What Types of Books Do You Like to Collect?

In my line of work I am constantly amazed at the weird and wonderful types of books people like to collect. You always come across the bibliophiles who collect things like modern first editions. These collectors are the norm. It’s the offbeat ones that always raise an eyebrow for me. I’m intrigued to know why they collect what they collect, and how their obsession started. Today, for instance, I had a customer call who wanted me to compile a list of books we had available that had blue spines. Seems he was collecting them to create some sort of arty wall feature slash bookcase. And, only last week I fielded an enquiry from a lady who collected children’s books that had butterflies on the cover. Turns out she collects them so that she can cut out the illustrations for craft projects. Sacrilegious, I know! My favourite of all time though is the guy who collected books with the last page missing. I don’t mean the blank endpapers at the end of most books. I mean the last text page! He collected them because he found it amusing to read a book and not know the real ending. I never quite worked out why he didn't just rip out the last page of every book he came across. Each to their own, I guess! It got me to thinking what other crazy book collecting habits are out there in the book-o-sphere.

My own book collecting habits are of the more mundane kind. When I was a teenager I collected the Trixie Belden detective books. I’m still fuming that my mother consented to lend them to a friend and they were never to be seen again. I then went through a funny phase of collecting any books that had my name in the title. How very self indulgent of me? Again, I was just a teenager and in my defence had recently fallen in love with the novel Forever Amber, so it seemed only logical that I’d be just as smitten with every other book with ‘Amber’ in the title. This theory was soon debunked after I read Elizabeth Lowell’s, Amber Beach (apologies to all Elizabeth Lowell fans out there). The Hare with Amber Eyes is the next title on my book club list and it’s got rave reviews, so there may be life left in this particular book fetish yet. It won’t surprise you to know that now-a-days I collect books written by people who run, or have run, second-hand or antiquarian bookstores. You’d think this would be a fairly narrow sub-genre, but actually there are quite a lot of books out there on the topic. It seems nearly every second-hand bookstore owner puts pen to paper eventually. I also collect books written by the great sporting coaches. I’m a netball coach myself and am always looking to be inspired by the words of the masters. I collect them because the good ones seem to be few and far between, and because I’m always inclined to re-read them when I’m low on confidence. Last but not least, I collect any books that deal with the history and current social plight of Aboriginal Australians. For me, this last obsession is all about trying to fill the gap that my white Australian education created. Sorry to end on such a serious note!

So fess up! What types of books do you like to collect, and why? Or, dob in a friend! They’ll never know.

Reading Habit's Top Ten: Influences on the Value of a Second Hand Book

As a second hand bookstore operator I often get asked to value a book. In most cases, the book in question isn’t worth much more than $10 or $20 and I watch as a wave of disappointment creeps across the customers face. This disappointment generally stems from the common misconception that if a book is old it must be worth something. There are two glaring problems with this assumption. The first is the customers’ perception of what defines old. In book collecting terms, a book is not old if it was printed in the 1950s, yet most customers perceive it to be old and therefore valuable. In collecting terms a book must have been around more than 100 years to even begin to be considered old and preferably more like 200 years. The second problem with this perception is that people equate age with value. This is a complete falsehood. Whilst age can contribute to the value of a book, the most important indicator of a book’s value is its rarity. And even this statement needs further elaboration because the truth is that second hand book selling is just like every other global marketplace. It’s controlled by the forces of supply and demand. So whilst a book might be scarce and the only one of its kind in the world, if nobody wants to read it then scarcity means nothing. The book is worth nothing. For a book to be considered rare it must be more than scarce. It must be scarce relative to the demand for it.

All that considered, let’s look at what different characteristics can make a book rare and thus influence its value. I have listed what I consider to be the top ten influences on value below, in no particular order.

Book/Dust Jacket Condition

In real estate its location, location, location. In the second hand book trade its condition, condition, condition. The closer a book is to its original state the more value it will carry. This refers just as much to the dust jacket as it does to the book itself. A book in very good condition is worth little if its’ dust jacket is missing. It’s also important to understand that a very, very old book is worth little if it’s falling apart. The second hand book industry has developed its’ own grading terminology to help describe the condition of a book. This information is usually presented in the form of VG/VG, Fine/Good, VG/--, etc. The first part refers to the condition of the book, whilst the second refers to the dust jacket condition. If a "/--" is present, it usually means that the dust jacket is not present. The terminology used is as follows. 

New - Unread, in print, perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages.

As New – The book is in the same condition it was published.

Fine – Close to the condition of ‘As New’, but without being crisp and has no defects.

