Book collecting explained

Book collecting is the collecting of books, including seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever books are of interest to a given collector. The love of books is bibliophilia, and someone who loves to read, admire, and a person who collects books is often called a bibliophile.

Book prices generally depend on the demand for a given edition which is based on factors such as the number of copies available, the book's condition, and if they were signed by the author (and/or editor or illustrator, if applicable) or by a famous previous owner.^[1] For example, a first edition “And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street” can reach the price of $12,000 in the best condition.

History

In the ancient world, papyri and scrolls (the precursors of the book in codex form) were collected by both institutions and private individuals. In surviving accounts there are references to bibliophile book collectors in that era. Xenophon wrote disparagingly of a man who tried to collect more books than his friends. Seneca the Younger was skeptical of those who collect books they do not read, asking: "What is the use of possessing numberless books and libraries, whose titles their owner can hardly read through in a lifetime?"^[2] Book collectors in western antiquity prized accurate transcription and high-quality materials.

In 1344 the English bishop Richard de Bury wrote The Philobiblon, in which he praised the love and appreciation of books.^[3] Philip the Good brought together a collection of "about six hundred manuscripts in his possession at the height of his reign",^[4] which was the largest private collection of his day.

With the advent of the printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century, which resulted in cheaper and more abundant books, and with the contemporaneous economic, social and political changes of the Renaissance, book collecting received a great impetus. Jean Grolier, the Treasurer-General of France, was an important bibliophile and book collector of this period.^[5]

With the advent of the Romantic era in the 18th century and its focus on the past, book collectors began to show an interest in old books, antiquarian editions and manuscripts. This new emphasis was nourished by the flood of old books onto the market following the dissolution of monastic and aristocratic libraries during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.^[6]

The British Whig politician George John, 2nd Earl Spencer (1758-1834) collected tens of thousands of volumes. Strengths of his collection included first editions of the classics; works produced by important early presses, and notably an almost complete collection of Aldine editions; and many Bibles.^[7]

Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872) collected 40,000 printed books and 60,000 manuscripts.^[8] He was "the greatest collector of manuscript material the world has ever known".^[9]

The increasingly wealthy United States during the 19th century saw the appearance of "titan" book collectors such as the railroad magnate Henry Huntington and the financier and banker J. Pierpont Morgan.^[10]

Prices

The Rothschild Prayerbook sold for $13.6 million while the St Cuthbert Gospel sold for $14.7 million. Both of these religious texts were sold in 2012. The Northumberland Bestiary sold for $20 million in 2007. The New Book of Tang sold for $17.1 million in 2018. William Shakespeare’s First Folio, printed in 1623, sold for $9.978 million in 2020. An Action Comics #1 issue sold for a record $3.2 million in 2014 with a cover price of 10 cents.^[11]

Condition

Despite appearing in many films and other popular culture, wearing cotton gloves while handling old or rare books does not protect the book, and can increase the risk of inadvertent damage.^[12] However, the theatrical effect of showing a rare book being handled with gloved hands may increase its selling price.

Antiquarian book collecting

Antiquarian book collecting may be roughly defined as an interest in books printed prior to 1900 and can encompass interest in 19th, 18th, 17th, 16th, and 15th-century books. Antiquarian book collectors are not exclusively interested in first editions and first printings, although they can be. European books created before 1455 are all hand-written and are therefore one-of-a-kind historical artifacts in which the idea of "edition" and "printing" is irrelevant. Any book printed up to the year 1501 is known as an incunable or incunabulum. Such books command a premium and are particularly sought after by collectors interested in the history of printing.^[13]

The first English movable-type printer was Caxton in the late 15th century. Editions of his books from the 15th century are very rare. Occasionally, 16th-century editions similar to Caxton's books appear among antiquarian book dealers and auctions, often fetching very high prices. The last Shakespeare First Folio of 1623 (first edition of the collected works of William Shakespeare) garnered a record-breaking $9,978,000 at Christie's in October 2020.^[14]

Books owned by well-known individuals that also have a connection with the author (often as a gift from the author with a written dedication to the recipient) are known as association copies.^[15]

The American School Library is an example of a very rare multi-volume boxed set with works by many popular or famous authors. Apparently the only extant full set is owned by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.^{[16] [17]}

