Fore-Edge paintings are a marvelous bit of artistic expression that are found in some antique books, most commonly in the 1700s, however there were some created before that are still some created after. This refers to a painting that is made on the fore-edge of the book – not the head-edge (top of pages) or …
The question of how many books can you read in a lifetime is an interesting one, and it’s one that’s going to have a very wide range based on a variety of factors. After all, a breezy paperback copy of a 300-350 page book by Dean Koontz, David Morrel, or Sinclair Lewis (if you like …
Remainder marks are an important marking that clearly denote certain information about hardcover books and do affect the potential value of a collectible book if you are looking at them for that reason. Remainder marks are marks made on hardcover books that are considered excess by the publisher. This marks them to be sold at …
Dune, by Frank Herbert, is one of the all-time classic science fiction books, and it’s a sizeable read. Many people are also confused because if they pay attention when shopping for a copy, it seems like the book can have anywhere from 400 to nearly 900 pages…how can there be such a difference in book …
I never understood the idea that reading isn’t a hobby. While I get that for many people the experience of reading came from being forced to do it at school with books that were outdated, uninteresting, or otherwise just not a great choice. The idea that people read for fun throws some people off, and …
I’m surprised at the number of people who are genuinely curious on whether it’s possible to make money selling antique books. The market for collectible first editions is huge and it’s not getting smaller. While many new technologies, apps, and tools can mean there’s more competition to the old school book hounds versus the new …
Sometimes the simplest questions are the ones that can be the biggest head scratchers, as well. Anyone who has ever had their 4 year old ask them a simple question about the world that made you stop and go “Huh?” know that feeling. There are certain practices that are more hard and fast rules when …
J.R.R. Tolkien is a figure that is considered by many to be the grandfather of modern high fantasy fiction. While academics can argue and point out there were fantasy authors in his time and even before, it’s hard to deny the incredible influence that this author had on the genre. Most famous for his fictional …
Most of the discussion on this website about valuable antique books has been all about hardcovers, and there’s a reason for that. The first version of any book put out is almost always a hardcover, so for collectors the true first printing/first edition will be the hardcover version – which now has dust jacket and …
A great collection of old or vintage books is a beautiful sight to behold, and there’s no denying that I’m a fan. My own time collecting antique books whether buying and selling as a book hound or simply to add to my own collection. I’m not stranger to protective book covers of all types including …