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If you love old books, you’re
in excellent company! Some of the great book
collectors of all time include Henry Edwards Huntington, founder of the world-famous
Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, CA; Alexandre Dumas,
the author of The Three Musketeers;
and Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond.
* * *
A home decorated with hardcover
books creates a wonderful first impression.
An assortment of vintage books displayed on a shelf adds charm and
character to a room. A home filled with
books is an oasis of civilization, a warm and inviting haven from the hectic
bustle of the modern world.
Classic books are popular
for more than their decorative appeal, of course! It is exhilarating to open a hardcover book
that has entertained readers for generations and to share the thoughts of a
famous author. A vintage book invites
the reader to explore its pages at a relaxing pace.
Decorative hardcover books
also make extraordinary gifts. Poetry,
history, fiction – everyone has a favorite genre. A classic hardcover book can become a
treasured memento that is passed down in the family as a keepsake.
Finally, collecting old
books keeps the works of great writers alive.
* * *
When we discuss rare books,
we may think of illuminated manuscripts in a museum’s temperature controlled
display case. The Huntington Library
has, in fact, one of the world’s eleven vellum copies of the Gutenberg Bible.
But for most collectors,
rare books reside on a shelf in their home, where they can be both admired and
read.
Every collector has a rare
book in his or her personal library…a crown jewel, a prized possession. While the most obvious indicator of a book’s
value is its current selling price, there are numerous qualities which can
elevate an author’s published work to the status of a collectible book.
* * *
Here is a countdown list of
ten factors to consider when building your own book collection.
Number 10:
The year the book was printed. The older the book, the greater the chance
that few copies remain.
People often collect the
works of a certain author, for example, Jane Austen or Ernest Hemingway. Others fall in love with the style of a
specific era -- let’s say, the 1920s -- and the variety of books they acquire
from that decade could run the gambit from Cheri
by Colette to Manhattan Transfer by
John Dos Passos.
Since we’re discussing a
book’s age, we should take a moment and examine the difference between antique and
vintage books. The
definitions of these terms have a variety of nuances among collectors.
Generally, “vintage” refers to books published 20 to 99 years ago, while the
word “antique” describes a book published 100 or more years ago.
Number 9: Decorative effects. A book you are interested in acquiring may be
strikingly handsome. The book may be
leather-bound. The cover may have a
colorful illustration. The title may be
stamped on the spine in gold or silver letters.
The top edge of the pages may be a shiny gilt, a classic touch often
seen in vintage sets of encyclopedias and in commemorative book editions.
The pages also may have distinctive
features. For example, illustrations:
vintage maps, reproduction art prints, and black-and-white or color
photographs. Occasionally the portrait
of the author is also printed inside the book.
A publisher may include
additional illustrations for reprint editions.
Often I find hardcover anthologies of classic fairy tales with beautiful
and unique color plates.
Number 8: The book’s condition. The passing of time tends to affect both the
appearance and the structure of the binding, the cover, and the pages. An old book may show indications of handling
by previous owners. The binding edge may
be faded from exposure to the room’s lighting.
Even the act of taking a book down from a shelf, over and over, can
cause wear on the spine. It is also
normal to open an antique book and find that the pages are faded with age.
An old book should not be
expected to be in like-new, showroom condition.
All of these signs of age add to its nostalgic charm.
Number 7:
The book’s printing history. First
editions remain very popular among collectors.
Even though the book may have had only one printing, the fact that this
was the only edition ever made increases its rarity.
When the word “first” is
associated with a book, it can be a clue that you have found something special. You may have discovered the first edition of a
literary work to be printed in your country.
Even a novel in which the author introduces a character for the first
time can make a book more valuable.
Number 6: Scarcity. How many copies were printed, and
how many still exist, can be a literal definition of the word “rare”.
A book can be rare even if
it’s not extremely old. Recently I came
across a copy of The Glass Inferno,
one of the stories that the movie The
Towering Inferno was based upon. After researching this book’s printing
history, I found only one edition, in 1974.
Not only did this suspenseful adventure novel become a classic, star-studded
Hollywood production, but also a hardcover copy
of this book in circulation four decades later would appeal to collectors of
both literary works and movie memorabilia.
Number 5: Autographed editions. A significant number of book lovers collect
only signed editions, even books that were autographed for someone else.
Some years ago, I visited a
bookstore in Los Angeles. I was surprised to see a long line of people
stretching all the way from the parking lot, through the front door, and around
the rows of bookshelves to a conference room in the back of the store. I took a peek inside the room. Lo and behold, there was Kirk Douglas, seated
at a long table, with stacks of his latest novel. He was holding a pen and looking up
inquisitively at one of his fans, who was spelling the name she wished him to
write on the title page. The other
customers were waiting patiently for their turn, for this was a rare
opportunity to get an authentic signed edition from a Hollywood
legend.
Number 4: The author’s credentials. If the book was written by an expert in a
particular field, this can increase its value.
To continue the previous example, a novel about the film industry
written by Kirk Douglas – the patriarch of a Hollywood
dynasty – would carry the cachet of the author’s insider knowledge of the world
of moviemaking.
Number 3: The book’s previous owners. If someone famous owned a book that you are
interested in acquiring, that person’s contributions to society can add significant
value to the book. If a Congresswoman
invested seventy years in acquiring first editions of 19th century
works, her heirs may donate her collection to a museum or university, so that
the books can be appreciated by the general public.
Number 2: The subject matter. A book may be of significant scientific or
academic importance. A vintage edition
filled with reproductions of antique maps may be of historical significance to
a graduate student conducting research.
A book that is a standout in
its genre is destined to become a treasured classic. Gray’s Anatomy, filled with a plentitude of
black-and-white illustrations of the human body, has remained in print since
1858 because of its ongoing usefulness to medical students.
Number 1: The book’s charm. Just like good friends and fine wines, you
know the right ones when you see them. Whether
a famous classic or an unusual find, that special book can be rare and
wonderful solely because it has captured your heart.
The Quills and Cliffhangers podcast is available at Castbox.
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