Few people possess antique best sellers

    Most folks believe that a book from the late 1800s or early 1900s is old and rare. In fact, there are countless millions of books still around from that time, and very few are desirable. To be considered “really old” by book collecting standards, an American books need to be from the 1700s or earlier, and a European book needs to be a hundred or more years older than that.
    The most important thing to look for in old books is not the age necessarily but rather the content. Books that shed light on the way things were or that offer clarification or proof of historical or scientific subjects can be highly desirable. Rare books or editions by noted authors can also command big selling prices. First printings of important works can be very valuable even if only a few years old.
    Books can also be valuable if they have certain physical attributes such as autographs, hand illuminated illustrations, leather bindings or other special printing and binding features. In all cases, physical condition can make or break the value of a book.
    Books that are rarely ever valuable include bibles and prayer books newer than the mid-1700s, dictionaries, encyclopedias, text books and collected works by famous authors and poets. All of those books tended to be printed in very large quantities.
    A good rule of thumb is that unless you’re a bibliophile or an ascendant of one; if you can recognize the name of a book or author, in all likelihood any copy of such a book you might have is probably not worth much.
    If on the other hand you have a book that has the condition, subject matter and age that can make it valuable, get it looked at by a good antique dealer or antiquarian bookseller. The right old book could fund your retirement.

    Scott Davis operates Rhode Island Antiques Mall, 345 Fountain St., Pawtucket. Contact him at (401) 475-3400 or Scott@riantiquesmall.com.