Guides
How to identify first editions, buy at auction and find the copies worth having.
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Where to buy rare books online: AbeBooks, eBay, Etsy and the auction houses compared
Marketplaces, independent booksellers and auction houses each work differently. Here is where rare and collectible books actually turn up, and how to search each one.
· 2 min read
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How online book auctions work: estimates, buyer’s premium and bidding
A practical guide to buying books at online auctions on Catawiki, Heritage, Invaluable and the-saleroom: what estimates mean, what you really pay and how to bid.
· 2 min read
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Signed, inscribed, flat-signed and association copies: what the terms mean
Signed copies are not all equal. Here is what flat-signed, inscribed, dedication and association copies mean, and why they are valued so differently.
· 2 min read
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Book condition grades explained: Fine, Very Good, Good and what they mean
Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor: what the standard condition grades used by booksellers mean for books and dust jackets.
· 2 min read
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How to write searches that actually find rare books
Keywords, misspellings, publisher names and edition terms: practical tips for search terms that catch rare and collectible books across marketplaces.
· 1 min read
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How to identify a first edition of The Hobbit (1937)
The points that distinguish the 1937 Allen & Unwin first edition, first impression of The Hobbit from later printings, book clubs and facsimiles.
· 2 min read
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First edition vs first printing: what’s the difference?
First edition, first printing, first impression, first state: what each term means, how to read a copyright page and why the difference matters to collectors.
· 2 min read
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How to spot a book club edition
Book club editions are often sold as first editions by mistake. Here are the signs to look for: size, paper, jacket price, blind stamps and copyright page.
· 2 min read