Very Good - The book shows some signs of wear, but has no tears or defects noted.
Good - The average used worn book that has all pages intact and defects are noted.

Fair – A worn book that has all pages intact but may lack endpapers, half-title etc. Binding or jacket may also be worn and defects are noted.

Poor - Describes a book that is sufficiently worn to the point that its only merit is as a reading copy. This copy may be soiled, scuffed, stained or spotted and may have loose joints, hinges, pages, etc. Defects should still be noted. 

NB: Despite this industry standard terminology there will always be discrepancies between people and their perception of the condition of a book. Where possible you should see the book for yourself and when buying over the internet we suggest you ask to see photos.  

Signature

Generally speaking, if a book has been signed by the author or the illustrator then this will add some value to your book, but don’t get too excited. If no-one has ever heard of the author or no-one wants to read the book then a signature can mean absolutely nothing. Further to this, contemporary authors are known for their book junkets when their latest novel is released. This means they sign many copies of their books at public events in an effort to promote sales. This makes their signature fairly common and adds little to the market value of the book.  Also be careful of the printed signature because this is not the same as a penned signature. A printed signature is one that is printed in every copy of the book using the same process as printing the text. A penned signature is added to the book personally by the author after publication. A printed signature is worth nothing, whereas a penned signature can add value. I will also make note here of inscriptions by authors. An inscription generally has more wording than just a signature and can add a little more value. Where inscriptions can really affect the value of a book is when they have been presented to an important associate, friend or family member. These inscribed book copies are often referred to as as presentation or association copies and they can often demand a high price.

NB: Signatures can be a tricky thing to authenticate, particularly if the authors signature is a squiggle and resembles nothing like their name. Do your homework and try and authenticate the signature. There are websites, like TomFolio, that archive scans of author’s signatures just for this purpose, so take the time to check them out.

First Edition

The term ‘edition’ as taken directly from The ABC for Book Collectors (Carter, 1997, p84) refers to “…all copies of a book printed at any time or times from one setting-up of type without substantial change.” Usually, information about editions is included on the copyright page of the book. In cases where this information is not provided you will need to do further research to determine whether a book is a first edition or not. First editions are one of the most collectable types of book and therefore their market value in fine condition can be at a premium. Though, as with all items on this list, just because a book is a first edition doesn’t make it valuable, as there has to be demand for it at the same time. I will also note here the importance of limited editions. This term is used for editions where there is a limitation statement. A limitation statement usually gives the total number of copies and then assigns an individual number to each specific copy (e.g. No 53 of 1000). Limited editions can in some cases derive a high value.

First Book

A first edition of an author’s first book will generally be worth more than their subsequent books. The underlying reasoning here is that in most cases the print run of an author’s first book is generally quite small in comparison to the print runs of their later works. The perfect example of this is J.K. Rowling. The first instalment of her Harry Potter series only had a print run of 500, whereas the last in her series had a print run of around 12 million. Needless to say first edition copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone are valued in the tens of thousands, whereas a first edition Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows carries little value unless signed by Rowling herself.

Association with Previous Owner

The association of a book with a previous owner can add value to a book where that person is either famous or important, or if that particular book held special significance. Here’s an example. Let’s say you found a book inscribed to a friend by Hemingway’s wife. This would add value to that copy of the book. 

NB: There are pirates in every trade and the book dealing trade is no different. Forged signatures and other distinctive markings like bookplates and ownership stampings are more common than you think. So make sure that any association with a previous owner has been authenticated. A quality book dealer should be able to provide you with the correct documentation.

Age

As I’ve already touched upon, age by itself is not enough to make a book valuable. The importance of the text, the condition of the book, and demand for it will determine the value of an old book. However, certain age categories of books are more sought after. As a general rule, most books printed before 1501 are rare and there is normally value attached. If we are being specific to certain countries, it’s also fair to say that English books printed before 1641 are prized, and books printed in America before 1801 are also highly collectible.

Materials Used

In the era of mass market paperbacks and e-books, book binding is fast becoming a dying art. So much so that many people will never set eyes on a finely crafted book. Leather bound books, bamboo folded books, limp vellum, wooden boards - you name it and there’s probably been a book made out it. There are even books that have been bound in human skin! Techniques used include Coptic binding, Ethiopian binding, long-stitch book binding, Bradel binding, secret Belgian binding, Japanese stab binding – the list goes on. Suffice to say, books that have been published using some of the older and more traditional styles and materials of book binding can often command a high premium.

