Adding Value To Your Collection - An Antique Books Guide

As a book collector myself I have learnt a few tips and rules of collecting that can help add value to a collection and so I thought I should write a post about it.

If you are to collect books then you should make an attempt to make your collection as valuable as possible.

1. Create topics within your collection

Key to any book collection is the idea of topic collecting.

For example, you will no doubt have a few books all focused upon one author or one topic that interests you.

Try to get valuable editions of these where possible.

Take the James Bond books for example. The cheaper 'Book Club' editions are reasonably easy to buy but the rare books published by 'Jonathan Cape' are harder to come by.

Try to build your collection slowly but surely and when possible upgrade the cheaper books to earlier or rarer editions.

I would also suggest you start a section of your collection (maybe one shelf of a bookcase) that focuses on classic/ famous books such as Alice in Wonderland, Ulysses or the Wind in the Willows.

By having books that rarely lose value and often gain value you will be adding a core to your collection in terms of value.

If you ever need to sell any of your books then these classic can go first but they will invariably help add strength to your collection. Later in this post I will show how to further add value to your collection by upgrading these books.

Next I would suggest a decorative section purely for aesthetic appeal. You can turn your book case or book collection into a talking point with decorative, pretty books or impressive leather bound ones.

2. Single title collections

Some collectors will go after a certain title and try to collect as many editions of that title as possible.

This is generally cheaper than collecting a range of titles and allows you to focus upon a single work.

If you have a particular favourite book then this is a wise move as you are bound to build a valuable collection if you can get a range of copies of one title.

Look for hard back editions with dustjackets where applicable for higher value than paperback equivalents.

3. Make a set

Having a set of books is something that can be a valuable collective item if you ever need to sell.

Take, for example, Milne's famous four books.

I would suggest rather than buying the set complete from someone else you should instead try to build your own.

This may take time but by the end you will have almost certainly saved money.

Look on eBay and Abebooks.co.uk at regular intervals for the books you require and book by book build your set.

4. Upgrade Your Books

Once you have your desired books you can start with upgrading certain copies.

For example, consider the set above, of Milne's four iconic books.

Now unless you are willing to spend close high hundreds for your set then you will most likely have later impressions rather than first editions.

If you happen to have a fifth edition of When We Were Very Young' then at some later point you could procure a third edition of the same book and sell your old, later edition.

By slowly upgrading your books into better editions you will end up with a more valuable collection without a large initial cost.

Tolkien's 'Smith of Wootton Major' below is shown simply to illustrate the fact that there are different editions for nearly all books printed and by slowly upgrading your books you can also add value to your collection.

                                                            5. Add signed memorabilia

Another sure fire way to add value to your collection is to add signed items to it.

If you can't get a signed book then go for letters, postcards or even envelopes.

These will invariably be cheaper than a signed book but can still add considerable value to a book as a package.

If you have a signature from a well known author already then try to buy a valuable, early (or First if possible) edition of their most famous book.

That way if you ever need to sell, the combination of autograph and valuable book ensures your collection is high in value.

Thanks for reading - I hope this post has helped you in some way.

If you need any advice please feel free to contact me.

As always a comment, share or +1 is always appreciated!

An Antique Books Guide - Vellum Binding

Only recently have I really learned of the value of vellum and I though I should make a brief blog post about it.
Vellum is treated pig skin and can be found as the binding of many antique or valuable books.
Whilst it may sounds rather disgusting, Vellum is one of the most prized cover materials, giving a lovely cream colour that can be adorned with gilt patterning.

Vellum copies of famous book can sell for thousands such as Arthur Rackham's Alice in Wonderland.
Vellum can get dirty easily and is most valuable when clean and bright with detailed patterning gilded upon it.

Even lesser known books can attract reasonable values purely for the binding.
Below are some pictures to show more of this smooth, hard binding material.

Thanks for reading

Ebay Quick Tips TOP 8 - An Antique Books Guide

eBay is really quite a simple site to get the hang of but there are some unspoken rules regarding selling books that can be useful to know if you want to get the maximum price possible.

