"I have an old book from 1900. Is it worth anything?" Librarians are frequently asked this or similar questions. This presentation was designed to help both groups who hold book sales for fundraisers and individuals who wish to learn more about book collecting. Topics covered include determining first editions, importance of condition, sources for buying and selling books, and resources for determining value.

1. Finding Book Gems
January 11, 2010
Presenter: Mary G. Marshall

2. My Interest in Book Collecting
I’ve been on the collecting, selling, and the volunteer sale sides of books.
When I first became interested in collecting books, I purchased books that I
particularly enjoyed reading as a child or a young adult – not an umcommon
choice, as many collections begin when people try to acquire copies of books
they enjoyed as children. My first foray into collecting was not very organized.
I simply looked for books that I had enjoyed reading. My favorite author was
Jane Austen, and I do have a Jane Austen collection. With my graduate
degrees in English (with an emphasis in bibliographical description and
history of books) and Library Science, it’s not surprising that my career path
took a turn toward working in Rare Book shops. Besides working on
freelance projects for Van Allen Bradley (author of Gold in Your Attic – one of
the best early pricing guides, and the beginning for many of the current books
on pricing), I also worked for 6 years in two rare book stores in Chicago.
While compiling catalogs (pre Internet) and working with customers, my
knowledge of rare books increased as did my love for books. Today, I work in
a public library, but I still read about books, collect books, and visit rare
bookstores and book fairs.

3. “You can never be
too thin, too rich, or
have too many
books.”
Carter Burden

4. Recognizing Gems from Sludge
Many books have been written about book collecting and pricing. When I began
serious book collecting in my 20’s, I found books by frequenting local book
shops and stores in every place I visited, and I wrote to dealers to obtain their
book catalogs. This method really depended on serendipity to build a collection.
Other collectors were using this same method, and frequently we didn’t know
how rare an item might be. With the advent of the Internet, this information
became available to us. If we searched a title and found 15 copies of the book
available, we knew it was easier to obtain than we thought after spending years
randomly checking bookstores and dealers and not finding any copies. Of
course, the Internet has also made it much easier to spend money on books –
something spouses don’t always understand unless they too are addicted to
books. Obviously, I can’t convey in this short time everything I know about books
and collecting. Even after years of collecting, I don’t know everything – or even
a small percentage of everything there is to know. What I would like to do is
share with you some of my tips in recognizing the gems from the sludge.

5. Recognizing Gems from Sludge
Learn as much as possible about the
value of books
Eliminate the “sludge”

6. Used Books vs. Collectible
Millions of books have been published, but
only a small percentage becomes
rare/collectible
Difference between used/second hand
and rare/collectible books
Supply & demand
Edition
Condition
Special (autographed and limited editions)

7. Examine Books
Subject
Condition
Edition
– Title Page (author, date)
– Copyright Page (date & edition)
Special
– Autographed half title or title page
– Limited edition
– Binding
– Illustrations

8. Starting with What Can Be
Eliminated:

9. Books in Poor Condition
Lack dust jacket and
are dated 1930 or later
Ex-library copies
Books missing volumes,
plates, etc.
Binding loose – book
lies flat when opened
Pages loose
Water damaged
Smell

10. Subjects of Little Interest
“Old” Bibles (if printed before1700, more
research might be worth it)– most are just
sentimental value
Sermons/Religion books – many printed, cheap
materials
Collected editions of authors (unless bindings
are particularly decorative and authors popular)
Encyclopedias (Exceptions: 1st ed. (1768-1771)
and 11th ed. (1911) of the Encyclopedia
Britannica)

11. Textbooks (exceptions: primers
before 1800, first six McGuffey
Readers (1836-1856), Dick and
Jane, or illustrated textbooks
before 1850.
Reprints/Facsimiles (exception:
high quality, early printed books)
New Our New
Magazines (certain ones might be Friends 1951
of interest) $375

12. Book Club Editions
Blind stamp or mark on
lower right hand corner
of back cover
“Book Club Edition” or
“Literary Guild” on dust
jacket or in book
No price on dust jacket
Lesser quality: lighter
weight, paper thinner
“W” on copyright page
5 digit code in a box on
dust jacket

