Collecting Some book collectors limit their interests to the hand-tooled leather bindings typical of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The prices of these books cover a wide range; some are not out of the reach of collectors who shop carefully with dealers in old and rare books.

If you decide to collect books on any single subject, there is little you need to know. It is merely a matter of picking up everything you see on the subject. On the other hand, if you are collecting first editions, autographed books, or rare bindings, you must look forward to a considerable amount of study. Your local librarian can recommend a number of books that will get you started. One of our favorites, a beautifully designed and printed voume, is In Quest of the Perfect Book, by William Dana Orcutt, published originally in 1926 by Little, Brown and Company. Another excellent one is called simply, The Book, by Douglas C. McMurtrie. As usual, we also recommend the magazine, Hobbies.

One of the most important sources for book collectors is the second-hand book shop. If you are looking for a book that falls into the rare category, you are not apt to find it on a bargain counter or even on the higher-price shelves. The second-hand dealer has little call for such books, and he will usually turn over any he might pick up to a rare book shop. But—never pass a second-hand shop without taking a look. There is always the odd chance that you will come up with a rarity.




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July 5, 2008