posted on December 4, 2000 05:13:26 PM new
I have a few questions about selling old books I thought maybe some of you might know the answer to.
I have quite a few very old books some are 90 - 100 years old. Some of them have been library books (some have library rubber stampings on the inside cover or title page or library markings on the binding)...do collectors consider these 'junk' or are these still worth trying to sell?
As far as condition....how bad is too bad? The covers of several of the oldest books I have are in really bad shape, some with the outer spine falling off, some with the outer layer of cloth on the hard cover all 'furry' and coming off, but the insides are still in good shape. Are these worth trying to sell?
Any help you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
posted on December 4, 2000 05:19:26 PM new
Sometimes the beaten-up books are called "reading copies"--and I do believe there is a market for them, not from collectors, necessarily, but from people who've heard of a book that is now out of print and want to read it--or research in it.
posted on December 4, 2000 07:54:08 PM new
Just a note,many people think that books 90 to a 100 years old are old.From selling lots of books on ebaY.They are not really that old.
Most important is condition and title,there are literally millions of books that where printed about a 100 years ago.
Most are worth very little but others are worth more.
I sell books sometimes that where printed between 1520 and 1590.Such items are very old yet they can bring anywhere from 150.00 to thousands of dollars.
Most though sell in the 2 to 3 hundred range.
Library books are less desirable but again depends on what it is.
Here is a good site you can go to and get an idea as to what books maybe worth.
However expect prices realised to be anywhere from 1/4 to half what they are listed on the web site.
posted on December 4, 2000 10:57:28 PM new
I've sold a *lot* of ex-library books--there is certainly a market for them. Important: Be very detailed on the condition & markings of the book! Of course, this is important for every book you sell, but moreso for an ex-library book. And be sure that the fact that it *is* ex-library is PROMINENTLY stated!
I have gotten some very good prices with these books.
posted on December 5, 2000 04:02:58 AM new
TRS64 -
It ALL depends on WHICH book. Prepare to spend a lot of time at www.addall.com/used/ looking them up and comparing publisher, edition, and condition to decide which are bonfire material and which are worth listing.
"I have quite a few very old books some are 90 - 100 years old." In the book world, those are mere youngsters. The 1850-1920 years were the age of cheap publishing. Many of the reprints from that era are worthless for literary use because they edited them into "respectability" for home consumption. I recently bought a book from 1699 for under $75 (it had been rebound but was still readible)
"Some of them have been library books (some have library rubber stampings on the inside cover or title page or library markings on the binding)...do collectors consider these 'junk' or are these still worth trying to sell? "
It depends on the title and author, because if a book is scarce a library copy becomes an attractive one.
"As far as condition....how bad is too bad? The covers of several of the oldest books I have are in really bad shape, some with the outer spine falling off, some with the outer layer of cloth on the hard cover all 'furry' and coming off, but the insides are still in good shape. Are these worth trying to sell?"
Again, it depends on the title and author and edition. I have purchased books in two or more pieces, a couple with missing covers and one that was used by a lunatic as notepaper in the 1880s (the margins are fascinating). In all cases these were SCARCE books and copies in better condition were not available or were much more expensive.
Generally, the bound sets are worth VERY little unless you have the whole set in great shape or a fancy binding ("decorator books". Old books on currently popular hobbies or old technology are worth listing
Be VERY detailed about flaws ... when I bought the scribbled book, the seller was very accurate about it.
. Old books on currently popular hobbies or old technology are worth listing