subject: Tips On How To Buy Antique Books [print this page] Not sure how or where to start buying antique books?
There are a few basics you will need to learn before you get started. If you try to pursue an antiquing venture without doing your homework, you could lose out on a lot of time and money. After all, why buy antique books if they are not truly valuable? That is the entire point of antiquing.
The Three Factors of Buying Antique Books
Step #1 - Know How to Determine if a Book is an Antique
Most importantly, simply because a book is old, that doesn't make it an antique. Some pre-1900 books hold little value while more recent books may be very valuable. To be an antique, a book has to have the following three criteria:
* When was it written? - As mentioned, age isn't the lone definition of an antique but it is necessary to be considered.
* What is the content of the book? - The information inside a book matters. You will want to find books that are historical, have preliminary or early reports of scientific inventions, or books that have illustrations that were created by a famous artist. These are just a few examples.
* Rarity and Demand? - A rare book means few copies are available. An "in demand" book means the number available are fewer than the number of people who want it.
These three key factors will help you determine if a book is in fact an antique. Once you determine a book is truly antique, you will want to know if it is valuable or not.
Step #2 - The Value
A book's value can be decided by a number of factors. The most critical of which is the physical condition of the book. A "mint" or perfect condition book will have greater worth. A "good" condition book will have less value but much more so than a book in "poor" condition. Visually assessing the condition is an important part of determining the value. Now that you are aware of steps 1 and 2, where do you find antique books for sale?
Step #3 - Locations to Buy Antique Books
There are many different places you can go to find a variety of antique books. Some of these places will require a little more work from you on determining if it is truly an antique, while other places have done the leg work for you. Generally, these places will cost you more money. Antique books can be found in different places, such as: online, used book stores, estate auctions, and even garage sales. Probably one of the easiest ways to buy antique books is to search for them online. While it is easier, it is important to research the company before you purchase. Here is a list of companies that sell antique books online; however, you must still do your own research before you make that final decision.
* BookFinder.com
* AbeBooks.com
* AddAll.com
* Powells.com
* FadedGiant.net
* Amazon.com
* Ebay.com
* Craigslist.com
* Alibris.com
* Biblio.com
* ILAB.com
* OldBooks.net
These are just a few online sources. Now that you know the steps involved in antiquing, you can start your search for the perfect antique books for your new collection.
