What is happening? (or was, before the World stopped subbing Britain) Firstly, contemporary over-production and hard-selling of books, combined with an irreconcilable fashion for simplifying our lives, have conspired to produce a glut of recent paperbacks and coffee-table books, I call these Bookseller's Bricks and Mortar and buy cheaply in quantity to sell very quickly . Among these ordinary items we normally find a few more rare or specialised volumes , which we fall upon with rejoicing and for which we pay more . Finding these Nuggets is one of the pleasures of the second-hand book trade. As well as such general household thinnings, we buy the more specialised collections of enthusiasts, for which we can pay sums into five figures (£10,000+) though many lovely thoroughbred books have nowadays often been reduced in value by availability on the net. Twenty copies for sale in the whole world used to mean rare but now means common. Genuinely rare books may nevertheless have increased in value, as it is now easier for us provincial booksellers to find a customer. Speaking in January 2008, our internet rare books list is now much more tempting to overseas customers than it was six months ago, the decline in the £ sterling may allow £ sterling prices to rise a bit, despite the so-called Economic Slowdown. To summarise, we pay from 25p for cheap and cheerful paperbacks up to £1000+ for individual items, and can sell especially rare books on a commission basis. Wonderful books , dating from as early as 1550, are brought here for sale or valuation almost every week . Please telephone or e-mail before bringing books. We can travel to special or nearby collections.
Why do we sell more new than second-hand books , despite most of the latter being priced at between £2 and £4 (cheaper than on the net)? So many eye-opening volumes can be acquired for little outlay, and yesterday's classics, even in the sciences, are always worth reading. Gorgeously produced, unmarked volumes in the £10 to £30 price range make excellent, unusual presents . Not all our books are on display. More are listed on our website, and can be viewed on weekdays if you ask nicely.
Most books are never more valuable than at the time of publication. If they are our sort of books, sell them back to us quick - even before publication if you are a representative or reviewer. Half will become completely valueless, a third retain some value, a tenth be of enduring intrinsic worth; perhaps one in a thousand will increase in price. For thirty years we have been learning to distinguish these categories and have acquired an extensive library to help identify and value items from before the year 1600 to the present, even if, these days, we largely refer to a wealth of specialist sites on the internet. If you pursue specific interests with passion, your books are almost certain to be of value; if you are swayed by fashion and the mass media (tut tut), your books are likely to be a drug on the market! If you have come far in search of good books to buy, please remember us when you have good books to sell. Please telephone for an appointment. We can travel to the good collections - or out of curiosity! Some of our more curious volumes are listed on this site, just click on booklist
You may be able to do this yourself on the computer. If not, our Phil Dixon is highly organised, discerning and very busy finding out-of-print books for customers, always at an approved price and often not expensively (from about £7.50 upwards for paperbacks, about £10 upwards for hardbacks).