/lit/ - Literature

>>20114562
Why do you think we want to ask you questions just because you're a bookseller? It's a good thing to be but not terribly interesting.

What's the rarest book you've come across? Any rare first editions or anything?

>>20114567
A fair point. I've met more than a few booksellers and I can say that they are either mad or interesting.

Gil blas

>>20114562
do you come across any little leatherbound editions of complete classic works, e.g. a complete works of Jane Austen, pocketsized with small typeface like they do with bibles.

>>20114562
Got anything cool from colonial America?

>>20114567
Oh fuck off. Someone finally posts a cool thread and you choose to be a shit about it?

>>20114562
What's your definition of antiquarian?

>>20114562
65,000 books? How big is your store? What titles or genres are your best sellers? Is your marker running out? How do you feel about balding? What is your BMI?

I've met you type across American towns from Nola to Boston. Most of you don't actually want to sell books but keep a business as an excuse for hoarding. No reasonably person is going to pay more than 5 bucks for a ratty, water stained mass market, post 1950s modern library book without a dust jacket. No go sell some book collection insurance.

I'll keep buying my Aldus books in little European shops for a fraction of what you try to extort.

>>20114562
Nobody asked to see your fat, sóy addled mug. You are not remarkable, so there certainly was no need for any proof in the form of your face and timestamp, faggot.

>>20114577
Manuscripts are the "rarest" but I've seen other peculiar things. From a forged 17c map carved in (probably human skin) dated from the 16c to a Russian book about "the benefits of a life without alcohol". Apart from those I had more than a few incunabulas from the 15c.

>>20114596
Yes but I usually avoid buying sets since they are unsellable.

>>20114607
Books older than 75years.

>>20114602
I'm not in the US and Americana is rather rare especially in continental Europe.

>>20114619
>a forged 17c map carved in (probably human skin) dated from the 16c
>human skin

>>20114562
Are you him?

>>20114619
>>20114642
Seconded, gonna need to see some genetic test results to believe that one.

Make a YouTube channel. I get off to old books and I'm sure there are a lot of folks like myself who would appreciate a series of videos made by an appreciator of literature scanning through old books and discussing them knowledgeably.

Im kinda sad, kinda bored, got some cool gothic bookcovers? pic related

>>20114612
>post body
Yes, I browse /fit/ occasionally, BMI 23,5 just managed to get under 25. I've been swimming every other day. It does wonders for the body...

>>20114642
I can recognize pigskin, calfskin and sheepskin on bindings and it wasn't any of that, that's why I said probably.

>>20114665
Bookcovers no, but I have a ton of books in gothic script.

pic unrelated, the Tibetan book of the dead.

What do you think of my small poetry collection?

1864 W.M.Praed
1905 Cowper
1906 Browning
Leather bound Dryden (no date)
1900 Tennyson
And a 1883 anthology

I think I payed between 0 and 5 $ for em. It's nothing anybody cares about but these happen to be some of my favorite poets.

>>20114562
Are you like Joe from You?

Also do interesting people come into your store? Anyone worth talking about? Anyone based?

>>20114705

I'd add i have some actually desirable stuff. A whole bunch of Limited Edition Club classics and a set of privately leather bound Proust's, but i already know what they are worth.

>>20114705
I saw those two Browning vols in the bookstore yesterday

>>20114562
How did you become an antiquarian bookseller? What got you started? I'd imagine the initial expense must be huge. How reliant is it on networking?

>>20114705
Cute bookshelf, based titles

Are you gay? Is being gay a requirement to be a bookseller? Is going to gay bathhouses with your bookseller buddies the equivalent of golfing for corporate upper-management? What's the gayest thing you've done to a book?

>>20114733
Honestly if they weren't free i'd say look elsewhere. In order to fit the whole of Browning most of the pages are split making it a real hassle to read.

>>20114612
Store is 55sqm but I do have 2 storage units.
There is no rule in regards what's most popular.
In regards to bolding I'm fine with it since I'm not that young anymore and I already have a gf.

>>20114705
You got them at a bargain. If you actually read books (unlike most of my clients) please be respectful towards them, keep them away from sunlight and moisture.

>>20114665
see picrel

>>20114719
Who is Joe?
Yes, I had ambassadors, historians, poets, a war criminal, corporate suckups looking for a gift for their boss.

>>20114734
My father was a bookseller before me, I inherited about half of my stock from him when he passed.

>>20114742
Nope I like ticc women. The gay lobby is extremely influential but you don't have to be a homo to work with books. Most of the booksellers are over 55 and extremely based and redpilled.

>>20114562
Do you have any Globe Edition Works of Shakespeare? They are my favourite antiquarian books. I own two copies of it.

>>20114760
Joe from the Netflix show You. He's a bookstore clerk and also restores old books. Also he obsesses over and the kills women that come in the store he works at. I had to watch it with my gf but ended up identifying with him

>>20114562
I recently bought an obscure translation of the Divine Comedy. It's so obscure that nearly all the pages are uncut. What should I do? I want to read the book, but if I cut it, it's like I'm defacing a valuable artifact.
And how often do you come across uncut books?

>>20114805
It's been almost half a year and you haven't decided yet?

