ChatterBank32 mins ago
Valuing old/rare books
10 Answers
I have recently acquired a sselection of books which I think may be old/valuable/ rare. They range from bibles, hymn books, works of tennyson & shakespeare, through to picture books of the Queen. Because they are old- they do not have ISBN or other noted registry numbers. How & where can I find out what they are worth?
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
Answers
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I've bought and sold plenty of old books over the years, and I know quite a few people who are either full-time or part-time book dealers.
18:38 Fri 26th Aug 2011
I'm using my old laptop and unable to type much but go to http://www.abebooks.co.uk/ and type in the information that you have for each book. A list of similar books should come up, this should give you an idea as to value.
Good luck
Good luck
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I've bought and sold plenty of old books over the years, and I know quite a few people who are either full-time or part-time book dealers.
Most old books are completely worthless. In particular, old Bibles have no commercial value unless they're several centuries old (with magnificent leather bindings) and/or with direct links to famous people. Charity shops (who often employ specialists to look out for books with particular value) receive thousands of Bibles every year. Most of them are simply sent to be pulped. (Even large leather bound, Victorian editions are usually unsaleable).
Hymn books have even less value (if that's possible) than Bibles.
Every school (and many homes) will have had the works of Shakespeare and Tennyson on their shelves across several centuries. They're so common that many secondhand book shops won't touch them. If they do so, they'll be offered to the public for a pound or two (with the shopkeeper having bought them for a few pence each).
Picture books of the Queen can, if they're in particularly good condition, occasionally sell for a few pounds but (as many charity shop managers will tell you) they're so common that anyone who actually wants one already has a copy, so hardly anyone will buy them.
With the exception of antiquarian volumes full of beautiful coloured plates, the vast majority of Victorian (and earlier) books have no value. The only great 'treasures' for most book collectors are first editions penned by fairly recent authors before they'd achieved great popularity. For example, even a tatty first edition of Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel (Casino Royale) would fetch over £20,000. (If one could be found in 'mint' condition it might fetch 10 times that figure). A book from the first print run of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is worth around £25,000.
Chris
Most old books are completely worthless. In particular, old Bibles have no commercial value unless they're several centuries old (with magnificent leather bindings) and/or with direct links to famous people. Charity shops (who often employ specialists to look out for books with particular value) receive thousands of Bibles every year. Most of them are simply sent to be pulped. (Even large leather bound, Victorian editions are usually unsaleable).
Hymn books have even less value (if that's possible) than Bibles.
Every school (and many homes) will have had the works of Shakespeare and Tennyson on their shelves across several centuries. They're so common that many secondhand book shops won't touch them. If they do so, they'll be offered to the public for a pound or two (with the shopkeeper having bought them for a few pence each).
Picture books of the Queen can, if they're in particularly good condition, occasionally sell for a few pounds but (as many charity shop managers will tell you) they're so common that anyone who actually wants one already has a copy, so hardly anyone will buy them.
With the exception of antiquarian volumes full of beautiful coloured plates, the vast majority of Victorian (and earlier) books have no value. The only great 'treasures' for most book collectors are first editions penned by fairly recent authors before they'd achieved great popularity. For example, even a tatty first edition of Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel (Casino Royale) would fetch over £20,000. (If one could be found in 'mint' condition it might fetch 10 times that figure). A book from the first print run of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is worth around £25,000.
Chris
Thanks for that Chris I'm sad to think that old bibles are not considered valuable and I am loth to throw a couple of mine away. I have a Pears encyclopedia dated around 1916, someone told me that the frontspieces with the line drawings of each chapter may be worth something. Like Misty P I don't know who would advise me about that. Sorry I can't be of help to you Misty P.
Thanks for all the input folks.
The most intriuging book is "Songs of Shakespeare" It's a miniature & finished in a soft velvety material. It was printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.
Another being The Works of Tennyson. It has a hand written message inside with the date May 23rd 1891.. having trouble reading the writing tho!
The most intriuging book is "Songs of Shakespeare" It's a miniature & finished in a soft velvety material. It was printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.
Another being The Works of Tennyson. It has a hand written message inside with the date May 23rd 1891.. having trouble reading the writing tho!
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