Prominent book collectors

• John Roland Abbey
• John Quincy Adams
• Darren Ashcroft^[18]
• Clifton Waller Barrett^[19]
• Chester Beatty
• William Thomas Beckford
• Martin Bodmer
• The Book Club of Detroit
• John Carter Brown
• Boudewijn Büch
• Anthony Collins
• George Cosmatos
• Robert Bruce Cotton
• Jules Desnoyers
• Joseph W. Drexel
• Alexandre Dumas, père
• Umberto Eco
• John Evelyn
• DeCoursey Fales
• Ian Fleming^[20]
• Henry Clay Folger
• R. B. Freeman
• George III
• Edward Gibbon
• Stephen Jay Gould
• Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford
• Rush Hawkins
• Richard Heber
• Henry II of France
• Harrison D. Horblit^[21]
• Arthur A. Houghton Jr.^[22]
• Henry E. Huntington
• Thomas Jefferson
• Jerome Kern
• Geoffrey Keynes
• John Maynard Keynes
• Aleksey Khludov
• George Frederick Kunz
• Mark Lanier
• Robert Lenkiewicz
• Wilmarth Sheldon Lewis
• Josiah K. Lilly Jr.
• Frederick Locker-Lampson
• Antonio Magliabechi
• Alberto Manguel
• H. Bradley Martin^[23]
• Larry McMurtry
• Wolfgang Menzel
• Dewitt Miller
• David Scott Mitchell
• Michel de Montaigne
• J. Pierpont Morgan
• William Morris
• Christoph Gottlieb von Murr
• A. Edward Newton
• Friedrich Nietzsche
• Charles Nodier
• William Osler
• Samuel Pepys
• Charles Dyson Perrins
• Sir Thomas Phillipps
• Francis Place
• Abraham Rosenbach
• Lessing J. Rosenwald
• Ellen G. K. Ruben
• Joaquín Rubio y Muñoz
• Arturo Alfonso Schomburg
• Martin Schoyen
• John MacKay Shaw
• Frederick Skiff
• Adam Smith
• Walter W. Stone
• Thomas W. Streeter
• George Thomason
• Jay S. Walker
• Levinus Warner
• Andrew Dickson White
• John Griswold White
• Harry Elkins Widener

In China

The history of book collecting in China dates back over two millennia. An important effort to collect books in China was made during the early Han dynasty by the government, as many important books were burned during the Qin dynasty.^[24] From then on, book collecting began to flourish in China, particularly after the invention of block printing during the early Tang dynasty, with both imperial and private collections blooming throughout the country. However, the systematic study of book collecting began only during the Qing dynasty.^[25]

Terminology

• Cangshulou ("book collecting tower"): library, such as the private Tianyi Chamber (天一閣), the oldest existing library in China, or the imperial Wenyuan Chamber (文淵閣), where the works collected in the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries were reposited
• Jinxiangben (巾箱本 "headscarf box edition"): ancient pocket edition
• Jiupingzhuang (舊平裝 "old paperback") or Jiushu (舊書 "old books"): old books published after 1911, when the Qing dynasty was overthrown
• Maobianben (毛邊本 "hairy-side edition"): uncut editions
• Songben (宋本 "Song edition") or Songban (宋版 "Song edition"): block printed books published during the Song dynasty, highly valued by collectors
• Xianzhuangshu (線裝書 "thread-bound book"): thread-bound books, usually referred to those published before 1911

Virtual book collecting

Virtual book collecting can be described as collecting books in a digital format (virtually) on a computer or other electronic device. A bibliophile may acquire ebooks by downloading them or copying from borrowed media, such as CDs and DVDs. However, this may violate copyright law, depending on the license under which the ebook was released. Ebooks acquired from Project Gutenberg and many similar free collections cause no violation as they have gone out of copyright, have been released under a Creative Commons license, or else are in the public domain.

See also

• Book
• The Book Collector
• Book Collectors Society of Australia
• Book design
• Bookbinding
• Bookplate
• Collectables
• Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies
• Imprint
• Manuscript
• Private library
• Tape trading
• Text (disambiguation)

Works cited

• Book: Holzenberg, Eric J.. Book Collecting. 2019-09-16. A Companion to the History of the Book. 815–826. Eliot. Simon. Wiley. 10.1002/9781119018193.ch54. 978-1-119-01817-9. 243289082 . Rose. Jonathan.

