Dan Gregory of Between the Covers~Rare Books Inc. provides a detailed answer to this question in the Between the Covers blog today. Click here to read! Do Rare Books Appreciate in Value? [more "Do Rare Books Appreciate in Value?"]
On Collecting Books
I was reading an article this morning about a South African man who, while on holiday in Ireland, found an American first edition of Wuthering Heights at a flea market for €3 (about $4.27). Realizing the value of the book, he brought it back home to South Africa and promptly sold it for over 77,000 rand (equivalent to more than €8,000 or $11,000)quite the souvenir! The article quoted ILAB member David Cunningham of Cathach Books Ltd. in Dublin, who commented that this was likely the only first edition of Wuthering Heights in the country. He went on to say that "you just don't know how books turn up and how it arrived in this country, but that's the nature of booksyou can find almost anything anywhere." This quote got me thinking about all the interesting stories book hunters everywhere must have. What has been your most interesting and/or profitable find? Tourist sells €3 first edition of Wuthering Heights for €8,000 [more What's Your Most Interesting and/or Profitable Find?]
Upon returning to London after exhibiting at the New York Antiquarian Book Fair, ILAB member Rick Gekoski of R. A. Gekoski Rare Books & Manuscripts posted a great entry to his blog in the Guardian, A Finger on the Page. The post answers some fundamental questions about the rare book trade and antiquarian book fairs. A fun read for those in the trade as well as novice collectors. Click here to read the post. An insider's guide to book fairs [more 'An Insider's Guide to Book Fairs' by Rick Gekoski]
The Columbia News Service published a brief article about the trade, which included quotes from Michael DiRuggiero of The Manhattan Rare Book Company and Michael Thompson of Michael R. Thompson Rare Books. Despite E-Books, Rare Books Aren't Endangered [more Members in the News: Michael DiRuggiero & Michael R. Thompson]
From the ACRL Insider: "Complete backfiles of Rare Books & Manuscripts Librarianship (RBML), the predecessor of RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage, are now available on the publication Web site. ACRL received a grant from the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation to assist in making volumes 1-12 of the publication discoverable and available online through the HighWire Press platform, completing the publication's online archive. The 24 back issues will join volumes 13 and 14 of RBML and the full run of RBM online. Access to all content, with the exception of the two most current issues, is freely available to all. Online access to the current two issues is available only to RBM subscribers." RBML Online Archives Now Available [more Rare Books & Manuscripts Librarianship (RBML) Online Archives Now Available]
The Raab Collection is currently offering a three page letter penned by William H. Herndon, one of Abraham Lincoln's closest friends, that offers unique insight into Lincoln's religious beliefs. Historians have had little substantiation on this topic since Lincoln refused to discuss religion and did not belong to a church. In his 1866 letter, which was written to the current clerk of the House of Representatives, Edward McPherson, Herndon writes that "Mr. Lincoln's religion is too well known to me to allow of even a shadow of a doubt; he is or was a Theist - a Rationalist, denying all extraordinary -– supernatural inspiration or revelation". Please click here to read the full article on CNN. Congratulations to The Raab Collection on acquiring such an important historical documnet! Letter from close friend offers rare glimpse into President Lincoln's 'theist' beliefs The Raab Collection [more Member in the News: The Raab Collection]
Read this excellent piece about ABAA member Elmar W. Seibel and his firm, Ars Libri. Congratulations, Elmar! Turning the Page [more Member in the News: Ars Libri]
Here is a prospectus to Jeff Weber's latest book, An Annotated Dictionary of Fore-edge Painting Artists & Binders (Mostly English & American). Part II: The Fore-edge Paintings of Miss C. B. Currie; with a Catalogue Raisonné, which was previously posted about in this blog. [more Prospectus for Jeff Weber's Latest Book on Fore-edge Painting]
On Tuesday, a New York federal judge rejected Google's settlement with authors and publishers to digitize books and make them freely available. Judge David Chin said that the agreement would have "granted Google a 'de facto monopoly' and the right to profit from books without the permission of copyright owners". Legally, it seems the largest factor for rejection of the settlement is its inclusion of orphan works, which are books whose rights holders are unknown. Judge Chin implied that if the settlement was amended and limited only to books that authors or publishers opted in, then the majority of legal obstacles would be removed. Google argues that leaving orphan works out of the agreement would significantly diminish the value of their digital library, both to the company and the public. Pamela Samuelson, a copyright expert at UC Berkeley who has worked to prevent the settlement, commented that “even though it is efficient for Google to make all the books available, the orphan works and unclaimed books problem should be addressed by Congress, not by the private settlement of a lawsuit.” I have absolutely no familiarity with copyright law but, in my inexperienced opinion, Ms. Samuelson's statement sounds spot on. What do you think? Clearly, this ruling can also open a discussion on rare books and the trade in general; please post any ideas, opinions, etc. Judge Rejects Google's Deal to Digitize Books [more NY Times: "Judge Rejects Google's Deal to Digitize Books"]
Last May, the Brooklyn Historical Society discovered a rare 1770 Ratzer map in its possession. The map was delivered to the society's office in May along with a shipment of other maps and prints from their warehouse in Connecticut. There was no catalog listing the map or any record of how the map was acquired, but the society was thrilled with the discovery nonetheless. Prior to this finding, it was widely believed that only three copies of this exact map, Bernard Ratzer's 1770 "Plan of the City of New York", were in existence. The map was in dismal condition, as it had been heavily shellacked, mounted onto linen and cut into strips so it could be easily stored. Jonathan P. Derow, a paper conversationalist, was commissioned with the monumental task of restoring the famous map. The map was so fragile that Mr. Derow was unable to move it to his Brooklyn office; instead, he had to set up shop in a makeshift tent in the society's office. Thus began the labor intensive process of restoration, which culminates with a private viewing party at the society tonight. In order to repair the map in areas where it had been ripped and white lines appeared, Mr. Derow visited the Argosy Book Store (ABAA member!) and purchased several obscure titles printed on cloth paper, which he subsequently baked and boiled. He then used the remaining substance to fill in the white lines to match the rest of the map. (Check out the before and after pictures in detail here.) Being unfamiliar with the proces... [more Rare Ratzer Map Discovered and Restored]