02/19/2023
Becoming a Book Collector (2005), Then a Seller (2016) . . . Up-Dated (2023)
The main (at least initial) challenge of becoming a "rare" and antique book collector was deciding what to focus on: From genre, topic, title, age, condition, cultural appeal, relevance, binding, and printing house (hence paper stock), there was just way too much "to cover." Try being a generalist, and I assure you that you will overpay for countless books.
I was once convinced that I was going to be a collector of fine bindings. I was far more interested in a book's shelf appeal than the contents therein.
One of my first fine binding purchases was a five volume set of "Oliver Cromwell's Letters and Speeches: With Elucidations" (1870). I LOVED this set when I saw it. The quality of materials used and craftsmanship needed to assemble were truly something to behold.
But, as I collected fine bindings, I began to draw more interest in learning about the history of books - types of bindings, languages used (and why), the reputation of various printing houses, and paper composition, just to name a few "points."
Attending my very first large-scale antiquarian book fair tipped the scale. It was one of the most overwhelming experiences of my life. There were just way too many books and sellers!
To survive my appetite, I decided to focus on topic areas that interested me. Fine bindings, I concluded, moreover, would probably bankrupt me anyway.
Today, I am far better off. I now (somewhat) specialize in early Americana; European history; the clash of theology and its impacts on the formation and fall of the Roman Empire: medieval warfare; and, my favorite, political philosophy.
While I will always have something to learn about the history of the book, my focus areas better enable me to understand the cultural significance of a seller's offering. Condition and edition also deeply matter.
Safe to say, I am now armed when I surf online auction houses, buy from dealers (trusted or otherwise), and attend fairs and estate sales . . . and yes, I paid way too much for that Cromwell set. Let's not you be the next.
