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I
am a real book fan. One of my favourites
is
Lord of the Rings
and, having sold the
boxed set of three first editions for just over
£1,500 two years ago, I’m beginning to think
I should have bought them.
Having a favourite book is how some book
collectors start.
For others, it is simply the genre or history of
that publication which appeals to them.
The past 15 years has seen a 300-per-cent
increase in the popularity of modern first
editions.
James Bond books are always extremely
sought after – show me a man who doesn’t
want to be James Bond.
I find that after reading these books I get into
character and my instinct is to indulge in a few
too many martinis – shaken not stirred
of course!
In 2014, we sold a first edition of Ian Fleming’s
Casino Royale
(1953) for £16,520.
Other Ian Fleming books we have sold include
a first edition of
Live and Let Die
(1954), which
sold for £5,192,
Moonraker
(1955) sold for
£2,832 and a first edition of
Diamonds are
Forever
(1956), which went for £4,248.
Children’s books are usually well-read and
consequently worn and torn, so It is rare to
find them in good condition.
This means that when a fine example does
come up it can fetch a good price at auction
such as J.M. Barrie’s
Peter Pan in Kensington
Gardens
, illustrated by Arthur Rackham, which
recently doubled its estimate to achieve £3,068
at auction.
Collectors also strive to obtain any books that
have been serialised or made into film; stories
such as
Alice in Wonderland
or
Winnie the
Pooh
, and authors including Agatha Christie,
Tolkien, CS Lewis and F Scott Fitzgerald can be
bought from £50 upwards, though for ones in
better condition you could add a nought or two.
We do also see more classic literature
as well, such as copies of monastic
illuminated manuscript reinvigorated with
chromolithographic plates in fine
contemporary bindings.
Condition is paramount to the value of books
– dustjackets that are intact, with minimal wear
and tear really add to their price at auction.
Another thing to look out for are illustrators
such as Heath Robinson, Arthur Rackham,
Gustav Dore or Edmund Dulac.
Books with their illustrations can also be worth
a great deal – even later editions of the
original can go for £2,500 plus, if the
binding is in good condition,
or unusual.
Best sellers
Old books and manuscripts are a thing of beauty and much-prized
in the antiques world. But a book doesn’t have to be that old, says
THOMAS PLANT, to command a good price at auction – a looked-after
modern classic can also fetch a good sum