Collectible maps are wonderful. Changed borders, different and unusually named geographic regions, and more. These elaborate and fascinating rare maps span the world and many are embellished with beautiful artwork. You will see sea monsters, whaling scenes, sailing ships, emblems and learn what a cartouche is.
This selection goes from Sri Lanka in 1513, when large sections of the globe remained unexplored, to war-torn China in 1944.
Books come in different shapes and sizes. They can be small or very big indeed. Quarto, duodecimo, octavo and elephant folio are just some of the terms you will hear used, and this video from my colleague Christi helps to demystify the jargon.
You can learn more about book sizes at the AbeBooks’ Book Collecting Guide.
Bobbs-Merrill existed in a bygone era of books. This company published L. Frank Baum, Ayn Rand and Irma S. Rombauer’s Joy of Cooking, but is largely forgotten now except by connoisseurs of the used book world.
Discover how a Midwestern company put a book into almost every household in America.
The year began brightly with an inscribed first edition of Ian Fleming’s debut 007 novel, Casino Royale, selling for more than $46,000. The book, published in 1953, remains one of the most desirable of all modern first editions.
The other sales on our top 10 most expensive sales of January list aren’t bad either with appearances from Hermann Hesse, Aldous Huxley, Marcel Proust and Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Japanese photography is now one of the most vibrant genres in the rare book world. The photobooks of Nobuyoshi Araki, Daido Moriyama and others provide thought-provoking visions of Japan and beyond.
Shocking and often surreal, these are powerful books.
The University of Victoria, here on Vancouver Island, just a hop, skip and jump away from AbeBooks HQ is a wonderful resource for educational and antiquarian book collections. They also do much for the bookish and literary community, including annual collector’s talks, which always prove fascinating – and this next one sounds to be no exception. The speaker will be Victoria’s own Ron Greene, talking about the joy of being an accidental collector, as well as discussing and displaying much of his large selection of collectible postcards, many of which relate to early Victoria.
In downtown Victoria, there is a one-of-a-kind store called Capital Iron. The building itself is a beautiful, huge Tudor-style structure built in 1863. Begun as a scrap and ship-breaking business in 1934, Capital Iron has expanded over the years into a unique shopping experience. From outdoor supplies and hardware, to kitchen goods and a garden shop, and the world’s most weird and wonderful basement of antiques and oddities (which used to feature a genuine iron ball and chain), it is a Victoria institution and still going strong.
Ron Greene ran Capital Iron until 1997, and it was his father, Morris, who began it back in 1934. Ron was awarded the Heritage Canada Regional Award of Honour in 1982 for the restoration of the Capital Iron facades, and was the recipient of the Royal Canadian Mint Medal for Numismatic Education in 1991. In 2010 he was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni for the Faculty of Humanities.
For those interested in collecting, the history of Victoria or postcards, this is sure to be a great afternoon not to be missed.
Ron Greene “The Accidental Collector”
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Room A003, Archives and Special Collections Classroom – Lower Level
William C. Mearns Centre for Learning/McPherson Library
Refreshments follow lecture. Free admission but limited seating
Enter a used bookstore and you will encounter the unique smell of old books. But where does that aroma come from? It’s down to science and the fact that books are full of organic material that reacts with the environment.
Learn more about book care at the AbeBooks’ Book Collecting Guide.
Are you familiar with The Paris Review?
Just shy of its 60th birthday and still going strong, The Paris Review has gone beyond being a literary journal. It’s an a institution that has celebrated creative writing from Hemingway, Kerouac, Vonnegut, Wodehouse and many more.
The legends of modern literature can be found in these historic back issues.
Attention Canada’s young book collectors – there is still time left to enter the 2011-2012 National Book Collecting Contest for Young Canadians Under 30.
We are one of the contest’s sponsors and this is a great opportunity for young bibliophiles to show their passion for rare books.
The winner takes home $1,000 (CAD) with the second and third place collectors receiving $500 and $250 respectively. Entrants are required to write a 1,500 to 2,000-word essay about their collection describing important features such as binding, decoration, illustrations and key bibliographical aspects such as format, printing and publication data.
American author and illustrator Howard Pyle had a huge influence on modern popular culture. He died in 1911 and you can see his influence in movies, television and books today. He transformed Robin Hood from a villain to a hero. He defined the look of pirates and positioned them as fearless adventurers.
