

Is the book complete and are the hinges (where the outer cover joins the text) sound?

Is the book clean?

A copy of a Robertson Davies novel in very good condition may be worth $300.00, but a copy with missing dust jacket, torn hinge and dirty boards** may not be worth $10.00. Same book, same text, but different condition.

Rarity of Volume A good general rule for book collecting is: The harder to find the book, the higher the value. Lucy Maude Montgomery published a book of poetry, The Watchman and Other Poems, which is hardly as well known as Anne of Green Gables. However, very few volumes were published and those are extremely difficult to find today. Thus, a true Montgomery collector would pay up to $1,000 for a copy.

Edition and Publisher First editions of books may be worth more than later editions; however, a textbook first edition may be worth less than the 3rd edition as mistakes are corrected and new information added. In other subject areas such as fiction and early books of exploration, the true first edition is the most prized and the value will be reflected by a difference of thousands of dollars.

Determining first editions can be very difficult. Before spending a large amount on a favorite author's first edition, the bibliophile should consult a professional antiquarian book seller or well known collector.

Book Club editions are generally not collectible due, in part, to a bit of snobbishness on the part of the book world, but mostly because of the large print runs and, in some cases, cheaper materials used in the printing.

In later articles we will deal with specific areas of book collecting. In the meanwhile enjoy a good read.

Jeri Bass

** Prior to the 1600s many books were bound together and covered with actual pieces of wood boards. Over the years the wood has given way to press paper or a kind of "cardboard" like material and to paper wraps, but the term "boards" remains and is applied to hardcover books. The "boards" are covered with either cloth material, such as linen, or with strong high quality paper.