>>20114805

Don't even think about it. You will lower it's price by at least 15%. If you want to read it, find it on google books and read it from there.

Picrel a German version of Dante that I have.

>>20114760
>You got them at a bargain. If you actually read books (unlike most of my clients) please be respectful towards them, keep them away from sunlight and moisture.


Do people still collect poetry? it's just that in my experience people buy old books based on superficial things like illustrations or edition numbers. A guy i know buys Leather books of geological surveys or steam engine histories just because they look nice. I got the Praed set for 3$ off those of those sell it for anything junk stalls

How many people buy books for the 'right reason' ?

>>20114816
I haven't gotten around to reading it yet.
>>20114821
The reason I bought it was because I hate ebooks. Is money really more important than poetry?

>>20114816
Stalker.

>>20114834
Here's a way to bring up the value after cutting the pages. Write in some empty space about the trouble you had cutting the pages, but you just had to because the book was so good and that you hate ebooks so much. In a couple centuries, your book will be in a museum, and it will be in a museum because of what you wrote, not the uncut pages or the quality of the translation. Cut them, but be sure to add marginalia, and your marginalia can just be in the front of the book.

>>20114871
>value
What value is this? Is it labor value? Is it market value? Is it use value?

>>20114821
>Don't even think about it. You will lower it's price by at least 15%.
A book that can't be read has zero value to the reader.

>>20114562
What's your favorite book of all time?

>>20114823
Yes they do but usually limited editions. You are correct, most people buy for the visual element of the book but there are real connoisseurs that buy things in shitty condition for the historical value. The vast majority (over 90%) doesn't read the books they buy.

>>20114871
Unfortunately no. The market values books that haven't been altered.

>>20114875
Value is based on the market condition in case there is a copy for sale. If there isn't then auctions dictates the value.

>>20114923
At the moment - Cicero on Friendship.

>>20114906
Reader =/= buyer

>>20114969
A buyer who isn't a reader is a faggot. And a reader who cares more about preserving 15% monetary value over literary value is one too.

my friend has a whole bunch of old black letter books, each as big as 6 books stitched together . The kind of shit that would have been chained up in a medieval monetary. .

im pissed because he wont sell, and doesn't take care of them. One is like 350years old or some shit.
It belongs in a museum!

>>20114995
>No true Scotsman would EVER-

>>20114562
I assume you're in the States, and so most of your antiques will come from there. What other countries do they originate? I'd imagine the UK.

youre cute

>>20115237

Not from the US, as I said, continental Europe. I get the bulk of my books from flea markets and from my classified ads.
Most the stuff that I have comes from Italy, Germany, France, Austohingaria, and east Europe.

>>20115260
Y-you too.

>>20115074
I'd buy them.
Unfortunately, people don't know how to care about books properly and there is nothing that can undo the damage in some cases.

>>20115297
>Not from the US, as I said, continental Europe. I get the bulk of my books from flea markets and from my classified ads.
>Most the stuff that I have comes from Italy, Germany, France, Austohingaria, and east Europe.

Oh my bad, being an ADD zoomer that can barely read. Aside English and your local language, do you speak anything else? Has having multiple langauges helped with this antique book stuff?

>>20114567
>no fun allowed

>>20115317
I speak 3 languages perfectly, I can read and write 2 dead language, I am proficient (on a conversational level) in another and I am currently learning the 7th (Mandarin). It has a great impact when it comes to negotiating and making professional connections with other sellers and clients. I've learned 2 languages thanks to my work and for the others I'm self-taught.

>>20115344
Thats awesome anon :)

>>20114650
lmao

>>20114562
how many dicks have you sucked ?

>>20114642
>he doesn't know about human skin binding
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropodermic_bibliopegy

>>20115367
Thank you. I didn't enjoy learning languages at first until I understood that I have a thing for it. I am in my 30s and I have an irrational fear of dementia. After understanding that every new language delays the onset of dementia for a few years I started learning them just for the sake of my future mental health. In the meanwhile I started enjoying the cinematography of the countries and I found out that I'm happier. It's not that difficult once you get a routine going on.

Pic related a dictionary of "noble languages".

>>20115461
As far as I know, that shit was popular in Texas and the Americas.

Bro do you work in the Ramajana book store in Banja Luka?

>>20114567
>FUN IS…LE BAD!
Fuck off, mate.

>>20114562
Are the characters in the film The Ninth Gate accurate as types in your milieu?

>>20114567
>It's a good thing to be but not terribly interesting.
Why say this? Its a board about books....?

>>20114619
>a Russian book about "the benefits of a life without alcohol"
i bet that wasn't a big seller in russia

>>20114562
How do you deal with those turn of the century books with acid paper that have gone super brittle? Do you have any luck with that acid spray?

>>20114567
I'm declaring this a high-quality thread. You, funstopper, can fuck off.

>>20115318
>>20116047
>>20116355
>>20116429
>that blatant impotent rage
I'm honestly embarrassed for all of your sakes.

>>20114562
Do you do book restorations yourself or employ others?

Hey anon! thanks for the thread.

What should i read if i want ti get into book collecting as a hobby ?

