What is the best way to get started in Rare Book Collecting?

Question

I read there is a book fair in SanFrancisco next week and I want to go and be somewhat knowledgeable.

Answer 1

Read a book or two on book collecting. I suggest Warmly Inscribed: The New England Forger and Other Book Tales by Lawrence Goldstone and Nancy Goldstone (an excellent introduction to how to spot forged signatures and book collecting in general) and Reading Matter: A Rabid Bibliophile's Adventures Among Old and Rare Books by Jack Matthews.

I would also just look around for the first few shows unless you see something you are very interested in. Prices vary widely from show to show, and from dealer to dealer at the same show. Spend time at abebooks.com -- it is a website that compiles used book store inventory, so you can see the range of prices for a particular book.

Learn about the history of bookmaking and how to recognize first editions. It varies from publisher to publisher and over time. There is a language that you will be able to speak, and dealers will take you more seriously.

Go to every used bookstore you can get to. Look at everything. Once again, you'll start to recognize what is special and unique.

Choose a collecting focus. There are so many books out there, you can't collect them all. Decide fiction or non, first editions or special editions or signed editions. Choose a few authors, genres, time periods, topics or places/publishers.

Go to library book sales. Every so often something special will be donated and overlooked, and you can get a real gem for 50 cents.

Finally, learn about archival methods and how to handle and store your books correctly. You won't do the world a service or protect your investment if you allow the books to deterioriate.

Good luck. It is a great (and expensive!) hobby!

Answer 2

Talk to your local librarian. He/she can give you tips and select some books for you to read about purchasing rare books.

Go on eBay and see which books are receiving high bids.

Go to a used book store and ask the owner for help.

Be prepared to pay both for the book and for an increase in your homeowners insurance.