Table of Contents
How do I identify an old book?
Look inside the book and identify the book’s publisher – complete the publisher field but leave out terms like limited, company or press. If possible identify the book’s date of publication. Complete the date fields – if you have identified the exact year of publication then put the same date into both fields.
What do you call really old books?
Dan’s answer: An antiquarian book is a book that is valued as a unique physical object. The value might derive from the edition, the quality of the printing, binding, or illustrations, the provenance, etc., but the book is not valued strictly as a vessel of the content inside.
How do you describe the condition of an old book?
Typical Usage: F/VG – Fine book in very good jacket.
- Fine/Like New (F) Book may have been read.
- Near Fine (NF) Clean, with no defects, but may show slight wear at edges of book or dust jacket.
- Very Good (VG) Shows signs of wear.
- Good (G) Average used book with all pages present.
- Fair (FR)
- Poor (P)
How can I tell if I have a rare book?
How to Identify a Rare Book
- Check for Anything Unusual and Special.
- Look for Signatures.
- Figure Out if It’s a First Edition.
- Look for Limited Editions.
- Examine the Printing Date.
- Check for Anything You Personally Collect.
What is antiquarian literature?
Antiquarian literature collects and presents a wide range of information on the past, preferring a thematic structure (rather than a chronological or analytical one).
How do you describe a condition in a book?
Any defects should be noted by the seller. Good (G): Describes the average used worn book that has all pages or leaves present. Any defects should be noted by the seller. Fair: Worn book that has complete text pages (including those with maps or plates) but may lack endpapers, half-title, etc.
How would you describe the smell of old books?
When museum sniffers described the book smell, they most frequently used words like “chocolate,” “coffee,” and “old.” Library smellers, however, selected words like “woody,” “smoky” and “earthy” from the list, and described the smell’s intensity and perceived pleasantness.
What is physical description of a book?
The physical description area is made up of three sections: extent of item, other details, and dimensions. In the extent of item section, the number of pages is listed for a book, and the number of items is listed for a non-book entry, along with the length of the playing time if applicable.
Where can I find the value of an old book?
Well known to book collectors and booklovers, our site is an excellent resource for discovering a rough value of an old book. AbeBooks has been part of the rare book world since going live in 1996.
How to tell if a book is an antique?
How to Tell if a Book is an Antique. In general, antiques are considered to be 100 years or older. This stems from customs law. For book collectors, however, age is not the primary consideration. A first edition, first printing copy of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” for example, sold for $37,000.
When did Abebooks.com start selling rare books?
AbeBooks has been part of the rare book world since going live in 1996. When searching on AbeBooks.com it’s important to find copies that match the book in your possession as accurately as possible. Search carefully and avoid spelling mistakes.
Which is the best place to find rare books?
Suggested Books to help you value or sell books: Links to Websites to help you value, sell or find rare books: Amazon.com – Has every book imaginable, including many collectors / rare editions. AbeBooks – Specializes in rare books, great place to research book values.