1. PhotosIf your listing doesn't have a photo then there is a very high chance your book won't sell.

If you are starting it at 99p then it might but someone could get a great deal.

You can't expect a buyer to bid on something they can't see.

2. Clear photosMake sure that your photos clearly show the book.

Some listings I've seen have someone holding a book at an angle and the photograph just looks shoddy.

Use a white or at least clean surface in a well lit room and make sure the entire book is on show.

3. Relevant photosYou shouldn't be satisfied with just one photo for your listing.

Take several showing off key aspects of the book so that the buyer can see exactly what you are offering.

Make sure you show the covers, title page, publication/ print details and any illustrations.

4. Appropriate title.Try to give the year of the book, the title of the book, the author of the book and any relevant key terms such as 'antique', 'gilt', 'decorative' and war' etc as this improves search possibilities.

Don't just use caps as this can come across as a bit amateur.

5. Subtitle riskIf you are asking for £14.99 plus for your book then a subtitle can be useful as it shows the person searching through eBay a little bit about your listing without having to click on it.

The subtitle also includes searchable words so maximizes your chance of a sale.

6. Description

Make it clear and concise but don't be afraid to sell your book with words.

Make it sound nice and tell the buyer of it's best features.

Give the details of the book also including Title, Author, Publisher, Publication Date (If shown) and number of pages.

This helps the buyer decide if they want the book or not.

7. Price

The most important aspect to selling your book - make sure you know the value.

Don't undersell but more importantly don't try to overcharge.

Generally antique books  aren't worth as much as you might think.

Check Abebooks.co.uk for the price of your book or a similar copy and knock a few pounds off to ensure a sale.

It sometimes takes a few times before the book sells as the right buyer has to be searching in the 10 days or so that your item is active.

8. Postage 

Arguably one  the most important aspects to listing on eBay, the postage cost can determine whether you get a sale or not in some cases.

If a buyer sees a book with £7 postage then they will instantly be wary, especially if the book isn't all that big.

If you do have a heavy book it is sometimes best to still charge a few pounds less than the postage cost purely to entice buyers.

Make sure you know the eight of your book however for you don't want to be caught out.

If your book weighs under 1kg and over 500g then it will most likely cost £2.60 to post second class.

If the book is less than 2cm thick then it should only cost approx £1.20-£1.80.

If the book is over 1kg then it will probably cost £5.60 to post second class but could rise to nearly £9 if especially thick.

And lastly if the book weighs more than 2kg the cheapest option is Parcelforce 48 which is ordered through the Post Office and costs £12.90 approx.

And there you have it!

These are only tips for listing but if you pay attention and put a bit of care into your listing then your book should sell for far more than if you listed it quickly and without thought.

Thanks for reading!

eBay - The Book Selling GUIDE

Here is something of a relic - this was one of my first posts but due to continued popularity I have decided to repost and slightly update it

The simplest way to successfully sell your books, England's largest online marketplace is a useful tool for book sellers..

Yet some still struggle with getting to grips with the website so I shall hopefully give a brief run through of what to do and how to do it.

As a seller on eBay with over 800 feedback, chiefly from book sales, I can give you some handy tips and hints to help you sell your book.

Don't worry - photos are further down and will illustrate how to sell your book(s) on eBay.

Step 1. Set Up An Account

Setting up an account on Ebay is really quite simple. Follow the instructions and you can do little wrong.

It is useful to have a PapPal account for this as PayPal is the primary way of paying on eBay.

(Please note that if you are new to eBay people will be less inclined to buy from you or even in some cases sell to you. This is purely due to the low 'Feedback Score' you will start off with. Simply make a few purchases so that you get your feedback above 10 and you will find things much easier.)

Step 2. Photograph your item(s)

Before you even begin to list what you are selling, you will need to have photographs of the items (books in this case). If you list without a photograph it is highly unlikely that your book will sell.

Make sure you use a well lit room and have the book in focus - using Macro is useful here if your camera has that setting.

Avoid flash as it can cause reflection.

A tip here: If you cannot find somewhere suitable try the bath! The white, smooth edges are bound to create a professional looking backdrop. Make sure you get the lighting right also so that the book appears as realistic as possible.