>>20114834
>Is money really more important than poetry?
This is the faggiest question itt. I do hope you wrote that with a cock deep in your ass.

>>20117028
>money money money
I wonder who could be behind this post

I had a nap and I'm back.

>>20115827
No, but Бoг јe Cpбин.

>>20116095
I saw the movie a decade ago and I honestly don't remember it. What is not depicted in the movie is that the business involves a lot of attic and basement dwelling. It's way less fancy than the movie makes it to be. However there are buyers and sellers of all times. It's more like the series black books.

>>20116385
Their state library of didn't have a copy. I sold it to them for 2000$.

>>20116411
I have very few 20c book and yeah they are very fragile. If you have some and want to preserve them, you should put them in a plastic non acidic foil. If they are already cracked then take them to a bookbinder and make him put a layer of thin paper underneath where the cracks have appear in order to stop the spread. Alternatively, custom made boxes are also an option but they are very expensive.

>>20116889
Book restoration is a very interesting and difficult craft to master. I never dabbled with it and I know only of one bookseller that does that to his books. Sometimes I glue spine covers back to the spines and restore sections of cut pages with acidfree foil but those aren't serious interventions.

>>20116993
Thanks Anon. Take a look at the websites Biblio, ilab, abebooks and ioba. They publish posts about collecting (for beginners). As for how to start, you must find a topic that interests you and that you know will keep being interesting in a few decades from now. Find some sellers that you think are trustworthy and they will set aside stuff for you. However, if you like the thrill of the auction you can always find cheap stuff on ebay.

I also collect books but not in the traditional fashion. I just don't sell some books that I'd like to keep for myself.

>>20114995
In case of new books that don't have any historical value and are mass produced - absolutely.
In case of a medieval book, a manuscript or another one of a kind book - you're destroying history.

Bump with a picture of a bookbinding showing a dog.

Recently stumbled onto a complete first edition set of Der Untergang des Abendlandes by Oswald Spengler.

How do I turn this into a quick dollar? If I don't get some money coming in by Saturday I'm going to be homeless.

whats your opinion for the future of book collecting? is the market growing, or becoming ever more specialized as it shrinks?

Do you think it will grow? Now feel like a good time for bargain hunting, as i see 200yo classics being sold for pennies.

>>20114562
I want to open a bookstore. What are your tips for me?

>>20114562
Do only first printings of first editions get the most money? Sometimes there's special limited editions of books I want but I'm not sure if they're first printing, though they were brought out in the same year as first publication.

>>20117495
Only stock racist books

>>20117495
Before you open a bookstore, start working in one for at least 6 months. To truly master the art of making good descriptions for more valuable books it takes years but you learn as you go. Also there is a ton of material, from mentorship programs to guides for new booksellers at the website of IOBA and ILAB. As for procurement, start buying stuff from your local flea market and on ebay auctions. Beware, you will always buy more than you sell and sometimes books stay on your shelves for over 20 years.

>>20117568
Yes.

>>20117474
I've been a seller for about 14 years now and I've seen ups and downs. The average joe isn't the buyer anymore so I figure it's getting more and more specialized. Unfortunately for me this doesn't drive the prices up. The shrinking of the middle class is killing the business but as things get more and more digital, I'm hoping that people will start collecting again.

>>20117563
The rule of the thumb is that first editions are the most expensive. However, there are luxury reprints or special editions and signed copies that can be way more expensive than the first edition. Some editions are more expensive because of other historical factors.

>>20117444
Find your nearest ILAB or IOBA seller, call them and say that you have the book and that you want to sell it. Depending on the condition, you should get between $300-600. Ref: https://www.biblio.com/book/untergang-abendlandes-oswald-spengler/d/1410373422?aid=aa&t=1&utm_source=addall

>>20117619
Sound advice. Appreciate
Is Barnes and noble good enough or should I work for a small shop

>>20114567
>unique and interesting /lit/-related post
>huh why should we care about YOU?
You're such a fucking faggot holy shit. Why would you even respond to this thread?

Show us your copy of Max Stirner

>>20117625
Start with a mom'n'pop shop that sells used books or at a proper antiquary bookshop. BN is a corporation. Try to learn from someone that has a soul. The shop doesn't have to be brick and mortar, try to learn from someone that has an online presence or works exclusively via catalogs. To get a better idea of what's required in terms of knowledge, you can start reading book descriptions at random from auction house catalogs. As I said, it takes a few years to master the art.

>>20117675
That guy is popular only in the US. Best I can do is a signed copy of Sartre. Picrel

>>20114562
do you have anything that has been made public domain, how are they sold? do you guys just ask for printing cost more than that?

Is it all prose and non fiction or do people still read poetry?

My grandad is has a shelf full of privately bound classics, with a lot of 18'th/ 19'th century poets. I'd never sell it for sentimental reasons, as my childhood was spent quietly reading on the floor while he worked, but would anyone be interested in the books for anything other then the nice covers?


Also any advice on getting books rebound?

you a tourist mining for r/4chan content or something? we don't generally do AMAs here, and there's no point posting yourself with a timestamp in front of a bookshelf.

>>20117619
ILAB?
IOBA?

