How to Find Rare Books

Posted by Anonymous , 9/4/2007 Tags:FindRareBooks
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How to Find Rare Books

Introduction

Whether you want a rare book as an investment, to add to your personal collection or just to read, you'll want to know how to find it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Steps

1

Step One

Know exactly what you're looking for before you begin your search. Having the complete title, author's name, edition number and publication year will help you locate the book.
2

Step Two

Look in Books in Print to see if the book is still being published.
3

Step Three

Lurk at garage sales, antique stores, estate sales and bookstore sales, and scan book dealer catalogs.
4

Step Four

Check out eBay's and Amazon's auctions as well as some of the larger used book sites. Some Web sites have a search option that checks many small stores across the world.
5

Step Five

Decide what condition is acceptable for your collection. If you're a collector, you'll generally want first editions and well-cared-for volumes.
6

Step Six

Look for books printed on early presses or with wooden type. Woodblock pictures indicate a good investment, as do hand-colored illustrations and first editions that have been signed by the author.
7

Step Seven

Focus on books concerning art, diaries and atlases if you're looking for items that will appreciate in value. Bibles and other religious books generally do not.

Tips & Warnings

  • Compare prices at several places. The same book may sell for substantially less at a place that has more than one copy on the shelf.
  • Remember that the book's condition, binding type and edition number and the presence of an autograph will affect its price. The book's age usually matters, but not in all cases.
  • Make sure that any seller you deal with will guarantee the quality of the book before you buy it.

Overall Things You'll Need

  • Credit Cards
  • Internet Access
  • Computers
  • Secured Credit Cards
Tools: |