How to transfer:

Where possible use the USB cable your device came with (if it did) or otherwise use a memory card. You may well know the easiest way from experience but if not then attempt to upload the photos first from your camera (or phone) vias USB to 'My Pictures'.

If you are using a phone and cannot do this then attach the photos to an email via your phone and then access that email on your laptop or Computer.

Important photos to take:

The front cover - if the book can stand up by itself this is the best option here.

The rear cover (if the book is a high value item)

The front/ end papers if particularly interesting eg. Maps or decorative

The title page (introducing the book and it's publisher etc)

A print details page if relevant (showing date, edition etc)

A sample page (any will do - if illustrated choose a few nice ones to show)

A selection of illustrations (not overly necessary unless nicely illustrated or rare)

Step 3. List the item(s)

You have your account and your photographs. Now is the time to actually list your book(s).

First enter your required item - here I find it always useful to enter 'Antique Book'. If your book is particularly rare, old or nice then this will be the most successful for you.

Tick the box 'Antiquarian & Collectible' and then click 'Continue':

Now you will see the actual listing page for your book.

Starting from the top, fill in the information regarding your book.

 Remember: the more information, the easier it is for a buyer to search and identify what you are selling

Begin with a title that will grab reader's attention. 

Research your book if you wish through 'Abebooks.co.uk' - the leading boom selling website in the UK I believe. Her you can search through millions of books to find ones similar or the same as yours. This is useful for description and for pricing.

Here's a few tips:

Capitalize the occasional, important word (such as GILT)

Use the full space if possible - this means there are more words for searchers to locate your book with

Enter the printing date of your copy at the beginning of the title

Remember to include the book's title, the author's name and any themes relating to the book (eg Travel, Africa, Exploration or Story, Illustrated etc)

Put here if the book looks especially nice (eg Gilt, Decorative, Stunning

Also ALWAYS ensure you have put Antique (or vintage) if relevant and that you have typed in Book

Don't worry about the condition description - it is easier to describe the condition later on.

Now to add some specifics.
Fill in as many catagories as possible here to encourage search options for buyers.
Your book will most likely be Fiction. 

The date here is important as people can search this easily - if unsure feel free to contact me and I can try to help.

It is now time to upload your photos.

Try to upload as MANY as possible.

All photos are now free so you can have up to 12 photos to show off your item.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a way to embed images for free also but this will be described  in a later guide due to it's slight complexity

Click 'add pictures'

Now 'browse and find the pictures - if using memory card, USB or memory stick then the pictures will be locateable from 'Computer'.

(If you followed my advice at the beginning then they will be found under 'My Pictures'.

Choose your pictures and then click 'Upload'.

This may take a few minutes so don't close the box until they are fully uploaded.

Now for the description.
This part is extremely important in selling your book.

Begin with a line detailing the book in the following manner:
Author, Book Title, Publisher, Publication date of copy, Number of pages.
This will ensure book collectors can simply and effectively view the details of your book.

Below this write a brief section about the book detailing what looks nice, what features it has and anything else of interest.

Eg. This book has a stunning Art-Nouveau cover with elaborate gilt detailing and strong gilt edging to the page block.
The book features several black and white illustrations and a few colour plates which are beautifully drawn by the renowned Arthur Rackham

This book is currently listed at £80 on Abebooks.co.uk so I am listing it for much less.
This is a true collector's book.

Now the above description may be a slight exaggeration for what you may want to put but it gives you an idea I hope.
Please note that Abebooks.co.uk is a huge book selling website and a useful tool if you want a guide to pricing your book. Remember that book prices on this website are not auction fueled and are often optimistic so your book may be worth only half or less than the prices given on this website.

After the description, write the condition. Again this is an important section. Highlight any faults or flaws. Using terms such as 'The covers show general wear' or 'The pages are generally clean but show some signs of age and wear' can help cover you if the buyer finds the book is worse than imagined. Always try to be accurate however!

Lastly if you have any other books for sale put this here, eg 'Please take a look at my other books for sale'
And finally it's always useful to write that you are happy to try to answer any questions asked.

