This is the third in the series “Books on Books.” If you already are, or are thinking about becoming, a book collector or dealer, you must work from a foundation of knowledge. In my experience, the most knowledgeable people in the book world are very focused collectors. They tend to know more about their authors and subject of interest than even the most knowledgeable dealers. Always exceptions of course.
In the book world, the term “Books on Books” identifies that area of book speciality focused on books themselves. Walk into a fine or rare bookstore and ask “Do you have any books on books?” and they will point you to the appropriate, sacred section. This excludes the multitude of used bookstores that focus on paperbacks and recent hardcovers that are sold at a fraction of the published price. You do not have to say books about bibliography, book collecting, printing, etc. This signals that you are a serious book person. So, what does “Books on Books” cover?
Here is my cut on this:
- Book collecting
- Book selling
- Publishing and publishers
- Private presses
- The history of printers and printing
- Paper and watermarks
- Famous “book” people
- Book binding
- Illustration and engraving
- Typography
- Prices of books
- Famous books, such as The Book of Kells
- Libraries
- Bookcases
- Bookplates
- Bibliography
The earlier “Books on Books” musings were:
- Books on Books No.1 – Musing 128,
- Books on Books No.2 – Musing 130; and as well
- Books on Book Collecting – Musing 135
The focus of this musing is on four anthologies, terrific for that late-night read. Sometimes, you just have to read the next entry!
Book Collecting: A Modern Guide; edited by Jean Peters; R. R. Bowker Company, New York & London, 1977.
Note that this book was dedicated to John Carter, one of the greatest bookmen to have ever walked the earth. I refer to him often in my musings and to his “ABC for Book Collectors”, the first book on books that I acquired. It is still in print, updated by others, and highly recommended.
This book was a godsend to a fledgling collector, which is just what I was back in the late 1970s. You can see this by the Contents listing – where the 1st entry is “What Book Collecting is all About” by William Matheson. And the 9th entry by Jean Peters herself, “Organizing a Collection,” could do with periodic re-reading. All the authors with entries included are well-recognized book people who know their subject matter very well and they also know how to write.
This book was so good, I just had to get her next book.
Collectible Books: Some New Paths; edited by Jean Peters; R. R. Bowker Company, New
York & London, 1979.
Where her first anthology was about the process of book collecting, this book is more about the books themselves. Again, the authors are superb.
From the blurb: “The nine chapters in this book represent a revolutionary departure from traditional book collecting.” Jean Peters’ entry “Publishers’ Imprints” has many followers today – including me. I have the majority of books published by the Fanfrolico Press, active in London in the mid to late 1920s.
A Miscellany for Bibliophiles; edited by H. George Fletcher; foreword by William Targ; Grastorf & Lang, New York, 1979.
This is another early acquisition that has proved most useful. (Note that of course all of the knowledge that I have gleaned from decades as a collector, serves me extremely well as a book dealer as well.)
This volume introduced me to the importance of both provenance, pertaining to previous ownership, and signed copies of books.
The law of diminishing returns has definitely come into play. John Carter’s “ABC for Book Collectors” was like drinking from the proverbial fire hose – it was all was so new to me. But there is value in repetition, especially since most authors look at the same topics through different lenses.
And, in fact, the next book contains excerpts from books that I read previously. It was like getting reacquainted with old friends.
A Passion for Books: A Book Lover’s Treasury of Stories, Essays, Humor, Lore, and Lists on Collecting, Reading, Borrowing, Lending, Caring For, and Appreciating Books; edited by Harold Rabinowitz and Rob Kaplan; foreword by Ray Bradbury; Times Books/Random House, New York, 1999.
Despite this book having been published 25 years ago, I only recently acquired it and just finished it earlier this month. While there were many old friends in the book, there were some surprising new ones. I had no idea that Robertson Davies had written on Book Collecting. And Umberto Eco had two entries in the book, contributing to the “Humor” element. Other contributions of note are by John Milton, John Updike, Petrarch, and Philip Roth.