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Rare Books Neighborhood

Antique Books

by Kathleen Gagne

Some valuable antiques are pretty clearly defined by their age. Antique books do not fit into that category however. Antique in general can mean anything from a 25 five year old car to a three thousand year old Greek statue. When it comes to books, some dealers consider anything older than 75 years to be an antique, while others who deal in ancient literature see antique in a far different light.

Some rare books are relatively new by any standards. For example, first editions of The Hobbit have been selling for upwards of $50,000 lately. Are they antiques? By general consensus they're not antiques, but they are clearly very valuable and, by some standards, they're pretty old. Defining what makes a book an antique is almost impossible across the board, but a true book lover or collector doesn't need an artificial designation to be thrilled to own his or her antique book!

Antiquarian Bookstores

Antiquarian usually refers to the bookseller rather than the book. Many people, however, feel that the name antiquarian can also apply to what these booksellers sell. In general, antiquarian bookstores sell old books, maps, and other antique collectibles such as documents. Collecting antique books can lead you to interest in other areas as well.

Antiquarian bookstores online can be fun places to shop because of the variety of treasures they offer. In addition to extensive lists of antique books, they may carry antique dolls or historical documents dating from the American Civil War. Whatever your pleasure, if it's on paper, it may be at an antiquarian bookstore.

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