book collecting

A first edition of the Nicolaus Copernicus book that puts forth the theory that the sun — not the earth — is at the center of the universe has fetched more than $2.2 million at an auction, nearly double the expected price.

Not so surprising, considering an 1887 New Haven, Conn. telephone book in the same auction brought in $170,500.

The latest Conan Doyle manuscript to hit the market will cost somebody a bundle:

The complete manuscript of a Sherlock Holmes short story, written in Conan Doyle's elegant hand and bound for the author himself, will be one of the highlights of the Antiquarian Book Fair in London today, with a price tag of £250,000.

*Sigh*…too rich for me.

Kristen Ogden offers a glimpse into the process of and the passion behind book collecting. “…book collecting is pretty easy,” she says. “It had never occurred to me to collect books other than the “classics,” but collecting books by subject is a great way to spend your book allowance–and it doesn’t have to be expensive.”

Anyone tucking into Heston Blumenthal's famous snail porridge or pommery grain mustard ice cream at his Fat Duck restaurant can expect to spend serious cash. But buying the latest edition of his cookbook and having a go yourself will put an even more serious dent in your wallet.

No way I’d pay £1000 for a cookbook, no matter what it’s bound with. Now a 12th century manuscript...

A little off the beaten book track here, but I couldn’t resist. Books of Hours are among my favorite books-as-art objects. Valued for their artwork rather than their content, these beautifully illuminated pieces of history are a medieval book collector’s dream. Here’s a little bit about them…with pics.

Think you own that ARC the publisher sent you for review? Not anymore. In an effort to stop the selling of ARCs on sites like E-bay and Abebooks, publishers are now including a bit of legalese inside the covers, stipulating that the books are on loan. There are a few problems with this approach.

John Meier of Vancouver, B.C. collects books that have won the Governor General’s award. But he doesn’t purchase just any old paperback, no sir. His collection includes rare autographed copies, first editions, ceremony presentation copies and not-approved-for-release galleys. Some of the authors of these treasures are not as thrilled about his collection as he is, though.

This piece has me wondering about the value of several books on my own shelf. Apparently there’s been an upsurge of interest in rare books since a first edition of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights sold for £114,000, so if you’re considering getting in on the action, here’s what to look for. It’s not necessarily an expensive endeavour, either.

New Digg/Wordsy like site specifically for rare books. I'm not so much a collector of books as I am a reader of books, but occasionally it's nice to play with the old stuff.