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Articles - October - 2024 Issue

Four Book Collectors and Sellers Share Their Passion for Collecting

- by Michael Stillman

Everyone is a Collector.

Everyone is a Collector.

The world is filled with readers who love books and who are sort-of collectors in that they place the books they have read on their shelves and keep them there, perhaps forever. Still, they may not think of themselves as book collectors despite the love that makes it hard to part with those treasures. Maybe it's time to become a true collector rather than a de facto one. This is a field where there are knowledgeable people willing to help you share their passion.

 

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the American Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABAA), AbeBooks, the world's largest online book selling website, has put together a group of four short interviews with book people. They will give you a feel for the excitement of intentionally collecting books rather than just accidentally so. One of the great things about book collecting is that everyone can pick their own particular niche in the field. There is no one size fits all. In fact, it isn't limited to official “books,” as many people collect other forms of paper as well, documents, manuscripts, letters, posters, maps, etc.

 

The four booksellers and collectors who share their stories are Lisbet Tellefsen, Rebecca Romney, Obediah Baird, and Walter Reuben. Lisbet Tellefsen is an Oakland-based collector and community archivist. She has been collecting virtually her whole life, with the focus shifting from pop culture to posters, Afro-Cuban culture, and black LGBTQ culture. Rebecca Romney has been involved in the book trade most of her adult life, now as a co-founder of Type Punch Matrix. You may have seen her as the book expert on TV's Pawn Stars. Obadiah Baird is one of the co-owners of The Book Bin. His specialty is science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Walter Reuben, logically, is the proprietor of Walter Reuben, Inc. His specialty is films and old Hollywood ephemera.

 

You can hear their messages and better experience the excitement of book and paper collecting for yourself by visiting AbeBooks.com. Click here.

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Posted On: 2024-10-01 04:39
User Name: keeline

I would say "Everyone CAN BE a Collector."

Not all are. Probably in terms of percentages, fewer members of the post-Baby Boom generations are collectors now.

When I managed The Prince and the Pauper Collectible Children's Books from 1988 to 2000, we had many who came in and claimed emphatically that they were "not a collector." There is one view of a collector that is a person who spends large sums on their books or other items.

But when these non-collectors are looking for something and it has to be a particular format or artist for illustrations, and it is not readily available, they have quietly swerved into the collector classification, even if they are not willing to admit it.

And when a non-collector is trying to find something that admitted-collectors are also looking for, they have to compete with them or accept that they probably won't get what they are looking for unless they have the kind of luck that wins the lottery once every year or two.

The same applies to condition. When the non-collector wants nice copies of books from decades before that are no longer in print, this is also part of the realm of the collector.

We often joke that if you have more than five of some class of something or have spent more than double the price of a new copy available now, you are a collector.

But many are just readers and use libraries and library apps to read what they want. They don't try to keep that which they read because of expense and space considerations. I see others who claim they buy books, read them, and sell or give them away. It seems too expensive to be believed but I have to take them at their word on a claim like this.

Thee are some groupings of books that are accumulations and others that are collections which are curated to achieve a level of completeness from some aspect and upgrade over time.

When universities have book collection contests among students, there is usually both a descriptive bibliography requirement as well as an essay on what ties the components of the collection together.

One of the interesting things about acknowledging that one is a collector is the realization that one is not alone. Suddenly you discover communities and realize that you are not the only one who likes a certain kind of book. These can be the people from whom you can learn but will also compete with when it comes to obtaining the more scarce items.

Sometimes we think about collecting things. But I am also interested in collecting both information and the acquaintances and friendships along the way. These can be from fellow collectors and booksellers. This weekend I'll be in Sleepy Hollow for the Nancy Drew Sleuths convention where about 150 fans of that and similar series will gather for presentations, activities, and books.

As much as I like book fairs and have some conversations with booksellers I know or ones that seem to be handling my field, it is hard to converse with the fellow shoppers. Part of this is that they are busy shopping for the rare find. But another part is that it is considered bad form to converse in someone's retail space lest you take business from the person who paid for that space. There are not as many receptions for collectors to meet. That is where bibliophile societies and book clubs can offer opportunities.

