Time for Book Collecting is Now

There has never been a better time to be a collector of books. Prices have dropped (precipitously in some areas) and a savvy book collectors can find copies of even rare first editions. Why? What has happened? It is all about new inventions replacing old forms of books.

When Johannes Gutenberg introduced movable type printing to the book world few people recognized that the illuminated manuscripts that were in use would become collectible rarities. Many medieval manuscripts were discarded in the rush to acquire the new printed books.

The current invention of e-books and e-readers is about to do for the printed book, what Gutenberg's invention did for manuscripts. And as popular preference has shifted from paper books to electronic reading, there has been a glut of 'old fashioned' printed materials on the market. Fewer people are buying bound books. Bookstores are going out of business for lack of customers And Amazon is finding its Kindle electronic reader is the company's fastest selling product. We are in a publishing and reading shift as great as the Gutenberg revolution.

For the savvy book collector this presents a rare opportunity - one will not come again in our lifetime. If you know what you are doing you can scoop up some great book bargains that will only appreciate as they become more scarce because other copies have been shredded or dumped in landfills. It is a great time to be a collector of 'real' books.

But you need to educate yourself. What is collectible? What about condition? Is it worth paying extra for a dust jacket? How can you tell if a book is a first edition? How can you distinguish 'book club' editions from real first editions?

This article aims to provide solid information for the novice book collector. Read it. Read some of the recommended books about collecting. Educate yourself and then educate yourself some more. You will not only have great fun as a book collector but you may also build a small fortune of lasting value....just as the accumulator of medieval manuscripts did. So let's get started by answering some common question.

Question 1 - What should I collect?

As with all collectibles the best advice is to collect what you love. Is it illustrated children's books? Civil War history? American baseball? Modern first editions? First editions of Maya Angelou? or Stephen King? Books illustrated by Edward Abbey or Elizabeth Shippen Green? You will get the most enjoyment out of your collection if it is one with things that you really care about. You are building a book collection, not investing in municipal bonds. Of course your collection, if done thoughtfully, is likely to appreciate in value BUT book collecting and speculative investing are not the same thing.

You probably have a 'collection of books' on your shelves already. But having an amalgamation of title is NOT the same as building a collection. A real book collection has a sense of purpose and order about it. So take a look at the books you already own. Are there some you especially prize? Are they from the same category e.g. Science fiction or 10th century children's books or a signed copy by May Sarton? Thoughtful consideration is likely to tell you what the area (or domain) of your collection should be.

Question 2. Once I have decided on what I want to collect, how do I decide what to buy?

Here there are a few rules of thumb that all collectors want to remember.

First. Always buy the very best condition you can afford. Buy a single first printing in 'fine' condition with a pristine dust jacket rather than two or three later editions or a copy with 'mild wear' or missing its dust jacket. You may need some help in knowing what a 'true first' is...and what a later printing that still states first edition on the copyright page so doing a bit of self education is well worth the time and money.

There are three books that every book collector wants to read. All are by Bill McBride.

1. Book Collecting for Fun and Profit
2. A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions
3. Points of issue: A compendium of points of issue of books by 20th century authors

Even if you are not collecting 20th century authors, you can learn a lot from Bill McBride.... AND his books are paperbacks and inexpensively priced.

John Carter and Nicolas Barker have written The ABC's for Book collectors and it, too, is worth reading. If you are cash poor, it might be worth reading Seumas Stewart's, Book Collecting - A Beginner's Guide which includes information for those of more limited means as does Herbert Faulkner West, Modern Book Collecting for the Impecunious Amateur

Of course you want to know about some of the scams and deceits sometimes used in the sale of books. You'll want to read something like Schwartz, Harry W., THIS BOOK COLLECTING RACKET. or TEDFORD, MARIE THE OFFICIAL PRICE GUIDE TO COLLECTING BOOKS - just remember that prices change over the years.

For many of us, we enjoy reading about great collections, great collectors and some of the real joys of collecting. If so, Storm, Colton and Howard Peckham. INVITATION TO BOOK COLLECTING, ITS PLEASURES is a good palce to start or Winterich, John T. PRIMER OF BOOK COLLECTING - The Quarry and The Chase.

Learning about Special areas for collectors:

1. Books printed in America. Grolier Club. One Hundred Influential American Books Printed Before 1900
2. Modern First Editions. Get everything by Ahearn, Allen and Patricia. I suggest you begin with Book Collecting: A Comprehensive Guide.



And if you are ready for other specialty books, do read Brook, G.L. BOOKS AND BOOK-COLLECTING where you will find bibliography of books about book collecting.

Book collecting is a wonderful hobby. Interesting, educational .....and often addictive. (Bibliomania is what they call it.) But there is not better time to be a collector of 'real' (not electronic) books. Enjoy!