13. Not first editions
On copyright page: string of numbers
starting with “2” exception is Random
House (1st has “2”)
Later printing: “2nd printing”
Title page date doesn’t match copyright
date
Reprint Publishers: A.L. Burt, Collier, Dial,
Grosset & Dunlap, Tower, Triangle

14. “Best Sellers” printed in large numbers:
Danielle Steel titles, Bridges of Madison
County
“Hypermodern”: Books published in the
last 10 years (too many copies): Harry
Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 6.8
million copies; John Grisham, Stephen
King, Amy Tan, Tom Clancy, etc. with the
exception of their earliest work

15. “All too often, old is just old” (Ellis).
If the books are dated before 1850, they
are worth researching; particularly those
with the following
1501 (any)
1641 (English)
1801 (American)
1850 (West of Mississippi)

16. Identifying Possible Valuable
Books
Subject
Author/Illustrator
Condition
Edition Status
Author’s first book or important title
Autographs
Limited Editions, Materials, or Bindings

17. Subjects
“Ask yourself honestly: If I were interested in this subject, would I be interested
in this book?” (Ian Ellis, Book Finds)
Unusual or Popular Subjects
Unusual Subjects
Art books with tipped in illustrations
Old children’s books
Genre fictions: science fiction, mysteries
History
Cookbooks

18. Samples of Rare Books &
Prices in a Variety of Collection
Areas

19. Literary text
Jane Austen
Mansfield Park 1st
edition 1814
1250 copies printed
Contemporary
binding
$25,000+

20. Important scientific discoveries,
inventions, or exploration
Rachel Carson Silent
Spring 1st edition
(1962)
$500+

21. Early historical works
History of the
Expedition Under
the Command of
Captains Lewis and
Clark
(1814)
$125,000+

22. Americana (particularly first-hand
narratives; pioneer/westward
expansion; journals)
Francis Parkman
California and the
Oregon Trail
(1849)
$8,500+

23. Regional History (Chicago, Illinois,
specific communities or counties)
A.T. Andreas
History of Chicago 3 vols.
(1884-1886)
$1,000

24. Modern Literature
Norman Mailer
Naked and the Dead
$2,000+

25. Ayn Rand’s Atlas
Shrugged. 1st edition, 1st
printing, signed by the
author, earned $6,500 at
auction two years ago for
the library.

26. History (early US before 1850/60s,
Civil War, WWI, WWII)
Personal Recollections of
Private John Henry
Cammack
1920
$1,000+

27. Books about books
Jacob Blanck
Peter Parley to Penrod
1st Edition, 1938
$150

28. Pop-up Books
Robert Sabuda
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
1st Edition 2000
$75+

29. Children’s Books
E.B. White
Charlotte’s Web
1st edition 1952
$2,000+

30. Cookbooks
Irma Rombauer Joy of Cooking
Privately Printed 1st Edition 1931
3,000 copies published
$4,000+
Irma Rombauer Joy of Cooking
First Trade Edition 1936
$2,000+

31. Sports Books (especially: fishing,
golf, hunting; Derrydale Press)
Derrydale Press:
Upland Game Bird
Shooting (1930)
Ltd. 75 copies
$9,500

32. Books with Hand Colored Plates
Hand-colored Lithograph
plate by Daniel Giraud Elliot
from Tetraoninae
$1,750

33. Special Bindings
Fore-edge Paintings:
Robinson Crusoe
$2,000+
Bayntun-Rivere Binding
of Alice’s Adventures in
Wonderland & Through
the Looking Glass
1st Edition
$12,000+

34. Fine Press Books/Limited Editions
Club, Caxton Club, Shakespeare
Head Press (Not Heritage Press)
Moby Dick (Lakeside Press)
Illustrated by Rockwell Kent.
Limited to 1,000 copies,
signed by Kent
$10,000+

