September 21, 2005

• hello take em as you find em if you want to build up a cash collection, ie something thats going to be worth lots of money then it is generally going to cost quite alot of money to get that started, valuable first editions are um... valuable it all depends on the print runs and the availability of the book when first published, also it depends heavily on the author and what it in fashion in terms f collection at the time you are selling or buying them i collect books (old encyclopedias and works of fiction, i dont however do it for money, just for ownership of authors and books that i like
• what should I look for? Books you want to read, and books that you've read and enjoyed. Are all / most 1st editions worth buying No. A first edition of the latest million copy print run Michael Crichton or Tom Clancy or Steven King won't be anything special. What makes a book potentially valuable for sale? I wouldn't think like that -- then you're in the game against real no-shit professionals who buy and sell books 60+ hours/week, and have done for the last 20 years. You wanna collect, whatcha do is let books in that you love, and don't let them out again. You'll have a growing collection embarrassingly quickly.
• I generally go with my nose; a good book triggers a unique olfactory sensation that says, "good!" I've found some beauties at estate sales. Others seem to randomly appear in the most unusual of places... As with most valuable collections (of any object), it's best to go with a genre that interests you.
• Auctions are a gold mine. I have some early edition physics and chemistry books, for example, from the early 20th century. One physics book has 4-color plates of light refraction and the like. Most of the other books in the lot were worthless, but the ones that are cool are very cool. However, don't expect to make lots of money, and don't expect to keep most of them. Donate the rest to your local salvation army, and you can get some money off your taxes if your don't take the standard deduction. Oh, and the salvation army is a good place to look, as well. But, as others have said, collect what you're interested in, don't try it for a quick resale. It generally takes 40+ hours per week to make money in any endeavor, because there's people who have decided to make that their full-time job, and they'll put in the 40+ hours. They set the bar, and if you expect to do well at it for money purposes, then you'll likely have to do the same. This goes for collecting, webcomics, making fudge, or whatever. But for fun, you can spend as much or as little time as you want.
• I prefer books with pictures. I find them more stimulating and less likely to be used as a coloring book by me.
• I collect history books about north central Washington state. (Abtruse or what?) Resale value is of no concern to me: it's really the fun of the find, and of course the pleasure in reading an old book. Small used bookstores have been the site of my best finds. It's not a passion for me, really, merely a pleasant pastime. Gives me something to do when summoned to jury duty, if nothing else. Or any other occasion of being caught in a small town for an afternoon. So I'd agree. Start your collection with something that interests you, and let it grow organically from there. Don't fret about first editions or value right now.
• Useful terms to know for buying as well as selling. Buying a book with the idea you can resell it is book dealing. Buying a book with the intention of keeping it is collecting. There's not a lot of overlap unless you immerse yourself in it and specialize in one or two limited areas. Learn how to care for books and have a place to put the books you buy other than an old carton in the closet. Some conditions are better for books than other -- not too humid, free of bigs etc. good luck!
• =bugs
• An old antique dealer once told me the best advice for finding quality old stuff "Be the first one in the house." Place an ad in your local paper saying you buy old books. When you get some calls, tell them you don't pay much but will buy all they have and haul em away. Most people are not aware of the value of an old book and are just glad to be done with them. You'd be amazed what you'll find. It's better than being an asscrack. Kenny (an antique dealer friend of mine) calls the estate sale book guys "asscracks". Every estate sale he goes to, the book guys are on their knees, bent over, looking through piles of books. When you walk into the room you're greeted by a line of asscracks (aka; plumbers butt) staring you in the face. (shudder)
• I'm an amateur magician and one thing I've noticed is how quickly the magic books I've bought have appreciated quickly in value. This is due to the fact that books for magicians are printed in extremely limited quantities and are often never reprinted. In one case a paperback I bought three years ago for $7.95 was recently selling for $450 on eBay. In another case, a book I almost bought for $60 a couple of years ago is now selling for $2000+(doh!) I'm not suggesting you buy magic books (unless you're interested in the subject) but the smaller the potential audience a book has (within reason), the greater the possibility of investment growth. Another way of saying it is that the rarer the book, the faster the appreciation of its inherent value.
• I collect science books, Canadian fiction books and anything and everything that catches my eye. Like what others have said it's more rewarding for me not for the $ but for the enjoyment of having them. At the same time though it's good to be aware of how to maintain/increase the value of your books. e.g. that the condition of dustjackets is important; that if signed by the author it should be the author's name *only*... etc. Check out this website for a beginner's primer for book collecting
• I have started collecting in the last year or so, and joined The Odyssey Bookshop Signed First Editions Club. You get a signed first edition every month for the the cost of the book and shipping and handling. All the books are covered and come with an authenticity cert. It's a nice easy way to get some interesting signed first editions.