>>20117765
I have a website and I also sell on a few platforms. I don't work with modern books, only antiquary (over 75 years of age). I have no idea what was the printing cost 100 years ago. If by public domain you want to ask if I published a book, I did write 2 books.

>>20117789
Mostly old travelbooks, historical accounts, religious and scientific books (medicine, physics etc) but there is the occasional literature sale. Poetry isn't very popular.

>>20117836
International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) https://ilab.org
Independent Online Booksellers Association: IOBA https://www.ioba.org

Try the member directory and see who's closest to you.

>>20117790
>we don't generally do AMAs here
While yes, my mechanic recommended me a great marketing trick - to spend my next vacation on an obscure Mongolian basket waving enthusiast forum because I've never heard of it before.
▲
▲▲

This is the most intriguing thread in the catalog right now, thank you OP

>>20117736
>That guy is popular only in the US. Best I can do is a signed copy of Sartre. Picrel
Was laberst du für nen Scheiß.
Amerikaner online vielleicht aber ansonsten wirst du nur Leute finden die Max Stirner kennen wegen Nietzsche oder gar Marx und Kommunisten, und solche findest du sicherlich eher in Europa als in Amerika.

So pelase, show me your Max Stirner copy.

>>20118017
Why are you talking in kraut? I'm not a kraut.
I'm sorry but the only ones adoring him are burgers online as far as I know. I have a degree in philosophy and I know of perhaps 2 persons (outside of academia) that know of him. I personally find existentialism and ancap very silly ideas.
Sorry but I don't have any book by him neither in my shop nor in my collection.

>>20114562
1. What kind of books are you generally on the lookout for?
2. How did you get started?
Really like learning from collectors who've turned it into a business. Thanks for this

>>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.

>>20117903
Thanks anon, appreciate the help

>>20116868
This is a cope. Apply yourself.

>>20114562
What are some signs of a pseud?

>>20119381
Reading too many bad books (fiction or not) and thinking that philosophy will give you any answer whatsoever.

>>20119403
What gives answers if not philosophy? I'm guessing actual experience and reflection?

>>20119418
Philosophy is just mental gymnastics. Useful for laterally everything that you do but it won't give you any definitive answer. Philosophers can only agree that there is not a single statement that all philosophers can agree on. After you get a degree in philosophy and pour over thousands of pages of big brain talk everything else that you start reading just seems empty, an agglomeration of useless information or already seen.

Picrel a commentary on Aristotle

>>20114562
Do you have an English or French translation of Aniara by Harry Martinson? If so, post it plz.

Great quality thread! lit needs more of this.

,

How did you get started in the business?

How do you see the future of the bookshops?

Any tips for a anon to get in to your biz?

I've been for years trying to collect a home library. mostly by looking for uninformed abebooks postings, with stores selling things for cheap or just trying to clear inventory. What else should i be doing? Any other suggestions?

flea markets and used book stores are not an option here, so im stuck using online methods.

Day 3 of the fair, I'm still here.

>>20120814
Sorry Anon, the book came out in 1956, as I said, I work with antique books (over 75 years of age) but 90% of my stock is pre-20c.

>>20122437
Depends where you live. For general tips and how I started see >>20118176 >>20117736 >>20117619
For additional tips, start working at an existing antique bookshop and learn the art or try for the mentorship program of IOBA and ILAB. After that find dealers that work with antiques in general (furniture, paintings etc) and start a working relationship. They will recommend you to people that want to sell books and you can recommend them to people that want to sell other antiques.

>>20122447
Depends on where you live. Biblio.com, ebay auctions and catawiki (if you are in the EU) are also options.

>>20114562
I know where 15000 books of the category you specialize in are located, and they are all for sale, and I will not tell you where. Why? I think you look stupid that's why.

>>20114616
Lol obliterated this man

im curious about publishers. Do people value Oxford or Macmillan over a similar book from a no name distributor?

Also besides sunlight and moisture and other book caring tips? I have some nice looking if cheep volumes that i dont dare open all the way for fear of cracking the spine.

>>20122597
Ok.

>>20122611
Publishers are mostly inconsequential when it comes to old and rare books. The current availability on the market (of the particular edition) and previous sales matter. Keep in mind that the largest portion of published titles have one or two editions. The trick is estimating a book that hasn't been sold ever before. Obscure small publishers tend to be more interesting than the big ones.
Your greatest enemies are sunlight and moisture (read mold). Once a book is infected with spores, the only way to "heal" it is to seek professional help and that can be very expensive (I paid about 300€ for a 200 page book). Unless you are caring for books older than 300-400 years, you shouldn't take any extra steps, keeping them behind glass helps.

Thoughts on ereaders and piracy?

what im reading from this thread is that as a collector of old poetry books my quid is in. No market, and lots of sellers.

I've been gambling with with cheap no pic listings based on publisher and year and so far only had one disappointment. You can get some real gems if you do your research.

what kind clients do you get?
Is more of a professional, or hobbyist thing? Middle or upper class?