35. Paperback Originals
Paperback originals (late
1930s began generally)
Some important writers were
1st published in Paperback
ex: Vonnegut’s Sirens of Titan
Paperback Originals are
frequently found in the
genres. The cover design
attracts collectors (ex: Virgil
Finlay design)
$150+

36. Illustrators
Maxfield Parrish
The Knave of Hearts
1st Edition 1925
$2,500+

37. Condition:
Mint (like new)
Fine (“crisp”, excellent condition)
Good (average)
Fair (complete, but some defects)
Reading Copy (complete, but only as a
reading copy)

38. Condition Example:
1st Edition:
Old Man in the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
No dust Jacket less than
$100
•Book with dust jacket (poor
condition)
$200-$300
•Book with dust jacket in
fine condition
$3,000

39. First Books of Authors
Sue Grafton “A” Is for
Alibi
$1,000+

40. Isaac Asimov—Pebble in the Sky
$1,500+

41. Willa Cather- April Twilights
$2,500+

42. John Fowles- The Collector
$1,000+

43. Dashiell Hammett – Red Harvest
$2,000+

44. Robert Heinlein-Rocket Ship
Galileo
$1,000+

45. Thomas Pynchon – V
$5,000+

46. Jack Schaefer-Shane
$5,000+

47. J. R.R. Tolkien-Middle English
Vocabulary
$500+

48. Gore Vidal-Williwaw
$1,000+

49. “Genres are where the money is
and where the trends go.” (Ellis)
Particularly hot are mysteries
& science fiction
Agatha Christie
The Body in The Library
First Edition
$2,500+

50. First edition – most books only
have one edition
Example: 1st edition of
Stephen’s King’s Carrie
10,000 copies; his later
books have 1st printings of
more than one million
copies
$1,500+

51. Determining First Edition
Compare date on title page & copyright page;
they should match
First printing/impression—number of books
printed initially.
No additional printings should appear on
copyright page
States—printing stopped to make corrections –
First state is what most collectors mean when
they talk about “first edition.”
Points – difference between states

52. Before 1900, date on title page of majority
Early 1900s, publisher identifies “first
Edition” on copyright page: “First Edition”
“first printing” “First Impression” “First
published [year or month & year]
Since the 1970s, publishers have used
number rows to indicate book’s printing
and date row to indicate date. Begin with
“1” except Random House begins with “2”
Printer’s Code: 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 99 98
Later printing: 5 7 9 10 8 6 4

53. SCARCITY
Besides subject, edition, and condition,
collectors also consider scarcity
If only a few copies survive or were
printed, the book is considered scarce
The book must be important & in demand
Example of Scarcity – Robert Frost’s
Twilight (only 2 copies are known to exist)

54. Importance of Research
“Check the Points”
Example:
Gone with the Wind has
certain points that make it a
first edition, first issue.
Published May, 1936
DJ with GWTW listed in 2nd column
$10,000+

55. Values change
Catcher in the Rye:
(1975) $75
(2009) $20,000-$30,000

56. Determining Value of Gems
Reference Books
– Books about Books
– Dealer Catalogs
– Auction Catalogs
Internet
– Book Dealers
(www.qbbooks.com)
– Multiple Dealer Site
(http://www.abebooks.com/
– Book Organizations
(www.abaa.org)
Book Fairs
– Printers Row Book Fair

57. Books about Books Reference

58. Buying & Selling through
Auction Houses
Leslie Hindman Auction House (Chicago)
www.lesliehindman.com
Christies
www.christies.com
Swann Auction
www.swanngalleries.com
Sothebys
www.sothebys.com

59. Auction Catalogs
Christie’s Masterpieces
of Modern Literature:
The Library of Roger
Rechler
October 11, 2002
$275

60. Book Seller’s Catalog
Two & Sixty Books
with Fore-edge
Paintings
Zeitlin & Ver Brugge
Los Angeles, 1984
$140

61. Booksellers’ Websites
www.baumanrarebooks.com
www.qbbooks.com

62. Multiple Dealer Website
www.amazon.com
www.abebooks.com
www.alibris.com

63. Book Organizations
ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America).
ABAA is an source of reputable dealers to buy from, sell to,
and appraise your books.
www.abba.org

