Frequently Asked Questions - ABAA Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America

F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S

What are the advantages to buying books from ABAA members?
Simply put, no other American antiquarian booksellers know as much about rare books or have a track record of adhering to any ethical or professional standards. All ABAA members are bound by our strict Code of Ethics, which has actively been enforced for more than 50 years. Applications for membership follow rigid guidelines which ensure that all members have demonstrated to their peers and to the book collecting community a high level of expertise. See our How to Join page for more information on the application process.

I am a book collector - how do I join the ABAA?
The ABAA is composed exclusively of professional bookselling firms whose principal place of business is in the United States.

I am a bookseller - how do I join the ABAA?
Please visit our How to Join page for more information.

What is the difference between ABAA, ILAB and ABA?
The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) was founded in 1949 as the American component of The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB). The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association (ABA) is the British component of ILAB. The American Booksellers Association (ABA) is a consortium of non-antiquarian booksellers.

How can I tell how much my book is worth?
We have devoted a portion of our website to this complicated question - please visit our Evaluating Books page.

I have several antiquarian books. Is there some kind of list or publication which would help me determine their present values?
The Rare Books and Manuscripts Section, Association of College and Research Libraries RBMS is a helpful resource for general information. Within the Resources section of that site, they recommend a number of publications, many of which you may be able to find in your local library, and some authored by ABAA members, which may assist you in determining the value of your books.

How can I tell whether I have a first edition of a book?
Unfortunately there is no simple way to determine whether a book is a first edition - different book publishers use different identification standards. There are several popular reference guides which can help answer this question, some of which you may find at your local library.You can also visit our Find a Bookseller page to contact an ABAA member who may be able to help you.

How old does a book have to be for it to be an antiquarian book?
Only in rare instances are books valuable merely because they are old--a surprising number of one, two and three hundred year-old books have survived in large numbers and are not avidly collected. On the otherhand, fine press or limited edition books which were published very recently can command considerable sums in the rare book market."Antiquarian Books" is a very loose term for collectible books as opposed to used books. To find out more about the factors which make a book collectible, please visit our Evaluating Books page.

How much are old Bibles worth?
The old family Bible is often an important family heirloom with significant personal value, and booksellers recognize this. However,the Bible, in various forms, is also the most printed book in history and many old copies have survived to the present day. Consequently, few old Bibles have any collectible value. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule and our Find a Bookseller page can help you contact an ABAA who can evaluate individual books.

How does an inscribed book differ from a signed book, and which is better?
An inscribed book is one which was signed by the author (or another notable person) for a particular person as shown by the inscription itself. In specific instances one may be more desirable than another,but in general there is no consensus among book collectors orbooksellers that one is preferable to the other.

How can I tell if an autograph is real?
It is not uncommon for publishers to print facsimiles of author's signatures as part of a book, for example at the end of an introduction or, in older books, underneath the author's portrait. Also, because an author's signature can often increase a book's value significantly, forgery is a legitimate concern among book buyers. The ABAA's strict Code of Ethics ensures that all material offered by ABAA members is guaranteed to be authentic. Because of our rigid membership standards, ABAA members have the experience and reference tools necessary to differentiate between genuine, facsimile, and forged signatures. If you have a question about a specific autograph please visit our Find a Bookseller page to contact an ABAA member who may be able to help you.

What is a trade edition?
The trade edition refers to copies of the book offered in general newbook stores, the book trade, when the title was first published. Copies sent to critics for review, limited editions, copies printed and sold by book clubs are among the types of books which are not "trade editions." Please visit our Glossary page for more information about this topic.

What is an "advance state"?
Before most books are officially published and sold in stores they go through several stages of editing, both for their text and their visual design. Advance states such galleys, uncorrected proofs, advance reading copies and advance review copies all indicate copies of a book which were printed and distributed, often in very small numbers, before the book was sold in stores. Please visit our Glossary page for more information about this topic.

How can I tell what condition my book is in?
Grading a books condition can be a very difficult process relying on previous experience with similar books or previous copies of the same title. Even among experienced booksellers there are differences of opinion - condition grading is a subjective process. However, there are general standards and terms which can help you; please visit our Evaluating Books and Glossary pages for more information.

Where do booksellers get their books?
Booksellers get their books from a variety of sources - there is no single source for antiquarian books. Most booksellers who specialize in a particular subject are interested in buying books in their field from private individuals. Please visit our Find a Bookseller page to locate booksellers to whom you can offer books for sale.

What are the best books to buy or invest in?
There is no easy answer to this question. Some books have, without question, appreciated considerably in value of the years. Others have remained steadily desirable without seeing a significant rise in price, and still others can be purchased for little money but give great personal satisfaction. An experienced bookseller can help you decide what kind of collection you would like to build - please visit our Find a Bookseller page to contact an ABAA member who may be able to help you.

How do booksellers price antiquarian books?
Most book prices are determined by an individual bookseller's understanding of the constantly changing antiquarian book marketplace.Perceived desirability and scarcity, condition, the sales history of previous copies or comparable copies, and the amount the bookseller had to pay for the book are just some of the factors involved in pricing books.

Do antiquarian books ever lose value?
Obviously, as with any valuable object, damage to a rare book can hurt its value. Less predictable are changes to the rare book marketplace which can affect book values. While comparisons with old price guides and bookseller catalogs demonstrate that most collectible books rise in value over time, there can be no guarantees. Please visit our Find a Bookseller page to contact an ABAA member who can further address your specific concerns.

How can I find out about getting books restored?
Information about restoration can be found in our Book Collecting Links section, and you can visit our Find a Bookseller page to contact an ABAA member who may be able to help assess your restoration needs.

What is the best way to preserve my books?
Some of the common enemies of books are humidity, direct sunlight, temperature extremes and long-term exposure to other materials (such as laid-in newspaper clippings). Our Book Collecting Links section provides further resources and information for caring for your books.

Why do I see many listings for the same book at very different prices?
Differences in prices can reflect many variables including particulars of condition, the uniqueness or desirability of the particular copiesin question, and the personal experience of the individual booksellers. Prices reflect an ever-changing book market, of which the Internet bookmarket is only a part.

I see a listing for a book; can I find out more about it before I buy it?
Our Search form allows you to inquire about a book without committing to buying it. You can also contact booksellers by phone or other, more traditional means to answer your questions.

I am new to book collecting; how can I interpret book descriptions?
Booksellers and collectors use many terms and abbreviations to describe books. Please visit our Glossary for more information.

If I don't see the book I'm looking for, does that mean no one in the ABAA has a copy?
ABAA members have large stocks which have been acquired over decades. Only a fraction of the collectible books for sale by ABAA members can be found on-line, so even if you don't find what you're looking for in a computer search, you may still be able to purchase the book from an ABAA member.

Additional questions may also be answered by the FAQ section of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section, Association of College and Research Libraries RBMS.