Encyclopedia Britannica.

[SeaJayPea]

Hi all, a friend of mine has a full set of the Encyclopedia Britannica, dated 1946. It's immaculate, leather bound and doesn't appear to have been opened since it was bought.

He needs to get rid of it as he doesn't have the room to keep it any more. Nobody wants it. There's one on eBay with a buy it now price of $395. That's been there since October, it would appear, and hasn't sold. He's been advised by a specialist book auctioneer that they'd never sell it. Various charity shops have turned it down, because it'll take up space and nobody will buy it.

It'd be such a waste to take it to the dump.

Any suggestions?

[Canary42]

No suggestions I'm afraid - I've got the same problem with a 1974 set, so I hope some suggestions come along.

[Mamyalynne]

I am afraid you are both correct, there seems to be little or no interest or worth in these now - at one time interior designer liked bound books for library rooms etc even these have waned.

[Baldric]

I love books, I have a set of EB from the year I was born, they're beautiful, but when you consider I can access all that information contained in them, anywhere, anytime on my iphone I can see why they're going out of fashion!

[bednobs]

has he tried a different charity shop? my complete 1800's set went to our local hospice charity shop

[Mamyalynne]

Worth asking others yes, I asked local scholls too - no joy.

Last resort, Freegle ??

[Mamyalynne]

'Schools'

[SeaJayPea]

Isn't it a crying shame? These things are really attractive, but will take up four feet of shelving and are 2'6" high. That's a lot of space for something you probably won't ever look into.

Such a waste.

[SeaJayPea]

bednobs, that's interesting, thanks. Do you know if they were able to sell it?

[Jomlett]

You could try http://uk.freecycle.org/

You could find someone in your hometown that wants a set. Give it a try.

[jno]

the encyclopedia has been updated many times since then and most of what's in it is available on the internet now anyway; so really it's not old enough to be an antique and not new enough to be useful. (I wouldn't take it if I was a school; kids don't need 1946 knowledge.) Its value might increase if you hung onto it for another 100 years. Otherwise, try things like freecycle, as suggested already.

[Hopkirk]

Log burning stove?

[EDDIE51]

Our library had a set in the window on offer free to anyone that would take it , no one was interested.