64. Attending Book Fairs & Shows
Printers Row Book Fair, Chicago

65. Understanding a Book Description
Note in the following descriptions: edition (& “points”
that determine this), anything that makes this copy
special (signed, former owner, etc.), condition. All of
these help determine the value of the item.
1. Adams, Douglas. THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. New York:
Harmony Books (1980). First U. S. edition of his first book. SIGNED by author.
Small stain on front page edge which has bled through on a few pages, affects
about 20 leaves, otherwise fine in dust jacket with very minor edgewear. $350
15. Brown, Dan. THE DA VINCI CODE. New York: Doubleday (2003). First
edition. SIGNED by author. The run-away best seller. Fine in dustwrapper.
$1750

66. 39. Dunning, John. BOOKED TO DIE. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons
(1992). First edition. SIGNED by the author on the title page. The first Cliff
Janeway mystery. A flawless copy. Fine in dustwrapper. $950
25. Cather, Willa. THE TROLL GARDEN. New York: McClure, Phillips & Co.,
1905. First edition, her second book. The second issue with "Doubleday, Page"
at foot of spine. A nice bright copy with only the barest wear on corners and
spine ends; unusual in this condition. $600
50. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. THE GREAT GATSBY. New York: Modern Library (1934).
First thus, so stated. With a new introduction by Fitzgerald. Near fine with gilt
lettering on spine and cover nice and bright. Previous owner's name on front
endpaper. In a bright, very good dustwrapper with spine and flap edges tanned,
rubbing, shallow chipping and nicks (including a small hole on spine edge). The
dustwrapper is #117 and priced 95 cents but does list 268 books on verso.
Toledano indicates that the first-issue dustwrapper had 225 titles. Still, scarce.
$400

67. 89. Lee, Harper. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co.
(1960). First edition. Her first and only book, a Pulitzer Prize winner that was made
into an award-winning movie. INSCRIBED BY LEE on the front free endpaper, "To
Jennie/ with my best wishes/ Nelle Lee." Nelle Harper Lee grew up in Monroeville,
Alabama, next-door to writer Truman Capote, who was raised by his mother's
Monroeville cousins, Sook, Callie, Bud and Jennie Faulk. Presumably a presentation
copy to Jennie Faulk, perhaps through another former Monroeville neighbor, with
"From -/ Ellen Hoskins/ July 2 - 1960" above Lee's inscription. Lower corners gently
bumped, still a bright, fine copy in unrestored dustwrapper. The dustwrapper is price
clipped and lightly rubbed, with rubbed creasing at spine ends and corners but no
chipping and just one small, inconspicuous tear. A lovely copy of this classic of
American literature. $30,000
114. McCourt, Frank. ANGELA'S ASHES: (New York): Scribner (1996). First
edition. His first book and an instant success, which has gone into many printings.
On our last trip to Ireland, we found a number of people in a Limerick bar who
weren't real happy with Frank. Fine in dustwrapper. $300
176. Sinclair, Upton. THE JUNGLE. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co., 1906. First
Doubleday edition, with Doubleday imprint on title page, but with "1" in date on
copyright with broken type, which is considered a later state. Preceded by the
Jungle Publishing edition. Minor cover wear, but still a very good or better copy of
this classic. $250

68. Selling Your Gems
At some point in book collecting, you will
want or need to sell a book. How can
you do this? Consider the following:
Dealers
Contact dealers with a list of book
Auction
Online

69. Remember
Dealers will pay 40-50% of the price that
might be listed in reference books or on
the Internet.
Auctions charge fees.
The more you visit shops and explore
booksellers’ websites, the more you will
become familiar with “common books,”
which will always be less valuable.
Do your research!
And Finally . . .

70. Condition! Condition! Condition!
Contact Information
email:
mjausten1@comcast.net
website:
http://www.generation2librarians.com/
Linkedin:
http://linkd.in/KFuzlh

71. Contact Information
email: marshall@addisonlibrary.org
website: www.addisonlibrary.org
linkedin: http://linkd.in/KFuzlh