• What interests you? Go from there. Obviously, 1st editions are best in terms of value, but it can be something of a trial to ascertain whether or not a book is a true 1st. It is not uncommon for a book to state on the copyright page that it's a first, yet not actually be a true 1st, so familiarize yourself with the methods of telling whether or not this is the case. Abe books is an invaluable resource for the amature book collector.
• Hey, I have a couple of old magic books, I think Scarne's Magic Tricks and Scarne's Card Tricks (or similar). I've been planning to sell them, but hadn't actually gotten around to pricing or anything. Hmmm. [check check check] It's an old hardback edition, but it looks like you can get paperback versions relatively easily, so it's probably not worth that much. Still, I may investigate.
• Try bookshops.
• Anyway, I'm off down Amazon.
• I didn't know you spoke Quechua.
• Yoppa teppa yappa mopo.
• i like BIG books...my biggest is 'the nasa atlas of the solar system'
• Yes, big books! I see your NASA atlas and I raise you the Britannica World Atlas!
• Check out library book sales. Even with ex-library markings, some books can still go for some real money. I got a bunch of out-of-print biographies of Confederate Generals at a library book sale and sold them for some big bucks on Ebay. Like everyone else has said, find a subject, author, art style, etc. you like and concentrate on those. As you get more familiar with your particular niche, you'll know what is worth money and what isn't and you'll be able to spot good deals. I buy books because I love them. If I can get something inexpensive for resale, that is just a bonus.
• My Collection (as opposed to the bunch of paperbacks taking up wall space) consists of hardbound books by seven or eight authors. These I bought because I liked them, and they are old friends whose value to me is likely higher than their value would be to anybody else. There will be difficulties in collecting hardbound books. For example, Thomas Pynchon himself is said to have looked for a hardbound copy of V. and failed at it. I haven't got one either.
• I have an evolving list of books that I have either always wanted to read, or I think I should read. Typically, I scout used bookshops and buy hardback versions. Since most on my list are classics or controversial, I can usually find them reasonably. I second the library sales. Almost always I find the books worth keeping in my permanent collection; I often want to go back and review or re-read them. I love the way a book is so easy use, as opposed to an online text, which somehow feels impersonal to me. Plus, a nice book collection gives one gravitas.
• Try this site: Addall.com It also searches the excellent Abebooks, and at least ten or twelve other sites. You can also search for out of print or used books on it. I like starting with favourite authors and working from there. I've got an almost complete collection of Pratchetts, a good smattering of Philip K. Dick and Asimov, and almost complete collection of Eddings as well. I used to have a complete collection of Dragonlance novels, but those have been packed away. Currently being pressured by mom to throw away at least half of my collection, as my new room has nowhere near the storage space of my old one. I'm also losing the storeroom and six cabinets in the living room, so it's more a matter of what I can't bear to throw away rather than deciding what to weed.
• I love me some Pratchett. I pray to God that Terry Gilliam gets "Good Omens" made.
• Oo, nice site Alnedra, thanks! Currently being pressured by mom to throw away at least half of my collection Back! Back i say! touch not the books of Alnedra!
• I agree that focussing on books and authors I like is probably the place to start, and yet I imagine finding 'collectible' copies of many of these books would take much more money than I have to invest. For example, I'd love to own collectible copies of Heller's "Catch 22", Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird", Steinbeck's "Grapes Of Wrath" and "East Of Eden", amongst many others. I'm curious, do those of you who have collections built on authors you like own multiple copies of any one book?
• Speaking of links, some might find alibris.com useful in tracking down hard-to-find and out-of-print books. I've never used it from a collecting perspective, but I've had surprising success with it previously in finding books that simply aren't in print any more.
• I suppose it would be out of line to use the 100-ton hammer on mom ...
• Own multiple editions of a book? Sure. I'll admit that my motivation has been more of scholarship than as a collector, but I've got multiple editions of several well-loved books. I don't have multiple copies of the same edition of any book (with the exception of a book written by a friend that ends up in the remainder bin, from which I ransom it for $1 and pass it along as a gift--but that's a different affliction).
• Thanks for the alibris link pthoughtful! And yes, i do have more than one copy of a collected book. I have two signed copies of Mordecai Richler's "Barney's version", for example, and two signed copies of Anne Marie MacDonald's "Fall on your knees"...for reasons of the heart.