>>20122696
>ereaders
Your eyes will fall out. Jokes aside, most of the books printed in the last 40 years or so are made of cheap paper, they won't survive the next century (in acceptable condition, that is). They are mass produced and absolutely worthless and will have no value in the future so maybe reading ebooks isn't such a bad thing. There will always be luxury/limited editions but those are printed in relatively small numbers.
>piracy
Not a problem for the antique book market. The largest portion of antique books are already digitalized and available for free but people still want the real thing. 90% of my buyers doesn't even open the books they buy so it doesn't have that much an effect on the market.

picrel pirates

>>20122729
>most of the books printed in the last 40 years or so are made of cheap paper
Can you tell more about that? How do I identify a book that will last a long time?

>>20114567
This. Ever seen The Booksellers (2019)? It's the most uninteresting documentary I've ever come across.

>>20122728
See: >>20114760
6-7 years ago, the average Joe (lower middle class) was the buyer, today it's mostly institutional buyers and upper middle class. Albeit collectors come in all shapes and sizes: electricians, professors, doctors, tycoons, truckers, politicians, investors... The list goes on. Collectors know what they want while those that are looking for a gift usually need some help.

>>20122753
I didn't but it looks like Hollywood garbage. Try Black Books (2000), it captures the essence.

>>20122744
Anything gilted/marbled, bound in real cloth or leather (not faux leather), or with a box/case that looks expensive to manufacture. I don't know much about contemporary books but this sort is usually referred to as bibliophile edition or collectors edition. Keep in mind that 90% of the value of contemporary books is in the condition.

>>20122722
Yes, research is half of the job. Most things don't have photos since the platforms where we submit items for sale are terrible and photos tend to disappear for no good reason. You can easily find books that cost over $10.000 with 0 photos. I have pics for all my books but having a good description of the actual condition of the book is paramount.

Picrel a book over $10.000

>>20114797
You had one fucking job

>>20115465
That's not irrational man, and with what you're doing with that fear you can't really say it's bad at all. Dementia is fucked up. I'd reccomend learning music in appreciation and understanding as well. It does a lot of the same things as language and it's much easier to learn without interaction with other people

>>20122763

you are doing gods work with the descriptions, though im aiming for the real dunce here, the intern who looks nothing up and guesstimates a price.

BTW do Latin books sell well? My neighbor is a retied proff and he's got volumes of the stuff

>>20122781
My hearing has been bad my entire life, I still don't need a hearing aid but it makes me virtually tone-deaf. I tried learning the harmonica but eventually gave up.

>>20122793
Religious books in Latin are as desired as herpes unless they are Bibles. They can be sellable if they are in good condition and have a nice binding but we're talking very small amounts.
There aren't many interns in this job, most of sellers are mom and pop shops.

You're a pretty cool dude. I could never get into antiquities simply out of circumstance but always had an interest in them and the history of things. I don't read a lot of physical books, I use an e-reader and pirate most of what I read. It's less soul than the real thing but it's not nearly as souless as reading from a regular screen. I used to use my amoled smartphone with a black background before an e-reader and e-paper is so much better. Also props for the language I want to learn French and am starting to get my shit well enough together to learn properly. French is my leisure chouce as I enjoy a lot of french media or that which is translated to french more than English (like manga, but I've stopped reading the more degenerate stuff) but I'm deciding to switch to italian as I have Italian heritage and family. I want to know it in case my Nonna or Nonno get dementia or the like and can't communicate in english anymore. I know it'll also make them very happy in general, Dante is just a bonus. But my end point is to read the great western works in the original language and have many friends of different nations. My goal is by the time I'm an old man I'll know Spanish, French, Italian, German and Russian and likely picking up Latin on the way.

>>20122840
Thank you Anon. If you're an environmentalist, reading ebooks is "greener" than buying newly printed books. I lived in Italy for a while (6 years) and picked up the language in the process. It's very easy to learn, plus I enjoy Italian movies very much. Slavic languages are relatively easy to learn if you already know one, if not then learning is extremely difficult. A note on reading originals from old books: There is a good chance that it will be very tiresome experience since languages tend to change over time. A 20c Italian version of Dante's Hell has almost the same amount of footnotes as it has text since the book contains very archaic words. Picrel a 19c Dante.

>>20114562
I mean can you recommend to me some books? I used to read a lot when I was younger, mostly detective stories.
I'm reading The Hobbit for the first time and it is sparking a love for reading again, but I dunno where to start honestly.

>>20122917
Yeah I suspected. That's why I'm more interested in Russian despite the difficulty. Dante to me is like reading an ancient latin text, it's cool but Romantic languages aren't as foreign so there's less to lose. I like Dostoevsky and I hold some more "red pilled expectations" and want exit strategies. It's good to know picking up other slavics will be much easier with that learnt in that respect. Spanish is likely what I'll learn next (after Italian) as it's the most cost effective language for an english speaker to learn. If my grandparents weren't so old I'd learn it first. All I really know right now is I'll never learn Japanese even though that country is quite accommodative to my medical requirements. I can achieve an arguably greater result through alternative methods also.

>>20123115
Not him but I recommend jumping the deep end with stuff like Moby Dick and pushing to see what sticks and what your level is. After you've enjoyed your Tolkien though. In the meantime for mystery you can't go wrong with Sherlock and Poirot.

