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Anbody else a book collector?

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Posted on June 13, 2004 at 19:47:43
Buckeye


 

I hope this forum doesn't just have to be about READING books...

Myself, I collect modern American first editions...Hemingway, James Thurber, Dorthy Parker, Robt. Benchley, and a bunch of others.

Also, mystery writers, especially from the 30's/40's/50's...and especially PBO's (paperback originals)...and especially those made by Gold medal books...Jim Thompson, Charles Williams, Gil Brewer, to name a few.

...and lastly, I collect books from Modern Library...you know them, those handy, "half-size" volumes...you probably had to buy some in college. These used to be cheap, but just like vinyl/records, condition is everything, and the clean copies are going up in price.

So, with the racks of books, records, dvds and vhs tapes... my wife wants to shoot me. I keep telling her that when I'm gone, she can sell this stuff for a lot of money...it doesn't help.

Anybody else collect books?

Regards,

Gary

 

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Me! Me! Me!, posted on June 14, 2004 at 09:24:42
unrulyjulie
Audiophile

Posts: 109
Location: Colorado
Joined: April 7, 2004

Yup, I've got a house full of books, CDs, and now a growing vinyl collection.

It doesn't help that I am a book sorter for the annual sale of one of our local libraries . . .

My tastes are eclectic. Art, cookbooks, gardening, science fiction (now there's a difficult market to find firsts in---lots of book club editions lying around, tho), modern first editions of books I love, aviation, . . . I like to have a reference library on hand for my various hobbies. I even have a veterinary medicine subsection. Some of it's quite valuable, some of it is ex-library. Sorting books for the library satisfies my 'scavenger-hunt/garage sale' instinct, with the proceeds benefitting the library rather than my overstuffed shelves.

Question on the Modern Library editions (in my 'professional book sorting' hat): I understand all the condition issues, but haven't researched them: what your understanding of value of these neat little books, with dj in excellent conditions. We get quite a few, and I'm never sure whether to mark them up over $3 each or not.

 

Re: Modern Library, posted on June 14, 2004 at 11:20:53
Buckeye


 

Julie,

You sound like my kinda collector...ecletic!

There is a very hard to read and understand price guide for Modern Library (if you need the source info, let me know, I think it's from Spoon River Publishing)...however, just like with all/most books, ML's have first editions (stated on first page), and only the really big names in great shape get the big bucks...The Maltese Falcon is one example (probably worth over $50 in grat shape)...however, some big names (like Hemingway and Falkner) don't go for alot becasue of the huge number published.

I'm spitballing here, but I guess if a ML has a dj and is a first in good shape...and it's a novel, they published many non-fiction books...$5.00 minimun. (Then again, "priced to sell" is a tricky business).

You might try your local library for the book At Random, the autobio of Bennet Cerf, who was the owner of Modern Library...a fun read.

Thanks for the reply,
All the best,

Gary


 

I love books. They are the memory of the human race., posted on June 16, 2004 at 18:55:45
edta


 
I have many rare books. Not that they are very valuable in money terms. There is a real treasure in the books out there.

 

Re: I love books. They are the memory of the human race., posted on November 10, 2004 at 00:01:23
W


 
Cannot agree more!


Cheers,
W

 

Re: Me! Me! Me!, posted on November 10, 2004 at 00:04:15
W


 

I am so glad that I am not alone.


Happy reading,
W

 

Re: Anbody else a book collector?, posted on January 8, 2005 at 03:40:54
Posts: 2
Location: Vestnes
Joined: January 8, 2005
Though I'm only 20 years old I've been a collector of way too much stuff over the years. I do read a fair amount of books these days, but being in the army it's difficult to find space for things. I did start reading a book called "The Love Affair of a Bibliomaniac a few days ago, which is easy to find on amazon. I wouldn't be surprised if some of you more devoted collectors would recognize some of the common eccentricities

 

Book collection numbers ~5,000, posted on January 6, 2010 at 09:55:51
DevillEars
Audiophile

Posts: 6009
Location: Johannesburg
Joined: May 29, 2005
This fact was brought home with some force when we last moved house...

8 rooms in the house have filled bookshelves!

Wife, self and both daughters are avid readers with tastes that overlap in many areas.

There's little or no chance that the book collection will be sold off as the daughters are already starting to lay claim in moves to 'pre-inherit'...
DevillEars

 

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