Further reading

• Ahearn, Allen and Patricia. Book Collecting: A Comprehensive Guide. New York: Putnam, 1995. .
• Ahearn, Allen and Patricia. Collected Books: The Guide to Values. New York: Putnam, 2001. .
• American Book Prices Current (annual, 1894/1895 onwards)
• Bernard, Philippa, Leo Bernard and Angus O'Neill, eds. Antiquarian Books: A Companion for Booksellers, Librarians and Collectors. Aldershot, Hants., Scolar Press, 1994.
• Brown, James Duff. The Small Library: A Guide to the Collection and Care of Books. London & New York: Routledge, 1907.
• Carter, John. ABC for Book Collectors. 8th ed. edited by Nicolas Barker. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll; London: British Library, 2004. (British Library), (Oak Knoll). (a classic, first published in 1952).
• Carter, John. New Paths in Book-Collecting: Essays by Various Hands. London: Constable & Co.; New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1934; reprinted Freeport, N.Y.: Books for Libraries, 1967.
• Carter, John. Taste and Technique in Book-collecting, with an Epilogue. Pinner, Middlesex: Private Libraries Association, 1970 (The Sandars Lectures in Bibliography, 1947). .
• Cella, Bernhard. Collecting Books: A selection of recent Art and Artists' Books produced in Austria
• Chidley, John. Discovering Book Collecting. Shire Publications, 1982; 2nd ed., 2004.
• Connolly, Joseph. Collecting Modern First Editions (1977).
• Franklin, Ralph. 1974. “Conjectures on Rarity.” Library Quarterly 44 (October): 309–21.
• Greenfield, Jane. The Care of Fine Books. New York: Lyons & Burford, 1988. .
• W. C. Hazlitt

The Book Collector: A general survey of the pursuit and of those who have engaged in it at home and abroad from the earliest period to the present ... . London: J. Grant, 1904 (published over a century ago, but still worth dipping into).

• Hofer, Philip, Ray Nash, Harold Hugo, and Roderick Stinehour. 1968. Philip Hofer as author and publisher. [Cambridge, Mass.]: Harvard College Library, Department of Printing & Graphic Arts.
• Jensen, Kristian. Revolution and the Antiquarian Book: Reshaping the Past, 1780-1815. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011. .
• McBride, Bill. Book Collecting for Fun and Profit. Hartford, CT: McBride/Publisher, 1997. .
• McBride, Bill. A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions. Sixth ed. Hartford, CT: McBride/Publisher, 2000. .
• McBride, Bill. Points of Issue. Third ed. [Hartford, CT]: McBride/Publisher, 1996. .
• McKitterick, David. The Invention of Rare Books: Private Interest and Public Memory, 1600-1840. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. 2018.
• Miller, Stephen. Book Collecting: A Guide to Antiquarian and Secondhand Books. Royston, Hertfordshire, Provincial Book Fairs Association, 1994.
• Peters, Jean (Editor). Book Collecting: A Modern Guide. New York and London: R.R. Bowker and Company, 1977. .
• Peters, Jean, ed. Collectible Books: Some New Paths. New York and London: R. R. Bowker, 1979. .
• Quayle, Eric. A Collector's Book of Books. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., 1971; London: Studio Vista, 1971.
• Rees-Mogg, William . How to Buy Rare Books: A Practical Guide to the Antiquarian Book Market. Oxford: Phaidon, 1985 (Christie's collectors guides) .
• Rota, Anthony. Apart from the Text. Pinner, Middlesex: Private Libraries Association, 1998. .
• Rota, Anthony. Books in the Blood. Pinner, Middlesex: Private Libraries Association, 2002. .
• Russell, R.B. Guide to First Edition Prices, Eighth Edition. North Yorkshire: Tartarus Press, 2010. .
• Stitz, Charles (editor) (2010). Australian Book Collectors. Bendigo, Victoria: Bread Street Press. .
• Uden, Grant. Understanding Book-Collecting. Woodbridge, Antique Collectors' Club, 1988.
• Wilson, Robert A. Modern Book Collecting. New York: Lyons & Burford, 1992. .
• Zempel, Edward N. and Verkler, Linda (Editors). First Editions: A Guide to Identification. Fourth ed. Peoria, IL: The Spoon River Press, 2001. .
• Forbes article on book collecting by Finn-Olaf Jones, December 12, 2005.