Importance of the Text

People value books either because of their contents or because of their physical characteristics. First editions of important literary or historical works and initial reports of scientific discoveries or inventions are prime examples of books that are important because of their contents. Illustrated books that give a new interpretation of a text or are the work of an esteemed artist are also valued. Books that were suppressed or censored can be considered both important and scarce, since few copies may have survived. Physical characteristics, such as a special binding, an early use of a new printing process, or an autograph, inscription, or marginal annotations of a famous person, may also contribute to a book's importance and its market price.

Combinations

By themselves, the influences I have listed so far add a certain amount of value to a book, but found in combination these characteristics can add a whole lot more. Let’s consider. A first edition of a popular author in good condition might be worth OK money, but a signed first edition of a popular author in good condition will be worth more money. And, a signed first edition of a popular author in fine condition will be worth even more money. You see where I’m going with this. Essentially, the more characteristics listed here that you can find in combination with the one book, the rarer it becomes, and more value is placed upon it.

Sentimentality

It might seem like a cop out to finish off with this one, but it’s actually really quite important. So far, this list refers only to the collecting value of a book. It makes no attempt to address any sentimental value that one might have attached to a particular book. The most valuable books I have in my collection are not signed, nor are they first editions. They are made up of the books that my parents read to me in childhood, were given to me by special friends, or include the characters I admire or fell in love with. It may sound a bit cheesy, but sentimentality does add value to a book and the memories we attach to books can often make them seem priceless.

How to Read an International Standard Book Number (ISBN)

If you’ve ever wondered how to read an ISBN and what all the numbers stand for then you’ve come to the right place. To most, an ISBN is just a random assortment of numbers much like a bar code, but to those in the book industry it’s a unique commercial book identifier. The ISBN was invented by Gordon Foster, an Emeritus Professor of Statistics at Trinity College in Dublin, in 1966. It was originally a 9-digit number, but it was increased to 10-digits in the 1970s, and 13-digits in 2007. So how does one go about reading an ISBN?  

The first point to note is that ISBNs are designed to be read from left to right. The second is that the important parts of an ISBN are separated by either a space or a hyphen (as in the example below). The third point to note is that an ISBN will have either 4 or 5 parts - 4 parts in the case of a 10-digit ISBN and 5 parts in the case of a 13-digit ISBN. The final point is that each part of the ISBN does not have a fixed number of digits, except for the check digit which is the last part of the number. The example we will use is the 13-digit ISBN seen below.

In a 13-digit ISBN the first set of numbers is referred to as a GS1 prefix. The GS1 system of product marking is an international standard developed for efficient supply chain management. Generally the GS1 prefix refers to a specific member organization, but in the case of books the GS1 prefixes of 978 and 979 have been allocated for use by all publishers. This is because the ISBN was in use long before the GS1 system was developed, so instead of replacing the ISBN system the GS1 system has found a way of blending it into their system by allocating these prefixes. The 3-digit GS1 prefix is also sometimes referred to as an European Article Number (EAN) or an International Article Number (IAN). In short, the first 3-digits of an ISBN don't mean much to the book collector.

The next part of the ISBN we will examine is referred to as the Group Identifier. In most cases, the Group Identifier is the 4th and 5th numbers of a 13-digit ISBN (or the 1st and 2nd numbers of a 10-digit ISBN). The Group Identifier refers to the language the book is published in. Most books have single digit Group Identifiers, but the Group Identifier can be anywhere between 1 and 5 digits long. Suffice to say, the rarer the language the book is printed in, the longer the Group Identifier. We have listed the single Group Identifiers below as they are the most common: 

0 or 1 for English speaking countries;

2 for  French speaking countries;

3 for German speaking countries;

4 for Japan;

5 for Russian speaking countries; and

7 for Peoples Republic of China. 

In the example above, the Group Identifier is only 1 digit long and given the digit is the number 1 we can tell the book is published in the English language. For a full list of Group Identifiers we suggest you visit the International ISBN Agency website and download the Range Message.

The third part of the ISBN is the Publisher Code. In the example above, the Publisher Code is 4 digits in length (4116), but publisher codes can stretch up to 9 digits. The Publisher Code is assigned by the ISBN agency. Publisher Codes are allocated in blocks and once a publisher has used all of their allocation they are assigned more blocks meaning that Publisher Codes are not always uniform or sequential. Unfortunately, there is no one place that you can look up all Publisher Codes, but a little creative searching online can lead you to some informal lists that are pretty accurate though not exhaustive.

The fourth part of the ISBN is the Item Number which in the example above is represented by the numbers 8691. The Item Number refers to the title of the book. Again, the title number can be varying digits in length and may only be a single digit.

