Frequently Asked Questions For Landmark Books
How do you get your books?
Years ago I scoured library book sales, junk shops and garage sales in search of rare treasures, however now people come to me with books to sell. This works out well too since my free time isn’t what it used to be.
Do you buy books from people?
Yes I do, but it dependent upon condition and need. This week I need classic literature, next week I may need fly fishing books. Best bet is to call and ask what we are looking for. We are not a consignment shop.
Do you accept donations?
Yes, we don’t turn away strays. As long as books are in good saleable condition we will be happy to find them a home. We don’t throw books away (unless they are Daniel Steele).
What makes a book valuable?
Just like any collectible, the value is driven by scarcity and condition. An author can be collectible, but certain books are always more desirable due to their printing numbers. A copy of “Night Shift” by Stephen King will always be worth more than a first edition of “Insomnia” by the same author because the size of the printing is different. Twenty-five thousand as opposed to nearly one million copies in the first printing. The values of these scarce items increases yearly as fires, floods and simple accidents damage or destroy the remaining copies. Like the stock market, there too are fluctuations and spikes in value. Authors popularity affects their collectability. When an author falls out of favor their values drop. When an author dies their values spike, but later will slide back correcting the market.
I have a bunch of old books, are they worth anything?
That’s a great question. They could be, but without seeing them it is impossible to say as condition is so important. We encourage people to bring books in and we will be happy to look them over and let you know. We can also advise you on how to maintain them and preserve them.
Do you do appraisals?
Yes, I do written appraisals for a nominal fee. I provide a written appraisal with descriptions, photos and comparables. I must see the books to do this process, so call first so you can make sure I’m in the store when you stop by. We charge a rate of $25.00 per hour. If the book doesn’t merit an appraisal, we will let you know as well.
How do you know if a book is a first edition?
This is a tough one to answer. Unfortunately publishers don’t mark their books the same way, and probably never will. And just when you think you’ve cracked the code, the publisher changes their way of doing it. There are books and online resources for some of these things, but sometimes there is just no surefire proof that a book is a first edition or not. To complicate things more are ‘Points of Issue”, mistakes within the printing that identify it. An example would be a misspelled word, an extra space of missing punctuation. These points of issue mean the difference between a book being valuable and one worth substantially less.
If you have a question I didn’t discuss here, feel free to email the store at landmarkbookstc@gmail.com and I will be happy to answer it for you.