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#1
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Rare and not-so-rare together!
Hi RCBers, I am facing the following situation: Let's say there are 2 rare books, "A" and "B", $2,000 each. They were bound together with a not-so-rare book "C" ("C" alone priced at $30!). Title of book "A" is on the spine. These 3 books are at about the same period (20 years apart). Does binding all three books into one volume make the books less desirable ? Does that reduce the book total price (i.e. less than $4,000) ? I appreciate any comments. Calvin |
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#2
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Rare and not-so-rare together!
"Calvin" wrote in message
ups.com... Let's say there are 2 rare books, "A" and "B", $2,000 each. They were bound together with a not-so-rare book "C" ("C" alone priced at $30!). Title of book "A" is on the spine. These 3 books are at about the same period (20 years apart). Does binding all three books into one volume make the books less desirable ? Does that reduce the book total price (i.e. less than $4,000) ? If we are not talking about market value, Calvin does not provide enough information. Books bound together 200 years ago may thus appreciate in value whereas old books bound together 20 years ago have probably declined. -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) |
#3
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Rare and not-so-rare together!
on 13 Apr 2006 07:10:51 -0700, Calvin stated:
Hi RCBers, I am facing the following situation: Let's say there are 2 rare books, "A" and "B", $2,000 each. They were bound together with a not-so-rare book "C" ("C" alone priced at $30!). Title of book "A" is on the spine. These 3 books are at about the same period (20 years apart). Does binding all three books into one volume make the books less desirable ? Does that reduce the book total price (i.e. less than $4,000) ? I appreciate any comments. I'm far from an expert on this sort of thing, although I think I've bought a few books where two were bound together. I take it you've got relatively old books? I haven't seen this binding-books-together for anything more recent than about 1830, I don't think. Personally, book "C" wouldn't detract from the whole for me. I might consider it a bit of a nuisance. Moreso if it were the first one bound into the group. It certainly wouldn't make me want to pay more for the whole than if I could just get A and B bound together. That said, however, I'd think each one, alone, in its original binding (if there was one) would net you more money than the combination. Not because each is any less valuable, but because of your audience. What if I only want A? If I don't want B, no matter how valuable it is, I'm not going to want to pay for it. So for me (in this example) I'd only pay the value of A for all three bound together. Not a great deal for the seller. Usually I'm pleased with whatever the second title is (I haven't bought anything yet with three things together), but as a general rule, it'd be unlikely for both A and B to be at the top of my wants list. -Allison -- .. |
#4
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Rare and not-so-rare together!
Hi RCBers,
I am facing the following situation: Let's say there are 2 rare books, "A" and "B", $2,000 each. They were bound together with a not-so-rare book "C" ("C" alone priced at $30!). Title of book "A" is on the spine. These 3 books are at about the same period (20 years apart). Does binding all three books into one volume make the books less desirable ? Does that reduce the book total price (i.e. less than $4,000) ? I appreciate any comments. Calvin Original covers add considerably to the value of books. Binding two or more texts together under one cover would reduce the value of each text more than if it had simply been bound with a new cover, since it messes with the binding along the spine of the text. So, unless the texts are very old and very rare, value would be substantially reduced. |
#5
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Rare and not-so-rare together!
It really depends on the first date of publication and the date of
rebinding. Books which were originally published in the 17th century are not very often found in their first binding. So, a secondary binding of the 18th century will not be either a major price denter nor devaluer. If it is in lovely shape it might help make the price, which will be based on the two good books, entirely. Now 19th century books which are rarities primarily in their original bindings, like some of the works of Byron and Keats will get a big dent in a secondary binding. So, it depends on what as well as when. I have often bought books which consist of 7 or 8 pamphlet poems of the 18th century, very occasionally of the 17th century, the major part of the price often depends on one rare and significant text, with the rest mostly along for the ride. And there are usually no recent [in the last 25 years] examples of original bindings on that text at auction. There is another strategy with such volumes. A literature specialist in the UK does this often enough. He takes the books apart and offers the poems one by one, disbound at good prices. Best, Gabriel |
#6
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Rare and not-so-rare together!
I would like to thank you all for your comments. These books were bound together prior to 1700 and the binding is in good condition. Calvin |
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