>>20123164
I kinda wanted to read novels like Frankenstein and Dante's Inferno, but I kinda want to ease a bit on the heavier stuff for now. But Moby Dick hadn't occurred to me yet, thanks anon.

good thread

>>20123115
I'm reading the classics at the moment. I can recommend Cicero.

>>20123151
Russian has been reformed after ww1 so a bit of effort is required in order to read it.

>>20114562
Are you currently carrying any rare translated Sanskrit/Indian texts? If so I might be interested in purchasing

why won't they let me buy mein kampf when I ask?

>>20114562
Ever see a copy of The Book Of That Which Is In Tuet?

good thread, even great, I rate 8/8.

i have a stupid question. Is lamplight dangerous for books?i have my book case right next to a powerful 'yellow' light lamp.

>>20123517
I don't have any translations but I have a rare copy of the Book of the Dead. See >>20114685

>>20123602
The books were rather uninteresting in retrospect, I expected more. Read the PNF Libro or Evola if you can stomach the weaponized esoteric autism.

>>20123829
I tried googling that and couldn't find what you were referring to. Sorry Anon.

>>20123894
Thanks m8. Sunlight is dangerous because of UV, regular lamps should be fine. Worst case scenario the paper on the edges of the leaves will bet a bit browner in two decades from now.

>>20118176
Damn, that's a neat story. Thanks for the info, man.

>>20114567
if its not interesting to you then fuck off, why even post this

>>20114760
>war criminal
who?! WHO?!

>>20114805
>>20114816
>typed it exactly the same
psychopath shit

>>20114562
I have recently purchased Franklin Library books and was wondering how I should read and store them without damaging them? Also, do you think their value will increase in a few decades?

>>20114562
Stop reading and start grooming.

>>20114617
Based

>>20124566
Sorry Anon, can't reveal that. All I can say that he was in the Hague for various shenanigans.

>>20124574
Just follow the guidelines. No sunlight and away from moisture. If you have a complete set of something then it could be worth something in the next few decades. Please don't inscribe, no dogears and don't eat greasy food while you read. This should be common sense. Also if you at some point you plan on storing them in storage boxes, be sure to put them spine down.

>>20124742
Yes.

>>20114562

Why do you hate aquariums you fucking bigot

>>20124976
I really don't. I contemplated opening a shrimp farm a while ago.

>>20114562
How did you get into being an antiquarian? Sounds comfy as fuck

>>20125041
It's actually stressful since your income is unsteady. But it is comfy in general. See >>20122584 Mentorship programs exist but otherwise you cans tart working at an antique shop until you start getting a feeling for it.

>>20123312
Frankenstein is an excellent choice. Try Dracula as well to give you experience with alternative formats.

>>20114562
Do you deal with any comics?

>>20125041
It does sound comfy but I believe it's probably quite the undertaking. My mother is a tailor and she will closer her atelier in the coming months. Competition from clothing companies and fast-fashion/retail broke her back in half essentially. Never mind COVID. Who wants to spend money on expensive handmade goods anymore when you can either go to H&M or order online? Unless you have the connections and or an established customer base it's basically impossible to keep afloat. Now think about all the ways to purchase/rent books these days. OP probably went through more than one existential crisis.

>>20125336
Indeed. As I said the business is unstable. It's hard to keep afloat but I figure that brighter days are ahead. You can start by putting out a classified ad and buy an entire library for pennies. The problem is selling but you can always find a dealer that will be open to buying wholesale and you can make a buck there. I had bad periods, had to let people go and got into debt. Fortunately the tables have turned a while after that and now I'm doing relatively fine. Finally saved up to buy an office space two years ago.

>>20125327
Sorry, only antiquary books, comics are ephemera. I know that there is a large market for it but I never got into it. 20c books can be forged very easily.

What's the oldest printing of the Bible in your store? I've got one from the 1850s that's in remarkably good condition.

>>20114562
You're scum. It's shit heads like you who exorbitantly jack up the prices on books because they're a "first edition". Because of fucking niggers like you, you've convinced a bunch of retards that a book like "Women and Men" by Joseph McElroy is worth $1000. Newsflash you dumb cunt, it's an old book. It's worth $5. I hope you go out of business because no one should be dumb enough to pay more than $5 for a used in this current age. You're a snake-oil salesman. I hope you get COVID/AIDs/Cancer and die, soon.

I dare you to defend your exorbitant prices.

>>20114821
>>20114969
>>20117439
Evidence of why you are literal scum. Consider having one of your bookshelves pushed onto you with the weight of all your "mighty" tomes.

>>20114834
You will possibly lose more value than it would cost you to buy a cheap copy.

>>20125424
That's a tricky one. The oldest (complete) New Testament ~ 1620, as for fragments, late 15 century manuscripts.

>>20125511
>Joseph McElroy
Literally who? Buy the ebook if you want to read it. The antique book market is, as any other tertiary market governed by the laws of supply and demand. Antique books are for collecting, less than 10% of people actually read them you entitled burger.

>>20125554
A good point.

where -is- Guenonfag?

