RARE & ANTIQUARIAN BOOKS
We trade rare and antiquarian books through our website, auction houses and our network of collectors and antiquarian dealers. Our physical store in Edinburgh also stocks a small library of antiquarian gems, although we keep the majority of our rare books offsite.
Rare and antiquarian books are quite a different world to the trade secondhand books, and require a different approach to valuation and condition assessment.
Whether you have a rare book that has been handed down over the years, or you have a library of ancient and modern wonders, we would be happy to discuss a possible acquisition. We also offer a book valuation service for insurance or probate purposes.
Rare & Antiquarian Book Acquisions
If you have books you think might be of special value and you would like to explore selling them, please feel free to get in touch. We would be happy to take a look, and discuss next steps with you.
The key bits of information we would need in the first instance are the title of the work, the author, its year of publication, the publisher, and as much detail about its condition as possible. Sending through photos by email is very helpful. This will allow us to let you know whether it is an item that we might be able to acquire.
We would need to see the books in person in order to generate a formal offer. Smaller collections can be brought into the store by appointment. If you want more privacy, we can make an appointment to meet at our offices and viewing gallery at Summerhall.
For larger collections, or if you cannot travel easily, we may also be able to offer a home visit. Please get in touch and we can discuss the best next steps.
Book Valuations
We also offer book valuations for insurance and probate purposes, even if you don't fancy selling anything quite yet. Valuations come with a formal valuation report. We charge for this service on an hourly basis, plus VAT, and we will need to physically see the books in order to value them accurately.
Please get in touch for an initial chat and estimate.