“Aren’t books decorative,” drawls Gloria Upson, the ditsy deb in “Auntie Mame,” and as shallow as this prototypical airhead is, she has a point.. There is something about the look of books.
We already know how our decor can affect our thinking, mood and attitude. I’ve often commented on how a cabinet of blue and white china, for instance, can make us feel so warm and at home we want to pet the dog and light the fire. And if you are like me, you know how just being in a room full of books can stimulate the intellect, remind us the things we’ve learned, and make us want to learn some more.
Yes, old books can transport us back to school again, and that’s a good thing, because we’ll have to do some studying up if we want to figure out what those old books might be worth.
One of the first things we will learn is that most old books are not worth much at all, and that those that are usually are first editions. Every publishing house marked their first editions differently. There was no standard in the industry.
Antiquarians, dealers and collectors of old and rare books, might consult the comprehensive “A Guide to First Editions” by Edward Zempel and Linda Verklen, published by Spoon River. This book contains statements from publishing houses about how, if at all, they indicated a first edition…You may be able to locate a copy in your local library.
For the rest of us, there are two very good web sites we can consult to find out about our old books: www.abebooks. com and www.alibris .com
While we can always Google our book to see if anyone out there is selling one and what they are asking., at these two web sites various dealers will describe the different editions of a book, so we can determine where our particular edition fits in.
That will include the book’s condition, which can very easily take a $500 book down to a $5 book. There are other factors, too, that affect value.
If a book is missing its original dust jacket, for instance, its value can plummet. Illustrations by a famous illustrator can enhance a book’s value. Book club additions are rarely worth anything. An artful rebinding of an old book can be a big plus.
Like everything else, the value of books is affected by fashion and popular trends. Historical books are in these days, as are some books on decorating, certain cookbooks, and first editions of American authors.
Books don’t always have to have antiquarian value to be attractive to us bibliophiles. We’re simply book lovers. We love handling then, looking at them, living among them, being in conversation with them.
Local antique shops always have a variety of old books to page through. Some might be valuable and investment worthy, but many others are simply beautiful, charming and interesting They make wonderful and affordable additions to our decor, great gifts and, yes, sometimes even stimulating reading.
Appraisals: Joyce Kilmer, Main Street and Other Poems, First Edition, 1917, $65; John Steinbeck, The Wayward Bus, First Edition, 1947, original dust jacket, $75; Elbert Hubbard, Corregio, First Edition, 1902, handmade book by the Roycroft Guild, $25; George Baker, the New Sad Sack (cartoons), First Edition, 1946, $75; World History, 16-volume set in German, 1793, marble board covers w/leather corners, gilt lettered leather spine, $1,000.; Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, special boxed set edition with illustrations, Random House, 1946, $125).
Arthur Schwerdt, a certified appraiser, is the author of “The Antique Story Book: Finding the Real Value of Old Things,” and co-owner of The August Farmhouse Antiques on Route 9 in Swainton. Send your comments, questions and appraisal requests to aschwerdt@cmcherald.com.
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