>>20125575
>The oldest (complete) New Testament ~ 1620, as for fragments, late 15 century manuscripts.
Fascinating. The oldest fragment I have is a single leaf from the first printing of the 1582 Rheims NT.

>>20125686
Sorry that I can't contribute with photos but I had the pleasure of seeing 9c Georgian manuscripted fragments of the Psalms in a private collection.

>>20125712
Was it this?

>>20125575
>Antique books are for collecting,
No they aren't. It's shit heads like you who are making first edition paperbacks and books which only had one printing sky-rocket in price for no reason. Being a "one-of-a-kind" or limited availability item isn't a reason to jack up the price. Stop fetishising books. YOU are the problem. YOUR industry is a cancer.

>>20126467
They're old, they're worn, they require special attentive use compared to all other books on the consumer market. You don't need to buy books to read any of them nowadays as well. Go home you raging faggot.

Hello OP.
I am JUST starting to get into identifying what year a book was printed and whatnot. what edition it is etc. Not as cut and dry as I figured.

I bought some random books from some thrift stores. A simple one too, Green Eggs and Ham. so i open up to the copyright information and it says: C 1960 renewed 1988. those are the only two dates there so I figured... easy! this was a 1988 printing. It can't be. Seems absolutely brand new. I think it was printed in 2020.

Any advice on this? much appreciated.
I want to learn. I thought it was going to be simple. Can't find any information on the publisher's number line straight out the gate or anything. And some books can SAY first edition still but not be first edition? Whack.

I'm just using this book as a simple example.

and then this book goes for hundreds of dollars. I want it.

I acquired an old book from 1878 that's never been digitized, at least as far as both archive.org and Google Books can show me. I even tried to reverse-search some of the text and got nothing. I don't want to be a jackass withholding seemingly obscure knowledge, so who do I contact about digitizing?

>>20115465

I asked the question above ^^^
I like you. I am 33 and i just realized I Love learning other languages and i've wasted so much time. Californian here. Only Mexican and English at the moment. I'm an alcoholic and have no fear of dementia. lol

>>20124848
>storing them in storage boxes, be sure to put them spine down
You mean with the spine ont he bottom of the box? Why is that? What is wrong with laying them flat?

>>20126467
shut up faggot. go rage somewhere else

Day 4 and the fair is over. This thread has been way more popular than I expected. Before it gets nuked, I've made an address where any of you can reach me in case you have any other questions or, God forbid, you'd like to buy a book. Here it is - bookshopguy@protonmail.com.

>>20126387
Georgian, I think. At first it looked like Coptic to me but it's not. It's a manuscript and I can't read Georgian. Sorry.
Picrel 15c Old Church Slavonic.

>>20126542
It is possible that a book looks like fresh out of the press even if it's 50. For older books it's usually easier unless there is no date. If there is no date then you must find some salsa referring to the date of print of the book or at least the decade.
That's symptomatic for French and English books. Always use the last date available, alternatively, try finding it on WorldCat https://www.worldcat.org/ . Compare the number of pages of the various editions and you should be able to identify it. As I mentioned earlier, I don't work much with 20c books so I don't have this problem. Almost forgot, you should be able to see the various editions of the book by the ISBN, that should expedite your search.
Anon, as soon as you realized that you wasted time, you won't waste it again, right?

>>20126845
I am not sure about the physics behind the practice but it should alleviate the pressure from the strings that keep the spine and the textblock together. This in turn should prevent spine cocking and panel detachment. I've seen more than one experienced bookseller doing this for long term storage but I'm not entirely sure how and why exactly.

>>20126548
Post the title page and I will identify / appraise it for you. Most of the digitalization is done by libraries that are either state-run or university libraries. I don't think you can just walk in and demand something to be digitalized, you'd have to donate/sell them the book for them to get in the system. Alternatively, see google books, there should be a page describing the process of posting digitalized books.

>>20126548
You can donate the book to the internet archive for scanning, I belief.

Also show book.

>>20114562
Do you only accept legal tender? What's the weirdest trade you've had to make?

>>20127570
That's a good one. No, I also accept crypto on my website and I barter with other antiquary traders. For my weirdest magic trick I turned a of a box of books that I got for a roll of ~30 posters into 400g of silver (in coins). It really made me feel like I was in the middle ages.

>>20122661
I have a book with extensive mold in the latter half. It's pretty musty, and the black spots aren't actually spots but maybe 2-5mm tall. I haven't read the book in 10 years because of that and only recently opened it up. Is there anything I can do to cure it of mold? I already tried days worth of direct sunlight. I feel like a caveman trying to fix a computer by bashing it with a rock though.

>>20127931

Not OP but this is a health risk for you and a risk for the rest of your collection. If it is inactive mold I would suggest cleaning it with a latex sponge. If you'd do it professionally you'd have to wear protection (mask, gloves etc.). If it is active mold you need to kill it first.

However I don't think that your book has actually "extensive mold". Black spots are just the start. You should post a picture for a diagnosis.

>>20127931
Sorry Anon but unless you're willing to spend some $2/leaf for professional cleaning, I suggest you throw it away since it's contagious. Not to mention that most books printed in the 20c probably can't survive the process. Once books were sturdier so older books can take much more punishment. As >>20128005
has pointed out it's a health hazard and the fungi can spread from a book to another. The only method I know of involves detaching the textblock and sterilizing one signature/leaf at the time with UV light and a sterilizing solution (not alcohol).