For more modern accounts, see the series of books on book-collectors, book-collecting and "bibliomania" by Nicholas A. Basbanes:

• . New York: Holt, 1999. .
• Patience & Fortitude: A Roving Chronicle of Book People, Book Places, and Book Culture. New York: HarperCollins, 2001. .
• Among the Gently Mad: Perspectives and Strategies for the Book Hunter in the 21st Century. New York: Holt, 2002. .
• A Splendor of Letters: The Permanence of Books in an Impermanent World. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. .
• Every Book Its Reader: The Power of the Printed Word to Stir the World. New York: HarperCollins, 2005. .

Follow husband and wife team Lawrence & Nancy Goldstone as they search for rare and collectible volumes, and explore real mysteries in the rare-book world, in:

• Used And Rare: Travels In The Book World. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997. .
• Slightly Chipped: Footnotes in Booklore. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1999. .
• Warmly Inscribed: The New England Forger and Other Book Tales. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2001. .
• Out of the Flames: The Remarkable Story of a Fearless Scholar, a Fatal Heresy, and One of the Rarest Books in the World. New York: Broadway, 2002. .
• The Friar and the Cipher: Roger Bacon and the Unsolved Mystery of the Most Unusual Manuscript in the World. New York: Broadway, 2005. .

For book collecting in China, see:

• 傅璇琮、谢灼华主编，《中國藏書通史》，宁波：宁波出版社，2001.
• 焦树安，《中囯藏书史话》，北京：商务印书館，1997.
• 任繼愈主編，《中國藏書樓》，沈阳：辽宁人民出版社，2001.
• 黄燕生，《天祿琳琅：古代藏書和藏書樓 》，台北：萬卷樓圖書有限公司，2000.
• 徐凌志主编，《中国历代藏书史》，南昌：江西人民出版社，2004.

External links

• AbeBooks Feature Archives Articles on rare books and collecting, authors, publishers, interesting characters in literature, and notable anniversaries.
• Alcuin Society A voluntary association of people who care about the past, present and future of fine books (archived 16 October 2006)
• Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America An association of rare book sellers in the United States
• Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers The official association of rare book sellers in Australia and New Zealand
• The Book Collector Journal founded in 1952, for "bibliophiles, booksellers, librarians and all who are interested in our literary heritage"
• Books and Book Collecting Information and resources for book collectors, trussel.com
• Biblionews The Journal of The Book Collectors' Society of Australia.
• Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology, by Matt T. Roberts and Don Etherington
• Collecting Books and Magazines: Authors and Artists Resource material for collectors of children's books and magazines
• The Conservation of Books and Documents Ten frequently asked questions, National Library of the Netherlands.
• Conservation OnLine: Resources for Conservation Professionals A project of the Preservation Department of Stanford University Libraries
• Digital Librarian A librarian's choice of the best Web resources for book collectors
• Collegiate Book Collecting Championship Annual collegiate book collecting contest, promoting book collecting to the next generation (archived 21 November 2008)
• The FinePress Book Association An association of collectors of modern fine press books
• Firsts: The Book Collector's Magazine Resource for book collecting, first editions, rare, antiquarian books.
• The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers Resources including library of articles, glossary of terms in several languages
• Infography about Book Collecting A book collector's choice of the best books, articles, and online resources
• Paperback Revolution Essays on paperbacks including Tauchnitz, Albatross, and Penguin Books.
• Private Libraries Association A worldwide association of booklovers and collectors
• Publishing History Includes book series and lists of titles in series.
• Terms of the Trade, Antiquarian Booksellers Association (archived 26 May 2007)
• What Are Some Useful Guides to Collecting?, Vintage Paperbacks blog
• UBC Asian Library Rare Book Collection – A rich collection of Chinese documents and literature, as well as some rare reproductions of Japanese and Chinese paintings, from the UBC Library Digital Collections

