An educational and informational site about rare, old and antiquarian books.
Contemporary art can be alluring for investors. Prices are soaring and the traditional cheaper alternative of investing in art works that are printed, bound, and widely offered in the form of a limited edition book, are not what they used to be. Such editions printed on better quality paper and featuring fine illustrations or even […]
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Can a first edition of a rare book be less significant than a later edition? Of course it can. What follows is a good example of such an “anomaly.” Bibliophiles of illustrated books often argue that the art contained in illustrated books is not being viewed as comparable in appeal to wall art. They call […]
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Here is a piece of advice to all the collectors out there – next time you come across an opportunity, grab it. I am, of course, referring to the opportunity to make a purchase of a desirable rare book if and when that unexpected chance arrives. Last November at the Fine Books & Manuscripts Skinner […]
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I picked up a book at a library sale the other day that seemed to be quite interesting. It contained a set of Chinese paper-cuts on each page, tipped in along with Chinese postage stamps. I could not identify any of the contributors to the work, but it did have the pages printed in both […]
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Illustrations in rare books have their origins in three basic print methods: Relief printing, Intaglio and Planographic printing.The difference between Relief, Intaglio and Planographic printing is in the use of the printing plate or block. Relief print is a printmaking process where protruding surface faces of the block are inked; recessed areas are ink free. Woodcuts […]
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Among the most distinguished American illustrators throughout American literature, Howard Pyle and his apt pupil, N.C Wyeth stand at the forefront. Through Pyle’s and Wyeth’s lively illustrations, literary classics were brought to life, and were received with much acclaim and fame that has continued to this day. Literary favorites such as Treasure Island, The […]
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He was an English textile designer, an artist, and a writer. He was associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood or Pre-Raphaelites as commonly referred to, which was considered to be the first avant-garde movement in art. Realism was the culture of the movement he was more active in, stressing the independent observation of nature. During his […]
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Over recent years, books of any period decorated with maps, particularly aged maps, have achieved a prominence of ever-increasing popularity. Although the majority of the best-selling books with maps fall under the traditional definition of ‘antique,’ a number of twentieth and late nineteenth century publications are seeing a fascinating growth in collector interest. Over the […]
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When was the last time you were in the market for a fine binding? Did the presence of attractive marbled boards or marbled endpapers drive your purchasing decision? If you are like the majority of fine binding book collectors, marbled boards are probably an aesthetic bonus, but they do not constitute the driving factor behind […]
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In 1543 Andreas Vesalius published his opus De Humani Corporis Fabrica Librorum Septem (Fabrica) and, later the same month, the companion volume De Humani Corporis Fabrica Librorum Epitome (Epitome). The two volumes are considered to be the foundation of modern Anatomy. Vesalius viewed the Epitome as an introduction for the novice in medicine, serving as […]
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