Recently, the Cleveland Public Library unearthed a first edition copy of Charles Dickens’ holiday novella, A Christmas Carol that they didn’t even know they had. The librarian was putting together a display of Christmas books, and when she pulled A Christmas Carol off the shelf, she realized it was, in fact, the original printing.
Today, we kick off a series about the most exceptional libraries in the world. Focusing on everything from Shakespeare to botany, they hold some of the rarest books and print materials on earth. For those of you who cannot physically visit these places, we hope our articles will provide a peek into the amazing breadth and richness of book collecting.
There are three must-see vacation destinations for the Shakespeare lover: his home in Stratford-upon-Avon, the Globe Theatre in London, and the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C.
If you've taken up rare book collecting, you've probably encountered the phrase “ex-library copy” or seen the shorthand “ex-lib” in a book description. Collectors have varied reactions to the ex-library copy, and it's important to make an informed decision before you add ex-library copies to your own personal library.
The short answer not only is yes, you can. It is, yes you should. Of course you've also heard that condition is everything, so how can you maintain your book's condition and still enjoy reading it? Both should be achievable objectives.
If you're new to the world of book collecting, you've undoubtedly encountered plenty of jargon already. Rare and antiquarian book dealers often painstakingly describe a book's condition because it's such an important aspect of the book's value. Reputable dealers are as accurate as possible in their descriptions, and it's not unusual to run into the terms "ghosting," "sunning," and "foxing," all of which refer to different causes of discoloration to paper.
The category of "Americana" is both broad and somewhat difficult to define. It may include, after all, works written outside America, by Americans who have traveled abroad, or the opposite, works by non-Americans who have experienced the country somehow. One delightful piece of Americana falls into the latter category. Some Account of the Life and Gospel Labours of William Reckitt falls squarely into the collecting category of Americana, even though its author is an English Quaker who gets captured by the French (not once but twice, no less)!
The year is coming to an end, and it's been quite a busy one here at blogis librorum! Thanks to everyone who has faithfully read, subscribed to, and commented on our blog this year--without you, we wouldn't have such a dynamic, engaging, and downright terrific online community for rare book lovers.
In case you missed any of the "action," we've compiled a list of the blog articles of 2013 you visted most. Take a gander, click each title and let us know which was your favorite:
The leaves have changed colors, and the air has turned crisp and cool. Sunsets are also coming earlier and earlier. These shorter days mean longer nights--and more time for evening reading! If you love to curl up with a good book, you'll love this list of excellent reading copies, all priced at $20 or under. Many of them are even signed by the author.
"We all have such personal associations with the books--inscribed or uninscribed--that we possess, and in this sense all copies of books are association copies."
-Thomas Tansell, Other People's Books
Tansell's words ring true with many a bibliophile. But some association copies are more valuable than others, especially in the rare book world. Association copies, books that were owned by authors themselves, someone close to authors, or by an otherwise notable individual, fascinate us because they tell stories beyond the ones printed on their pages.
The term "Americana" can seem a nebulous one, especially to new rare book collectors. It encompasses much more than simply American history; experts often define Americana as any written items produced in the Western hemisphere from the time that Columbus and his contemporaries arrived in the Americas. So if the term "Americana" applies to books, manuscripts, and ephemera produced over the course of nearly six centuries, over multiple continents, where the heck should a collector begin?!?