The fifth and final part of an ISBN is the Check Digit which is always only 1-digit in length. The Check Digit is used as a form of error detection and is determined by a complex calculation using the other digits in the ISBN.

That's it!! I'll just finish off with a few words about the importance of ISBNs for book collectors. An ISBN is assigned to each edition, and each variation in format, of a book. This means that a first edition of a particular book will have a different ISBN to a second edition of the same book. This is why it's important to include ISBN information in any searches you are performing for a particular book, as sometimes just the title and author will not yield the exact book you are looking for. ISBNs also differ between formats (e.g. a hardcover version of a book will have a slightly different ISBN to a softcover version). In general, reprints of the same book (edition and format) will have the same ISBN.                                              

PS: It always bugs me that people write and read it as “ISBN number”. ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. If you write “ISBN number” you are effectively writing International Standard Book Number Number. Call me crazy but you don’t need to write or read the word number twice. Get it right people!

Book Searchers, Collectors and Dealers - A New Facebook Community

I've always thought it would be great to have one place online where book dealers and book collectors could come together to share their mutual love of books. A place where a book lover searching for an elusive title could leave a message and have a book dealer from somewhere around the world reply after having found the book in the dark recesses of their stacks. A place where an avid collector of books could leave a message requesting catalogues specific to their interest and an antiquarian bookstore could reply from which a life-long buying/selling relationship would grow. A place where a second hand book dealer who recently picked up a rare first edition could list their prize find and immediately connect with an interested bibliophile just waiting for such an opportunity to arise. A meeting place where there is no large corporate middleman. Are you with me?

Short of building such a website from scratch or starting my own social networking site which I neither have the funds nor the time to do, the only way I could think of achieving something like this on a small scale and a budget was to start a facebook community page. So, as of today, this place actually exists. Initially, I imagine it will be a slow start, as such a place requires members. That's where you come in! Whether you're a small or big-time antiquarian or second hand book dealer we encourage you to jump onto facebook and like our page. We ask the same of any sometime or all the time book collectors. The name of the community page is - Book Searchers, Collectors and Dealers and we hope to see you there really soon.

Book Collecting 101 - Part 2 - Familiarising Yourself with Book Dealing Terminology

Before you even start searching for the books you've chosen to collect I advise you to familiarise yourself with the jargon of the book dealing community. It will certainly help you avoid the disappointment of receiving a book that doesn't meet your expectations. Most dealers in collectible books use standard terminology and abbreviations when describing the format and condition of the books they list and it can often seem like a foreign language to the virgin collector. I could provide you with a whole list of book collecting terminology right here, but it seems a little redundant reinventing the wheel, so I am going to recommend the Glossary of Book Terminology produced by the Independent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA). Please click on the link and take the time to have a look through. I guarantee it will be worth the time and effort.

If you'd rather purchase a hard copy reference on book terminology and book collecting in general, my recommendation for those just starting out is the ABC for Book Collectors by John Carter. This classic has long been a must have for beginner and experienced book collectors alike. Whilst a newer edition of the book is preferable, any edition would be useful as a start-off point. All entries are listed alphabetically making it super easy to use. I still use my copy quite frequently, so it will definitely be a good long-term investment.

What I will cover just briefly here is some book terminology standards in relation to book condition and book sizes. Please note that the book condition and sizing definitions listed here have been referenced from the ABE website.

BOOK SIZES

4to - up to 12 inches tall. Also referred to as a Quarto book.
8vo - up to 9.75 inches tall. Also referred to as an Octavo book. Most large softcovers fit into this book size category.
12mo - up to 7.75 inches tall. Also referred to as a Duodecimo book. Most small mass market paperbacks fit into this book size category.
16mo - up to 6.75 inches tall. Also referred to as a Sextodecimo book.
24mo - up to 5.75 inches tall.
32mo - up to 5 inches tall.
48mo - up to 4 inches tall.
64mo - up to 3 inches tall.
Folio - up to 15 inches tall.
Elephant Folio - up to 23 inches tall.
Atlas Folio - up to 25 inches tall.
Double Elephant Folio - up to 50 inches tall.

