The Booksellers: A hidden gem on GEM!
Over the summer I have discovered the CBC GEM App which has lots of great free programming that isn’t on regular CBC TV. Recently I discovered the “The Booksellers”, a 2019 documentary that explores the ancient and intriguing world of antiquarian book dealers, collectors and bookstores.
This is the private library of a major book collector who is profiled in The Booksellers.
It opens with shots of the New York’s International Antiquarian Book Fair held annual in the iconic Park Avenue Armory. From there the documentary weaves the personal stories of dozens of rare book collectors and sellers (who are only identified by their first name), to create an entertaining, educational and enlightening piece for anyone who is interested in collecting, be that books or any other form of collecting. It includes some very fun observations from New York author and social commentator Fran Lebowitz.
I loved the observation about how the world is divided into two types of people – collectors and non-collectors. How there must be a “collector gene” in the human DNA.
Then there is the debate on how art collecting and book collecting are different. We also learn a bit about the history of book collecting and auctions.
The New York Book Fair.
Did you know?
The first book auction took place in Britain the 1600s. Link: History of Book Auctions
The most expensive book ever sold was a science book: The Codex Leicester, aka Leonardo da Vinci’s science diary. It sold for $30.8 US million in 1994, (equivalent to $54 million today) to Bill Gates.
The oldest book in the world is The Diamond Sutra a Buddhist religious text that dates back to the year 868 AD. It was only found in 1907.
American book collector Abraham Simon Wolf Rosenbach bought and sold eight Gutenberg Bibles during his lifetime. It is estimated he spent $75 US million purchasing books to that helped to create The Rosenbach Free Library in Philadelphia which has one of the world’s great collections of manuscripts, literature and rare books.
Book Stories
There is also discussion of the psychology of auctions and how they have changed with the introduction of online and phone bidding. There is a lovely story about how Rebecca Romney became a rare book specialist and became a regular on the History Network’s Pawn Stars.
There are some amazing images of private libraries and warehouses. In the documentary it would seem that to be taken seriously as a book collection you need a critical mass of books (about 20,000 volumes) that have been carefully curated on specific theme. However, I have been told that if you have a small well curated collection you will be taken serious by other collectors.
One collector compares collecting books to a “love affair,” sharing that his wife realizes that she isn’t the most important thing in his life – she is #6. Others talk about the books as being their babies/children. There is definitely a lot of passion and love in their stories.
There is a lovely vignette about Jewel bindings where the book is encased in 24 K gold and the leather cover has gems inserted in it.
University of Calgary’s rare book collection includes the Polychronicon, that chronicles the history of the universe, as it was understood in the 14th century, and is available for public viewing. It is 500+ years old and one of the earliest books ever published in English.
Book Collecting Tips
The value of books is determined by how hard they are to find and how desirable they are to collectors. Just because a book is old, rare or hard to find, doesn’t mean it will be worth a lot, it has to be desirable to collectors.
A rare/desirable book with a dust jacket in good condition, is way more valuable than one without a jacket and a torn jacket is better than no jacket.
A book signed by the author or with some inscriptions by a famous person is worth more than unsigned book.
You should polish your leather bound books annually, but be careful what polish you use.
Found this in a bookstore in Cranston, Alberta home a large Mormon population. I find it interesting how the books you find in different cities reflect the culture of the city.
Found this shelf of books in a thrift store in Victoria.
I am often intrigued by arrangement of books in thrift stores and what books they choose to feature.
Not only is Salt Lake City’s downtown library an architecture gem, it is also home to an 1860 edition of James Audubon’s Birds of America. It is not one of the original hand-coloured editions, but 27 x 40 inch double-elephant sheet, chromolithographic copy. I was told that everyday the library open the book up to a different page.
My Collections
Barware Collection
I think I must have the “collector gene” as I have always been a collector of something. In my early teens I collected liquor bottles – my bedroom had hundreds of them displayed everywhere.
Then I became a bit of an art collector during university, using my one and only student loan to buy art.
As the curator of a public art gallery I became a tie collector, as I bought a new tie for each new exhibition, which happened once a month. I still have 500+ ties in the closet. For I while I collected board games, children’s toys and bar glassware.
Today I have a small collection of records, maybe 300. My book collection can be divided into three areas – urban planning, biographies of musicians and golf books. It might total a couple of hundred books. I also have a small collection of about 30 old putters.
I don’t have the critical mass (say 20,000) of anything.
Whenever I visit a city I always research if they have a good rare or used bookstore, and the first place I head to in a thrift store is the book section.
Toy Collection
Record collection
Golf book collection.
Putter collection
Last Word
Without being too preachy there is a discussion in The Booksellers of how the bookseller community is almost the exclusive domain of “old, rich, white guys.”
There is also a short debate on the decline of books in the early 21st century due to digitalization.
Like almost everything in life, the old collectors are pessimistic about the future and the young ones are optimistic.
Almost all of the collectors talk about the “thrill of the hunt” as being part of the psychology of collecting.
If you are at all interested in collecting, books or history, “The Booksellers” is an informative 99 minutes.
FYI
If you live in Calgary or are visiting Calgary, Aquila Books is one of the best antiquarian collector’s bookshops bookstores in North America. Owner Cameron Treleaven is regular at the New York Book Fair. And if you are looking for a rare book checkout ABE Books online – it is a great place to start your “hunt.”
If you like this blog, you will like these links:
Importance of Books, Library, Reading & Collecting