His first full length work was a highly successful interpretation of the Robin Hood stories called The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood.
He wove various tales of Robin Hood into a single cohesive narrative, but he was happy to alter the original stories, so any child could pick one of his books and be gripped. Pyle used pirates in many adventure stories. He invented the flamboyant romantic garb that has become standard issue for any tale about piracy these days.
By 1900 Pyle founded his own art school – the Howard Pyle School of Illustration Art. He instructed many great artists including the great N.C. Wyeth, and it became known as the Brandywine School style of illustration. Read more.
There’s nothing sweeter for an avid reader than a thick omnibus edition packed with three, perhaps four, titles from your favourite author. Getting to the end of one novel, and having a nice thick stack of pages left is a satisfying feeling.
Sink your teeth into Biggles, Nero Wolfe, Travis McGee, Simon Templar or something else from our omnibus selection.
I’ve mentioned before how much I love the part of my job that allows me to forever stumble across new and different varieties of beautiful and unusual books, and today is no exception.
Perhaps you’re familiar with our feature on Cosway Bindings. If not, to synopsize, traditional leather bindings are adorned with beautifully inset miniature portraits in the covers. The bindings are named for the portrait painter Richard Cosway. The book pictured at top – Evangeline by Longfellow – is an extraordinarily gorgeous example with portraits set into the back cover as well as the front. I’ve never seen that before; usually the back cover is leather, or leather and gilt, but in this instance, the back cover has three portraits inlaid as well, and 11 portraits on the front cover. As well, the text is richly decorated throughout with traditional decorative illuminations.
For sale at the tidy sum of $91,800, this one is a smidge out of my price range, but I sure what love to hold it in my hands and look through it. Anyone want to go halfsies? You can have it Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, and I’ll have it Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays, and we’ll alternate Sundays.
The oldest title in this selection of historic veterinary books was printed in 1756. In those days, man’s best friend was the horse and equine health was a vital area of medical science.
Once used by farriers, farmers and veterinarians, these books are now treasured by collectors. From hoof to tail, trotter to toe, these are the early animal care books the experts turned to. Enjoy.
Our local paper, the Victoria Times-Colonist, profiles master bookbinder Paul Tronson, who is based on Vancouver Island in Sidney. Here is a man who has handled and repaired some of the world’s rarest books. The interview, which is very well done, reveals there is much science to his craft.
Here are examples of books in the bindery and shop, Period Fine Bindings, he opened in 2010: the 1838 first issue of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, the second illustrated edition of Paradise Lost in 1695, and a 1545 edition of Thomas à Kempis’s The Imitation of Christ (one of three known copies in the world).
He buys books in their worst condition, restores them, and sells them. The oldest book he’s worked on dates to the 10th century; he’s also worked on 2,000-year-old scrolls. And he’s worked on books valued from about $160 to more than $47 million.
“I build investment libraries for clients,” he says. “The return on investments are round about 12 per cent per year. Rare books can’t go down in value.”
It’s a good question. Why does this book, or rather books as Birds of America is a four-volume set, sell for such massive prices? John James Audubon’s Birds of America already holds the record selling price for a printed book when a copy went for $$11.5 million in December 2010.
On 20 January, another first edition copy comes up for auction at Christie’s and there is much speculation that the old record will fall. Things like recessions go out the window when Birds of America first editions come up for sale.
Birds of America is most significant for its sheer beauty. It’s a landmark book because of its illustrations. Audubon’s 435 hand-colored engravings are life-size. The first edition four-volume set was printed in the double-elephant format, which means they are huge books – almost 40 inches high.
Aside from being famous in the rare book world, Birds of America has also great ornithological importance. Some of the birds Audubon painted are extinct and he also discovered new species. The book was published in parts between 1827 and 1838, and Audubon funded the first editions himself. He toured to promote his artwork and sold prints – on a pay-as-you-go subscriber basis – to the rich and famous of the era.
The set being auctioned at the forthcoming auction is in excellent condition and has been in the same family – the Duke of Portland’s – for generations. Experts say around 200 copies were produced and Christie’s has reported that only 120 complete sets are known to exist. Sadly, many copies have been broken up. There are rare books that are scarcer but most Birds of America first edition copies are owned by institutions, who will never part with them. It’s major news when a first edition comes up for sale. We’ll be watching with great interest.
(Pictures courtesy of Christie’s)
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