/lit/ - Literature

>>20118129
see >>20117619
The websites of IOBA (https://ilab.org) and ILAB ( https://ilab.org) have plenty of materials on how to get started. As for things to keep an eye one, after a while you get a list of regular buyers and you adapt to them. After a while you develop a feel for the value of a book even before you start doing the actual research.
As for acquisitions, they are irregular and unfortunately I don't have the luxury of specializing in something. However, there are specialized bookshops that sell only books about fencing or horses or whatnot. I have business associates that work with other antiques and they call me when they come across books and I return the favor when I see stuff that they are looking for. Also, flea markets are excellent sources of material. I started as a cashier and courier in my father's shop and after a while I was doing research and learned the trade from him. After he passed away I inherited the business and just kept running it. I started collecting only after a few years in the business.