Category: You Tube Rare Books Video

March 11, 2020

The Oldest Book published in America – a 16th century GHOST printing.

Fresh off the New York Antiquarian Book fair, I made this video of one of the books I exhibited and with which I am personally fascinated. It is a very rare 1505 Toledo printing of the first book published in America – of which no copies survive and only mentions can be found in the historical and bibliographical record. If you have any early or rare Americana – especially books printed in America before 1800 – always reach out for a free evaluation.

posted in: Uncategorized, You Tube Rare Books Video

February 25, 2020

The Rare Book World & Instagram

Here is a video where I discuss how Instagram has become a force in the rare book world – a wonderful community of rare book librarians, curators, special collections, fellow rare book dealers, collectors, and enthusiasts. I’ll highlight some “instagrammable” woodcut headers in early printed books. Also, there is a plug for my colleague’s new documentary “THE BOOKSELLERS” – which opens in theaters March 6 – so go see a window into the enchanting universe of antiquarian and rare books through the lens of some New York dealers and its biggest ABAA fair.

posted in: Uncategorized, You Tube Rare Books Video

February 5, 2020

How much is my Bible worth?

One of the most common questions I get asked is “How much is my old Bible worth?” The Bible is the greatest bestseller of all time, and you can imagine how many copies have been preserved on account of their importance to families and their descendants. As a result, many English Bibles – even when old – often fetch quite modest sums. They become more expensive as they get back into the 17th century (but still remain relatively affordable). In this video, I will value an unusual 1649 King James Bible – printed in the year of the execution of Charles I – which still retains elements of the older Geneva editions. While it is not possible to make generalizations based on one specific example, I try to give some insights into what makes a particular edition or copy of the Bible more collectible than others.

posted in: NYC Rare Book Dealer, RARE BOOK APPRAISAL, Rare Book Dealer, rare book value, selling rare books, You Tube Rare Books Video