Pricing

This is the tricky bit.

You want to get the maximum profit but not overprice your book.

With some collectable books such as Tolkien's The Hobbit, a 99p start can often result in a greater selling price.

Yet with many titles it is wise to start higher.

You can always lower it if the book does not sell the first time listed.

eBay users are erratic in searches meaning that the book may not sell first time around. For instance I've had many occasions where the book has failed to sell at, say, $£4.99 but the next time round managed to get bids in excess of £10. It all just depends on who is browning and when.

Look at the competition and then set your price - a slightly lower price can help to undercut rivals. If your book appears to be unique then start with a higher price than you think it is worth.

NEVER use Buy It Now unless you know the value of the item. Many have listed book for the set price Buy It Now option, only to find the book sell in a few hours. Later they realize that the book was in fact far more valuable than they thought.

Auction allows such a price to become possible.

 There are tools on eBay to prevent your item selling for less than you want it to although thee are only useful if your book is definitely worth a bit.
You can set a Buy It Now which means the buyer can instantly pay the amount you set. Alternatively you can choose Best Offer which is the same as Buy It Now (BIN) with the only difference being that users can submit a lower price to you and you can choose to accept or decline that price.

Lastly a reserve can be put in to make sure your book does not sell for less than the price you have in kind. This however is costly and not worth doing on most items.

I would suggest choosing the longest period for your item to sell - 10 days is usually the best bet for most books as it allows longer and more exposure and thus higher chance of collecting 'Watchers and selling.

(A 'Watcher' is a person who chooses to 'watch' your item, meaning that can follow the price and bidding. This often results in a sale)

Another useful tool here is the 'Schedule Listing' which means you can list a book and then choose the time that you want the book to start selling (this will also be the time the book finishes at.)
7 to 8 is usually the best time to choose.
Alternately save yourself the 6p and list it at that time.
If you have multiple books it is sometimes better to schedule so that they will all end at approximately the same time.

Postage.

This part is also important. Use the Royal Mail Price Finder if unsure of the book's postage cost:
http://www.royalmail.com/price-finder
Make sure you have weighed the book on scales if possible to get the most accurate quote.
Otherwise for a standard measure, small paperbacks weigh between 200-400 grams usually whilst hardbacks weigh from 600-800 grams usually. e careful that your book is not heavier than you think as just a few grams can change everything.
If your book is 999g, Royal Mail will charge £2.60 for a small packet. But if your book weighs 1000g then the price rises to £5.60 for a small packet.
(Prices correct as of 2013)

For valuable books choose the option that best suits your book such as special delivery and when posting the book ensure that you get proof of posting as this is vital in the case your book is lost in the post.

Package the book well - usually in a padded envelope.
These are cheapest from Poundland and other pound shops - costing one pound for five medium size jiffy style envelopes. Alternately the Post Office and stationers will sell individual envelopes ranging in price from 70p to over £1 for just one.

Returns.

If you choose not to offer returns as many do you must still accept them if the book is damaged or incorrectly described and the buyer opens a case against you.

However usually this is the best option as it prevents fussy buyers constantly asking for money back due to a change of mind/ opinion.

The click 'Continue'

 Here you have a last chance to look over your listing.
eBay allow you an opportunity to view your listing in a smaller window as it will be when actually listed.

If you are happy scroll down to the bottom and review your fees to make sure you are fine with paying the amount.

If you wish to change something then simply click 'Edit Listing'

After clicking 'List Your Item', congratulations! You have successfully listed a book for sale.

on 'My Ebay' you can see the book's progress over the course of the listing.

Once sold, wait for payment (or send payment details through Ebay) and then post.

I hope this guide helped somewhat. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask me at vaugc002@gmail.com or just comment on this blog!

I would like to poi t out also that listings are different according to some profiles and your listing settings may be different (ie choosing 'Quick listing settings etc)

*If you are happy with this guide please share it with others!*

The Marvel of the Folio Society - An Antique Books Guide

The Folio Society is one of the best known modern day publishing houses and quite rightly so.
They offer a nearly unparalleled quality in all of their books, printing classic in facsimile form or with new, bold covers.

