The Holy Bible Specimen & Christianity - An Antique Books Guide

In my aim to document every aspect of antique book collecting I must sometimes cover more specific topics, hence today's post.

A specimen book  is usually a book that is an example for what the finished book or series will look like. It isn't something exclusive to the Holy Bible, this is merely a good example of one.

In this case, the bible specimen shown below is just a few pages of what the real book will be like - basically showing the same quality, design and style as the eventual real product.

This particular book is of interest because it is virtually unrecorded and features very large images of incredibly high quality. It may seem surprising that the publishers needed a specimen for the Bible - the most popular book ever printed according to circulation figures - and perhaps this could relate to economic pressures at the time and the cost of such a high-quality publishing. It is also a great example of a specimen, showing example pages including birth/ deaths registry for the family that owns the book, example engravings and maps and an example of what the text pages may look like.

I have added a number of photos below to show what an antique bible specimen may look like. Thanks for reading.

Photographing for eBay - An Antique Books Guide

A wise man once said that pictures speak louder than words and never has this been more true than withe eBay. 

Ebay, more than any other buying and selling website, relies on photography.

With shops and official websites like Amazon, Waterstones or Topshop, the customer knows who they are buying from. With eBay it's a whole new game.

You have to convince the buyer that you are genuine, respectable and that your item is worth buying.

And the easiest way to do this is through photography.  I've highlighted below a few examples of how to show your item - bear in mind the following tips for success.

1. Sell against a bright background

Tee book on the right looks better, right?

Well that's because it's well lit, presented nicely and in a light setting.

Try the bathroom or a kitchen surface for good results.

2. Show more than just the overview

Show details, interesting features so that the buyer can see everything.

3. Be flash-phobic

Only use flash when you have to - it generally gives a bad or unnatural light and makes your item look rubbish. This is especially important with books or things with writing on them.

 4. Angles

Show off your item from as many angles as possible - models sell clothes by strutting down the catwalk and many websites now offer 3D images of items so make sure your item is seen.

Thanks for reading and good luck with eBay!

Please share and plus one if you found this useful!

UK EBAY SELLERS BEWARE - Price rises August 2014 - An Antique Books Guide

Here's what you need to know:
As of August 2014, eBay announced a rather sudden two-tiered price rise plan.
Firstly this involves raising the price of various listing elements.
Secondly this involves raising the Final Value Fee.

How will this affect you?
If you want the Gallery Plus option, you will be charged £2.50 instead of 95p - a rise of 163%.
Want a subtitle? From 35p the price has risen 185% to £1.
Buy It Now now costs 50p flat rate, changed from the previous 10p to 50p variable - a huge 400% increase.
Reserve price fee has risen from 3.5% to 4% - if you have a £100 reserve, this could mean a £5 difference.
The Final Value Fee was previously capped at £75 but will now rise to £250 - a 233% increase.

For example - If you were to list a valuable book for £100 with a subtitle, Gallery Plus, Buy It Now price of £150 and a reserve of £100, you will end up paying £3.10 more than you would have a month back.

Previously:
Earlier this year eBay quietly added the 10% postage fee by which ten percent of your postage fee is counted as a payable extra to the Final Value Fee.
This means that if you post worldwide, you could end up with considerable costs. If you require a courier to post worldwide for example, the cost to you for doing so could be as high as £10.

How to save money:
You will need to be clever with your Title, using key words.
For book put the publication date, the book title, the author and any extra details you can such as first edition, signed, illustrated etc.
For clothes, list the colour, size, brand, style/ design and if you have any extra words describe the pattern.
Only use standard images - as long as they are of at least 2MP quality users will still be able to zoom in - there's no need for Gallery Plus unless you are selling a car! If you still want larger images, see my blog guide showing how to add extra photos for free: LINK
Don't use a reserve - if you definitely don't want the item to go for less than a set amount, just start it at that - at least then the buyers know.
If you are thinking of adding a Buy It Now, make sure your item is popular enough for it - see which similar items sold/ didn't sell and set your price competitively.
See here for a guide showing how to see the value of your item: LINK

eBay is constantly monitoring the use and popularity of its features so hopefully by boycotting the features with price rises someone high-up might eventually listen.
Regardless, if you are still keen on using eBay to sell your items then at least now you know how to avoid being caught out.

I hope this guide helps - please SHARE and +1 so that others can see this important news!

Photography Do's And Don'ts - How To Sell Books PHOTO GUIDE

One of the most difficult parts of selling a book (or any antique item in fact) is photographing it.

You want to show the all of the features as accurately and positively as possible.

The key to listing books on eBay is in showing every aspect of it through great photography.

Follow the guide below and you should manage to do just that.

The Photography Dont's:

Object position

Don't lay the book on it's side unless it won't stand up.

Even then try to prop it up from behind so that it appears to be standing.

Bad:

This one is better but again, photographing the book standing up is clearer and more professional.

Adequate:

The best way to show the book is to photograph it standing, with a light background and with the spine visible.

Good:

Background

Don't photograph the book against a dark or dirty background.

White walls or carpet suits best.

Try the bath, a kitchen surface or even on top of a washing machine for a clean and simple backdrop.

If all else fails you can try the back of a rug or laying a sheet.

Bad:

Good:

Focus

Focus is an important way to get your book to appear clear and realistic.

You want the writing on your book to be easily visible and any decoration to be bold and clear..

If it's blurry and out of focus then use your camera's Macro mode.

Try taking the photo in a well-lit room also.

If all else fails then flash can capture text clearly but be careful with it.

Keep trying until the photo looks clear - a buyer won't want to buy a book they can't see properly!

Bad:

Good:

Flash

Try taking photos of your book in a well-lit environment, with a lamp or light close by to accentuate the details of the book..

Only use flash as a last resort as it can be too harsh for photographing clearly.

It gives an uneven and unrealistic visualization of light and colour and isn't ideal for photographing books.

Bad:

Flash can be used well in some cases - try moving the camera further away and zooming in so the flash isn't too bright on the pages. You will often get a reflective section on shiny surfaces (colour pages or book covers) so beware.

Good:

The Photography Do's:

1. Exterior shot

If there's a Dust Jacket present then keep it on the book for the first photo.

1.5 Dust Jacket shot

If the book does have a Dust Jacket then try to photograph it completely unfolded on a flat surface so the buyer can see any flaws and you don't get caught out when describing the book.

2. Covers

If the book has a Dust Jacket then take a photograph showing the book without its cover.

Remember what I wrote about setting, lighting and focus.

3. Front papers

Now show the very first pages (Front papers or inside cover)

This isn't always important unless they are decorated nor interesting e.g A map.

4. Cover Details

If there are any nice details on the cover such as gilt patterns, a picture or nice font then show this - it can only help.

5. The Title Page

One of the most important photographs you can take is of the title page.

This gives buyers important information about the book - make sure the writing is clear.

6. The Print Details

Now take a photograph of the section that people often miss.

Most books will have a page behind the Title Page (or on the back of the title page) showing the publication details of the book.

This gives vital information to the buyer concerning the year and edition etc.

7. Sample Page

Now try showing a standard page to the buyer so they know what to expect.

Perhaps choose one with an illustration or take several photos if there are quite a few illustrations.

 Once you have taken all of your photographs check through to make sure they are accurate, clear and free from obvious flaws.

By displaying the details above of your book you will stand a much greater chance of selling for a higher value,especially if it is a rare or collectible book

Thanks for reading and please take a look at my other posts.

Email me if you need and help or have any questions;

vaugc002@gmail.com