Notes and References

1. Web site: Collecting, Identifying, and Valuing First Edition Dr. Seuss Books. 2020-11-03. 1stedition.net. 2020-11-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112021449/https://1stedition.net/drseuss.html. live.
2. [Seneca the Younger|Seneca]
3. Martin, S. S. (1986). Richard D'Aungerville de Bury, 1287-1345 (England, Bishop of Durham). Emory University. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, p. 24.
4. Leah Dobrinska, Philip the Good: Early Book Collector, Patron of the Arts, bookstellyouwhy.com. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
5. Gabriel Austin, The Library of Jean Grolier: A Preliminary Catalogue, New York: The Grolier Club, 1971, pp. 1-4.
6. Owen Chadwick, "The Acton Library", in: Peter Fox, ed., Cambridge University Library: The Great Collections, Cambridge University Press, 1998, p. 142.
7. William Younger Fletcher, English Book Collectors, London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Company, 1902 (The English Bookman's Library), pp. 309-312.
8. Phillipps, Thomas . 45 . Anon . 192-195 . 1.
9. Seymour de Ricci, English Collectors of Books & Manuscripts (1530-1930) and Their Marks of Ownership. The Sandars Lectures 1929-1930, Cambridge University Press, 1930; reprinted Indiana University Press, 1960, p. 119. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
10. Stephen Ferguson, Collecting in 19th Century America, princeton.edu. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
11. Web site: Gonzalez. Eileen. 2019-12-09. Grab Your Wallet, Here Are the Most Expensive Books Ever Sold. 2020-11-03. BOOK RIOT. en-US. 2021-07-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20210724184855/https://bookriot.com/most-expensive-books-ever-sold/. live.
12. News: Schuessler . Jennifer . 2023-03-09 . For Rare Book Librarians, It's Gloves Off. Seriously. . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-03-13 . 0362-4331 . 2023-03-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230312231611/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/09/arts/rare-books-white-gloves.html . live .
13. Web site: Collecting Guide: Incunabula. Christie's. 27 April 2022. en. 2021. 27 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220427203358/https://www.christies.com/features/Collecting-guide-to-incunabula-earliest-printed-books-11589-1.aspx. live.
14. Web site: William Shakespeare's 'First Folio' Sells for $9,978,000 and Sets World Auction Record for Any Work of Literature at Christie's. Christie's. 27 April 2022. en. 2020. 27 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220427202401/https://www.christies.com/about-us/press-archive/details?PressReleaseID=9826&lid=1. live.
15. Web site: Association Copies . AbeBooks Inc. . 13 August 2013 . 1 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130901201155/http://www.abebooks.co.uk/books/RareBooks/author-signature-signed-inscribed/association-copies.shtml . dead .
16. Web site: The American School Library. Harper & Brothers. 7 November 2017. en. 1839.
17. Book: Hamel]. Michael Olmert; [introduction by Christopher de|title=The Smithsonian book of books|date=1992|publisher=Smithsonian Books|location=Washington, D.C.|isbn=0-89599-030-X|edition=1.|url=https://archive.org/details/smithsonianbooko00olme].
18. Web site: Lancashire Evening Post Darren Ashcroft. October 7, 2011. April 24, 2015. March 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080538/http://www.lep.co.uk/news/environment/environment/alley-is-a-pile-of-rubbish-1-3847857. live.
19. Web site: The Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. University of Virginia Library. April 11, 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100726183901/http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/small/collections/barrett/index.html. July 26, 2010.
20. Twentieth Century Book Collectors and Bibliographers.. DLB Vol 201 p.81-88
21. Book: Basbanes, Nicholas A.. A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books. 1999. Henry Holt. New York. 9780805061765. 461. April 11, 2010.
22. Web site: Houghton Library: History. c. 2010. Harvard College Library. April 11, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100626063110/http://hcl.harvard.edu/libraries/houghton/history.cfm. June 26, 2010. dead.
23. Web site: Library of 10,000 Rarities To Be Sold at Sotheby's. Reif, Rita. December 21, 1988. The New York Times. April 11, 2010. May 16, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130516073528/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/21/arts/library-of-10000-rarities-to-be-sold-at-sotheby-s.html?pagewanted=1. live.
24. Web site: The First Emperor of China Destroys Most Records of the Past Along with 460, or More, Scholars . History of Information . October 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210524154937/https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=2491 . May 24, 2021.
25. Web site: Exploring Rare Manchu Books at the Library of Congress . Hoh . Anchi . February 15, 2022 . Library of Congress . October 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220219091312/https://blogs.loc.gov/international-collections/2022/02/exploring-rare-manchu-books-at-the-library-of-congress/ . February 19, 2022.