Sold with slip cases, these books are often larger than standard editions and always carry a high presentation value.

The value of these books is quite varied from some of Tolkien's books which in the correct edition can fetch several hundred to many more common title which are sadly worth under £5 - a fraction of what they would have cost when published.

Below are a range of books and aspects of books published by the Folio Society.

Gilt Detailing:

Expensive but popular, gilt detailing makes a book that little bit more visually attractive

Photo covers
Some Folio Society books have unique photo-style covers with representations of paintings or pictures that wrap around the front and back boards.

Slipcase

The slipcase is almost always plain and hides what the book will actually look like.

Facsimile

Here is one of the Folio Society's facsimile books, by which I mean a modern replica of an older edition.
Often reproduced to the highest quality by the FS, these replicas are quite valuable and extremely attractive.

Inside the book will appear very similar if not exactly like the original text.

High Presentation Value

This book has strong, deluxe binding and colouring to the top of the text block - both symbols of the high production values associated with the Folio Society

Decorative front/ endpapers

Most Folio books will come with unique front/ endpapers which represent the theme or era of the book - again another sign of high value in the production of these books.

 And here are several covers just to show some more variation in the portfolio of the Folio Society

 

A Folio Society book is going to be one of the nicest copies you can get of said book although perhaps not the most valuable.
Ideal for presents or luxurious reading!

Thanks for viewing and please share, comment etc

Cover Design - The most decorative books - An Antique Books Guide

Nearly every book collector will have their own favourite era, style or binding of book regardless of topic.
Some may prefer the classic finely bound leather book whilst others may prefer books from uniform series.

I however prefer highly decorative antique books.Some of my favourite are collected below - maybe these will help you to choose a style or design that you like...

Neo-Classicism

This style echoes the designs of hundreds of years back, usually focusing on columns, statue and mock ancient design.

Art Deco

One of the most famous of design movements, books with art deco design often feature vertical bars and repetitive, bold designs using geometric shapes

Arts and Crafts

This era represents design using simple forms often featuring medieval, romantic or folk styles of decoration.

Art Deco/ Arts and Crafts

Bold black and whites and silhouette designs are often unique as seen below.
They appear bold and stylish in the face of time and can be fairly valuable due to this.

Here is a design of antique book that you will see often.

Featuring gilt detailing and a floral design on the front, these books usually aren't worth much due to a uniformity of design with other books.

Below is what in opinion is a slightly upgraded cover design from the previous one.

This type is also very common among pre 1900 books and will feature the usual heavy gilding and thorough decoration but will also display design relevant to the book's content.

Surrealism

The iconic Jules Verne Serpent cover design is renowned for it's bold style despite its age.
Whilst not true surrealism, this books cover design is quite unique and hard to define as an artistic movement.

Regardless, such books can be worth £20+ just from the cover design

 Celtic Revival (Mock)

The design below represents mock Celtic revival with flowing, knotted lines and intricate weaves.
This could be associated with art nouveau perhaps also.

The book below is quite unique in my experience and holds some value for it's design.

Another classic book design.
This style was popular between 1860 and 1890 and features heavy gilding, floral designs and bold fonts.
These are once more quite valuable for the luxury and beauty of the design.

Modern

It is not just antique or vintage books that carry unique or decorative cover designs.

The book seen below is a modern illustrated edition of The Hobbit featuring a pretty art-nouveau inspired design with the gilt detailing popular in pre 1900's book design.

Art Nouveau

One of the most collected book design eras, Art Nouveau represents flowing, floral designs, heavy use of gilt and unique, twisting fonts.

1910-1930 Decorative

Not necessarily of any era of design but borrowing sometimes heavily from art deco or arts and crafts, these type of covers are bold, stunning and highly decorative.

Here is an assortment of other highly decorative book designs.
The Evangeline is probably my favourite of all covers:

 I hope you have learnt something, even if just that you like a particular design.
I confess that my knowledge of different eras is somewhat lacking so if you have any advice or tips regarding this post please don't hesitate to contact me!

 Thanks for reading