BOOK CONDITION

When book dealers list the condition of a book it is usually in the form of VG/VG, Fine/Good, VG/--, etc. The first part is the condition of the book, the second is the condition of the dust jacket. If a "/--" is present, it usually means that the dust jacket is missing or unavailable. If there is no second part at all this normally indicates the book was not issued with a dust jacket. As a guide, most book dealers use the following condition terms. The book condition definitions are meant as a guide only and buyers should be aware that all sellers will have slightly different interpretations. Good book descriptions should always include specific details on defects rather than just generic statements like "may show general wear and tear". The use of this kind of phrase with specific details is fine, but is bad practice when used in isolation. If you are ever unsure what a seller means by a term they are using to describe a book, we encourage you to ask them directly for clarification, or request that images of the book be sent.

New - A new book is unread, in print and in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages.

As New - A book that is in the same immaculate condition to which it was published with no defects, no missing pages, no library stamps, etc., and the dust jacket must be perfect without any tears.

Fine (F or FN) - Approaches the condition of As New, but without being crisp. There must also be no defects and if the jacket has a small tear, or other defect, or looks worn, this should be noted.

Very Good (VG) - A book that does show some small signs of wear, but no tears, on either binding or paper.

Good (G) - Describes the average used worn book that has all pages or leaves present. Defects must be noted.

Fair - Worn book that has complete text pages (including those with maps or plates) but may lack endpapers, half-title, etc. (which must be noted). Binding, jacket (if any), etc., may also be worn. Defects must be noted.

Poor - A book that is sufficiently worn to the point that its only merit is as a reading copy. It should still have the complete text. Any missing maps or plates should still be noted. This copy may be soiled, scuffed, stained or spotted and may have loose joints, hinges, pages, etc.

This article is Part 2 of a series titled Book Collecting 101. Click on the following link for Part 1 of the series - Choosing What Books to Collect. Part 3 of the series - Sourcing Second Hand Books - will be coming soon.

Book Collecting 101 - Part 1 - Choosing What to Collect

Book collecting is genuinely one of the most interesting and rewarding hobbies a person can enjoy. Not only is there the challenge of the search and the adrenaline rush of the find, but there’s also the pure exhilaration of the read and the satisfaction in a completed collection at your fingertips for ever more. More importantly, book collecting is something anyone can do because you are only restricted by your imagination. So, how does one take the plunge into the book collecting world?

This new series of blogs will introduce you to the art of book collecting. It’s aimed at the beginner and is full of practical hints and tips on how to get started. Let’s start at the very beginning with choosing what to collect. This may seem like an easy task, but there is much to consider and without careful research you could find yourself trying to collect the uncollectible.

Step 1: Refine your book collecting idea. Trust someone who has been at this point before and put some real thought into what type of books you want to collect. Most people think too broadly and end up endlessly collecting. The most fun in book collecting is achieved when you manage to collect a full-set of something. So make sure you have an end game. After all, you can always move onto another set once you’ve completed the first.

Let’s look at an example. Deciding to collect books on travelling through Australia might seem like a good idea, but there are thousands of them and it’s unlikely that you’ll ever collect them all. So be more specific. For instance, narrow your search to one prolific author, like Ion L. Idriess. You can even narrow your search further to first edition, hard covers with dust jackets.

Another popular collectible genre is military history books. There is a plethora of books written on this topic and no one collector could even hope to own them all. So, once again, be more specific. Where does your particular interest lay? Is it World War I or World War II? Is it Australian military history or European military history? If you decide it’s World War I and Australian military history then you might want to collect all the hardcover first edition volumes of C.E.W. Bean’s Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918.

Whatever your interest there is something for everyone to collect and if you need help refining your target collection then give your friendly second hand bookstore owner a call. They generally have a wealth of information to share and you will need their help to source books in the future, so it’s good to start a relationship early on.

Tip: Resale value is also important when deciding on what to collect. A full-set of something will always hold more value than an incomplete set. Whilst most people collect to keep, there may come a day when you must part with your collection – so make sure it’s worth it!!

Step 2: Research the Cost Involved. It’s all fine and well to want to collect a full set of first edition, signed Jane Austen novels, but can you actually afford them? Before you rush into collecting make sure you spend some time finding out how much the books you want to collect are likely to cost you. This is not a difficult task. There are a number of global second hand book sites that will allow you to search on current prices for nearly any second hand book. We particularly recommend Abe Books (www.abebooks.com), Alibris (www.alibris.com), and Biblio (www.biblio.com). It’s good to familiarise yourself with these sites early on as you will more than likely source some or all of your books through such search facilities later on.

Tip: Be ruthless on the cost involved. If there is even a doubt in your mind about whether you can afford to complete a collection then don’t even start collecting them. Choose something else to collect because you will only be disappointed and frustrated collecting something you can’t afford.

Part 2 of this post is coming soon and will focus on Starting Your Search!!