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Sofia Suarez

I love old books, but I'm confused by the different terms. What, for example, does antiquarian mean?

WHAT THE EXPERT SAYS:

Picture This, the gallery known for its posters and maps, recently began selling antiquarian and second-hand books. 'Antique traditionally means more than 100 years old, although the term is used liberally,' says owner Christopher Bailey. 'Most old-book dealers will describe  their books as antiquarian and second-hand, indicating  books published within the past 100 years, as well as older books.'

Bailey says another common term is 'modern firsts' -  books published in the 20th century, especially after the second world war. 'These are the first printings of generally well-known books that would subsequently have gone into many printings and from hardback to paperback printings. Modern firsts  can command significant amounts at auction.'

He says a set of Harry Potter firsts signed by J.K. Rowling could fetch GBP25,000 ($340,000), and James Bond firsts with dustjackets in fine condition might attract  GBP1,000 or more. 'If they're signed or inscribed by the author, they could reach GBP10,000,' he says.

BUY THE BOOK

'Modern book collecting, like many areas of collectables, has grown in the past 40 to 50 years,' Bailey says, listing a few reasons for its rise in popularity: collections can be started by people of modest means; the books can be read; prices have risen; and, because of the interest in modern firsts, there are always new books that quickly become sought after.

Although books are found through auctions and estate sales, Bailey says there's also  a thriving community of antiquarian and second-hand book dealers. 'Certainly in the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand or Canada you'll find such a shop in just about any town,' he says.

Some dealers specialise in areas such as travel, children's, scientific, literature, even beekeeping. Most carry some general stock.

Similarly, collectors often focus on a specific topic or part of the world, Bailey says. 'There are also people who collect books for their beautiful and decorative bindings and aren't concerned with the contents,' he says.

TIPS FOR NEW COLLECTORS

Bailey  says the terminology may seem complicated,  but it's fairly easy to master. 'Much of the teminology relates to the method and style of bindings,' he says. Most terms refer to books of the 19th century or older.

Condition has the biggest impact on value, he says. A few questions to ask: Is the book still tightly bound? Does it feel fresh? Are the pages clean and without foxing or staining? Is the binding original or has the book been rebound at some point (this may not detract from value, but is something to be aware of)? Are illustrations or maps or other inserts missing? If a book is without a dustjacket, has this been lost over the years, or was it published without  one?

'What  you're trying to determine is if the book is an original printing or a later printing,' he says. 'Some books are reprinted or may be a facsimile of the original printing, or another publisher may reprint a book. These are definitely not so collectable.

'The great thing about collecting books is  that you can start a collection quite easily and inexpensively. With, say, $20,000 to $50,000, a new collector could put together the beginnings of an interesting collection.'

Prices at Picture This range from about $400 to $10,000. At auction, prices for some books can fetch much more. In 2001, Audobon's Birds of America,  from Original Drawings sold for US$8 million.

'Direct sunlight and dampness are the major problems for books,' says Bailey. Although insects  can be an issue, they're not a common problem. Proper storage and display in good quality bookshelves is vital.

'Don't overstuff shelves but  do make sure books are upright.  If a book is leaning there will  be pressure on the spine, which can cause it to be damaged.  Use bookends on shelves that aren't full.'

RESOURCES

Books (Paddyfield.com):  Collecting Books by Catherine Porter ($234); Instant Expert: Collecting Books by Matthew Budman ($101)

The British Library, London (www.bl.uk);  Library of Congress, Washington, DC (www.loc.gov)

Picture This Gallery: Suite 603B, 6/F, Office Tower, 9 Queen's Rd Central (tel: 2525 2820)

Send questions about collectables to sofiasuarez@yahoo.com



Antique books