Book Collecting
Book collecting is a fascinating hobby that encompasses the gathering and preservation of books, often focusing on editions that hold particular value due to rarity, content, or historical significance. The practice has roots dating back to the advent of written language, but it gained prominence after the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century. This innovation not only revolutionized how books were produced but also democratized access to literature, leading to an increase in collectors from various social strata, including scholars and wealthy merchants.
Collectors often seek first editions, signed copies, or limited prints, with preferences varying widely based on individual interests—from specific genres like detective fiction to particular authors or themes. Trends in collecting can shift over time, with modern first editions and signed works capturing significant attention. While some collectors approach the hobby as a potential investment, many find joy in the pursuit itself, valuing the emotional and intellectual connections fostered through their collections. Resources such as online catalogs and specialized bookseller websites support collectors in navigating this enriching field, making it accessible for both novices and seasoned bibliophiles alike.
Book Collecting
History
The history of books is a long and fabulous one, and book collectors have been around as long as there have been people around to read them. Books are of such central importance to world history, in fact, that one may piece together the history of almost any civilization simply by looking at what books they have produced and saved in libraries and private collections.
Because the history of the book is so extensive, the examination of book collecting in this essay is limited to the collecting of books printed after the advent of printing by moveable type, in the fifteenth century. It was during this period that books as we know them today (i.e., bound manuscripts manufactured by printing presses and distributed either publicly or privately) took shape in the printing houses of Western Europe and became the object of desire among collectors.
The inception of modern printing techniques led naturally enough to the rapid increase in book collectors. Members of royal families and other elite citizens who had collected books prior to the printing press soon found themselves in competition with literate members of lower classes (including wealthy merchants and scholars) for editions of books published on every conceivable subject.
Like most other collectibles, it is the individual collectors who determine which items are most desirable. Among bibliophiles, as book collectors are known, rare items such as Gutenberg's Bible and the first folios of William Shakespeare's work take precedence over other items, but for most modern collectors with average means and access to books, there are many places to focus their attentions. Sports fans may wish to collect signed autobiographies of their favorite players; readers of poetry may seek out early editions of books by favorite poets; Beatles fans may attempt to collect every piece of printed material on the band to complement a music collection; children's book collectors may seek out works of a particular illustrator; and so on. A very common type of book to collect is the first edition, which is the first printed and distributed version of a book.
Things to Look For
A typical advertisement for a rare book may contain references to its "clean" jacket or pages (i.e., no rips or tears), the "tightness" of its pages, the firmness of its binding, the existence of an original price on the inside corner of the jacket, and the lack of any "shelf wear." As for scarcity, that will take knowledge of many facets of the particular item, including how many copies were printed in the first print run, where it originated, and whether or not it was a paperback or hardcover original.
Determining whether something is a first edition is often as simple as looking at the copyright page of the book and looking for the words "first edition" somewhere in the text or a number line (10 9 8 7, etc.) that ends in a "1", but even that can be tricky—for example, Random House firsts often have a number line that ends at "2." Likewise, books that are centuries old will have none of this information. Resources are available for this aspect of book collecting, but often a trustworthy dealer can be all that is needed in determining scarcity.
Trends
Trends in book collecting include modern firsts; hyper-moderns (books that are collectible immediately upon publication, often because the author is riding a wave of advance critical praise); limited editions; and signed editions (particularly if the author has passed on or is reclusive).
Every collector is different. Completists will often decide to find everything—book or not—that bears the name of their favorite author. Some may wish to build a collection of exotic books, such as works on medical maladies, while others may collect science fiction paperbacks of a particular era, not for their literary merit but for the interesting art used on the covers. Other completists will collect editions of a single title, including revised editions and foreign translations. Online library catalogues such as WorldCat.org, the US Library of Congress, and the British Library can provide a title's bibliographic history.
Detective fiction of the 1930s–50s, which only entered the literary canon in the last few decades, is one current trend that seems to have no end. As well-known authors such as Dashiell Hammett or Raymond Carver become collected, their prices rise, making collectors seek out even more obscure detective writers, thus creating a market that may not have existed just a few months previously. Other collectors may choose to collect proofs or advance reader copies—these are the earliest versions of bound books, sometimes containing passages that differ from those in the final, published version.
Collecting Books for Fun vs. Profit
Choosing whether or not to pursue book collecting for fun or profit will depend upon what is being collected and the determination of the collector. If a collection is built on a great quantity of books, few of which would be valued highly by another collector, then there is little hope of turning a profit on sale of the collection. However, profit is not often the desire of many collectors who simply want to surround themselves with items that bring them happiness.
If one is adept at choosing "hot" young authors and snaps up their books upon publication, simply waiting a few years (or even just a few months) can mean selling a book for hundreds of dollars. It is advised that a collector who wants to make money from the sale of books should seek out a book dealer who doesn't mind sharing secrets of the trade, or consult any one of several books that are available on the business of dealing books. Websites such as AbeBooks.com, Alibris, Amazon.com, and Biblio.com allow users to browse and search the collections of independent booksellers from around the world, and can give a sense of current market values for collectible titles. The Book Collector, a subscription-based online literary journal about books and publishing, has a searchable archive that includes international auction and sales information.
Learning More
Organizations
AbeBooks.com <https://www.abebooks.com>
Alibris <https://www.alibris.com/>
Biblio <https://www.biblio.com/>
The British Library <https://www.bl.uk/>
Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America <http://www.abaa.org/>
The Book Collector <https://www.thebookcollector.co.uk/>
International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) <https://ilab.org/home>
Library of Congress <https://www.loc.gov/>
WorldCat.org <https://www.worldcat.org>
Books
Ahearn, Allen, and Patricia Ahearn. Collected Books: The Guide to Values. G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2002.
Baker, Nicholson. Double Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper. Random House, 2001.
Basbanes, Nicholas. A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes and the Eternal Passion for Books. HarperCollins, 2001.
Carter, John. John Carter's ABC for Book Collectors, 9th revised edition, Nicolas Baker and Simran Thadani, editors. Oak Knoll Press, 2016.
Ellis, Ian C. Book Finds: How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books. Perigee, 1996.
McBride, Bill. A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions, 7th revised edition. McBride Publishing, 2012.
Petroski, Henry. The Book on the Bookshelf. Knopf Doubleday, 2010.
Wilson, Robert A. Modern Book Collecting. Skyhorse Publishing, 2010.
Zempel, Edward, and Linda Verkler. First Editions: A Guide to Identification, 4th edition. Spoon River Press, 2001.