>imb4 what is a signature?
Picrel

I haven’t been on /lit/ for years, and I see this thread. It is good because I started collecting old books.
I usually buy them from antique markets for less than 10 euros.
I am also an antique dealer and I usually sell paintings.
Is the market even worth it nowadays? Should I take some time set up a small book business on the side? I don’t have a huge stock, I collect them for fun and also because I can find them cheap.

Pic related, bought it this morning. A pleasant surprise. I also bought a first edition of Elisabeth Bowen’s To the North, signed copy, 1933. Both for 8 euros.

>>20128005
>>20128036
My health isn't an issue, I have absolutely no regard for my body. As for spreading to other books, it was initially kept in a ziploc bag for at least 4 years, then taken out for the sunlight. Since then, it has sat on a shelf surrounded by dozens of books and none of them have mold. I assume it is inactivated, in which case maybe I'm just lucky. I'll put it in a ziploc bag and only bring it out when needed, preferably outdoors, I suppose. It stopped "spreading" at least 10 years ago and no more pages have been damaged.
>post a picture for a diagnosis
I would but I have no camera. Here is a picture I drew of what it basically looks like. 90% of the book is fine, it's the last few blank pages and about 15 pages before that (which got stuck together and peeled a little) that are infected. It's a hardcover book.

>>20128062
The market has been weird since 'rona started. I made decent earnings the first two years but now it's getting a bit stale. Auctions still do their jobs when it comes to more expensive books but the fees make me think twice before consigning. As for the rest, cheap things sell, expensive things sell but anything between 80-1000€ is sluggish. If you are considering opening a business, see some of my previous replies here.
I assume you are from Europe since you're writing prices in eur. I also have some paintings that I'd like to sell and I work with maps and prints. I left a temporary address that I've made here >>20127405 so you can send me an email if you'd like
>N-no homo.

Good find, here is a comparable copy with dj in better condition - https://www.biblio.com/book/north-bowen-elizabeth/d/1388534376 Unfortunately there is a large amount of fanatics that care only about the dustjacket and if it's not in perfect condition, the book is valued at 1/3 or less of the price.

>>20128097
>I have absolutely no regard for my body
Ah, a fellow /fit/izen I see.
Some black spots can be just foxing (chemical process happening naturally in paper, creating spots of various sizes and colors but mostly small black spots).
Try to physically clean the leaves with a cotton pad and a disinfecting solution. It won't destroy the spores it but it may stop it from getting worse.

>antique book dealer
Scum. Absolute scum. Books are meant to be read. Not fetishized. Consider suicide.

>>20128134
Okay, I'll try it out. Thanks antiquity-kun! It's definitely not foxing, which I've seen on hundreds of books over my life. The spots aren't spots like I said before, but pretty substantial "bumps", over 2 to 5mm, maybe even a centimeter; best described as chunky. It all happened because I spilled soda on the book and left it in my bedroom for 2 years when I was sent away. Came back and it was pretty nasty. The sunlight trick killed whatever was growing in the front because it's spotless now, but the back is just as bad like the picture I made. I will give it a thorough and careful cleaning with some q-tips and diluted alcohol.

And the real problem with throwing it out... is because it's my yearbook. I just can't do it, especially with signatures from old friends. I already lost a few signatures in the back due to the mold. There's a local book store near me that has a mixture of modern pulp as well as some dusty tomes all the way back to the late 18th century (some American literature). Interspersed in there are lots of yearbooks, surprisingly. I don't know why a book store would buy yearbooks but it's cool to look through them when I visit (they're from the 50s and 60s). Oh, I also found a first edition of some freemason book by Albert Pike, which was pretty spooky. Do you have any weird materials like that in your store? Grimoires/alchemy too.

>>20128184
In that case, you should try asking at your local bookstore, maybe they can recommend a bookbinder that can help you. Sellers usually don't have the luxury of buying what they want. In most cases, we buy entire libraries at once and sort stuff later. It's normal to wait for 20 years to sell a book.
Regarding weird stuff, I have some books on theosophy and maybe a book or two that has been banned by the catholic church but that's it. Alchemy and occult stuff is rather rare since nobody in their right mind would dare publish this sort of thing some 200 years ago.

>>20128178
>Shitposting in a thread people are genuinely enjoying and learning from.
Don't you have a frog thread you can be an edgy asshole in? There's a lot in the catalogue. You're wasting your time here.

>>20128134
Cheers mate, I’ll contact you someday. Maybe just to talk about old books if you don’t mind. I don’t want to sell them now, but might do it someday to spice up my antique business.

Found this one last month, ex-libris for Maurice Guimbert, designed by Toulous-Lautrec himself. Apparently the only ex-libris he has designed. Very happy with that find. Book is in near perfect condition, “Matelot” by Pierre Loti, first edition. Anyways I really do enjoy collecting old books and I read most of them.

>>20127405

Green eggs and ham here.
Thank you my dude. Off to the other side of town for more Thrift store finds.