James D. Keeline

Rare Book Monthly

  • Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 11. Blaeu's Superb World Map on a Polar Projection (1695) Est. $5,500 - $7,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 702. Munster's Largest 16th Century Edition, with Over 220 Woodcut Maps (1598) Est. $18,000 - $20,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 101. Rare Jo Mora "Carte" Showing a NYC-to-Seattle Route through Panama Canal (1933) Est. $900 - $1,100
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 65. The Waldseemuller/Fries "Admiral's Map" (1541) Est. $8,000 - $9,500
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 46. Contains all 30 Plates from Atlas Coelestis in Full Original Color (1742) Est. $16,000 - $18,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 129. The First Map to Name New Scotland and Cape Cod (1625) Est. $8,000 - $9,500
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 663. The First Printed Map Devoted to the Pacific in Full Contemporary Color (1589) Est. $7,500 - $9,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 629. De Jode's Rare Map of Eastern Asia (1593) Est. $7,500 - $9,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 171. De Bry's Influential Map of Colonial North America (1591) Est. $11,000 - $13,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 691. Superb Hand-Colored Image of the Holy Trinity (1502) Est. $800 - $950
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 606. Important, Early Atlas of Japan with 75 Woodcut Maps in Printed Color (1837) Est. $2,000 - $2,300
  • Koller, Sep. 16: FRANZÖSISCHE REVOLUTION - ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE - Extrait des Procès-Verbaux de L'Assemblée Nationale, Des 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26 Août & premier Octobre 1789.
    Koller, Sep. 16: MOURADJA D'OHSSON, IGNACE. Tableau général de l'Empire Othoman, divisé en deux parties dont l'une comprend la Législation Mahométane, l'autre l'histoire de l'Empire Othoman [... ]
    Koller, Sep. 16: BOTANIK - Blackwell, Elisabeth. A curious herbal, containig five hundred cuts, of the most useful plants, which are now used in the practice of physick.
    Koller, Sep. 16: SCHEUCHZER, JOHANN JAKOB. Physica Sacra. Iconibus Aeneis illustrata procurante & sumtus suppeditante.
    Koller, Sep. 16: HAIMONSKINDER – Eyn schön lustig Geschicht, wie Keyser Carle der groß, vier gebrüder, Hertzog Aymont von Dordons Süne [...]
    Koller, Sep. 16: KRÄUTERBÜCHER - HORTUS SANITATIS - [H]ortus Sanitatis. De herbis et plantis. De animalibus et reptilibus. De avibus et volatilibus. De piscibus et natalibus…
    Koller, Sep. 16: GAUGUIN, PAUL, MALER (1848-1903). Eigenhändiger Brief mit Unterschrift und Couvert. An den Künstler und Freund Daniel de Monfreid in Paris.
  • Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    24th September 2026
    Forum, Sep. 24: A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster and Borough of Southwark, 1746 [bound with] A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster, [c.1755]. £30,000 - £50,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Gafurius (Franchinus). De Harmonia Musicorum Instrumentorum Opus, first edition, Milan, Gotarto da Ponte, 1518. £20,000 - £30,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, first impression, 1937. £10,000 - £15,000
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    24th September 2026
    Forum, Sep. 24: Stackelberg (Otto Magnus v). Costumes et Usages des Peuples de la Grece Moderne, first edition, Rome, 1825. £15,000 - £20,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Piranesi (Giovanni Battista). Le Antichita Romane, 4 vol., Rome, Bouchard and Gravier, 1756. £10,000 - £15,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Henry VIII's Primer.- Church of England.- The Primer, set foorth by the Kynges maiestie and his clergie…,, first edition, by Richard Grafton printer to the Princes grace, 1545; bound with 2 others, similar. £10,000 - £15,000
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    24th September 2026
    Forum, Sep. 24: Darwin (Charles). On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, fifth edition, ink inscription in the author's hand laid down to half-title, 1869. £6,000 - £8,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Siebold (P.F. von) J.G. Zuccarini and F.A.W. Miquel. Flora Japonica, 2 vol., first edition, Leiden, for the author, 1835-70. £6,000 - £8,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Illuminated manuscript facsimile.- Constitution Of India (The), Dehra Dun, Survey of India Offices, [c. 1950]. £3,500 - £5,000
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    24th September 2026
    Forum, Sep. 24: Mao Tse-tung. Quotations of Chairman Mao, prototype edition, Shenyang, compiled and printed by the Political Department, Air Force Division of Shenyang Military Region, 1963. £3,000 - £4,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Richardson (John). Fauna Boreali-Americana; or the Zoology of the Northern Parts of British America, 4 vol., first edition, Norwich, Josiah Fletcher, 1829-37. £4,000 - £6,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Mite (The), the printer/publisher's own copy with the original type and printing blocks for all three of its editions (1891, 1893 & 1896), Grimsby, Ernest A. Robinson, 1891. £3,000 - £4,000.
  • Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Bible, in English. Fine restoration binding in the style of the Queen’s binders.
    Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Magnus Hundt, the elder. First edition of one of the earliest printed books with anatomical illustrations.
    Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Agatha Christie. Cards on the Table. First edition.
    Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Beautiful and Damned. First edition, first printing.
    Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Isaac Asimov. I, Robot. First edition, presentation copy.
    Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Bible, in English. Geneva-Tomson-Junius. London: Robert Barker, [colophon 1612]/1611.

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