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Book Finds: How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books
For the experienced collector or someone embarking on a new hobby, this newly revised and updated edition of Book Finds reveals the secrets of locating rare and valuable books. Includes information on first editions and reader's copies, auctions and catalogs, avoiding costly and common beginner mistakes, strategies of professional "book scouts," and buying and selling on the Internet.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 18, 2010
Ian C. Ellis' Book Finds: How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books is exactly as the title describes it - a well-researched guide to collecting books and the ways that you can make the hobby pay for itself. There are chapters on the history of book-making, the ways in which one can identify a first edition/first printing, how to find books to sell for credit on more "worthy" purchases for your collection, tips on where to begin/what to collect, and even a chapter on book restoration and repair.
I worked in a big-box, chain bookstore for almost six years, and yet before I read this book I could not have explained to you the significance of the number line on the copyright page. I found the entire book fascinating, from cover to cover. This is one of those library books that I wish I had actually purchased as a reference. The indices of the book alone would be worth the cover price - a listing of 1000+ collectible (and findable) books, a guide to identifying first editions from most major publishers (not always as easy as it may sound,) and a list of good reference sources for the collector.
Book Finds is really a book for the beginner/amateur book collector. Knowing what makes a book collectible is half the battle when you step into a used bookstore and Ian C. Ellis gives you the tools you need in a readable and interesting format. Although Ellis focuses his book on the collecting of modern/contemporary first editions, he does give some information on rare collecting as well, though possibly not enough if that is where your interests are. Overall, Book Finds is a wonderful read for anyone interested in beginning a collection or even just knowing more about books in general and what makes them special.
I worked in a big-box, chain bookstore for almost six years, and yet before I read this book I could not have explained to you the significance of the number line on the copyright page. I found the entire book fascinating, from cover to cover. This is one of those library books that I wish I had actually purchased as a reference. The indices of the book alone would be worth the cover price - a listing of 1000+ collectible (and findable) books, a guide to identifying first editions from most major publishers (not always as easy as it may sound,) and a list of good reference sources for the collector.
Book Finds is really a book for the beginner/amateur book collector. Knowing what makes a book collectible is half the battle when you step into a used bookstore and Ian C. Ellis gives you the tools you need in a readable and interesting format. Although Ellis focuses his book on the collecting of modern/contemporary first editions, he does give some information on rare collecting as well, though possibly not enough if that is where your interests are. Overall, Book Finds is a wonderful read for anyone interested in beginning a collection or even just knowing more about books in general and what makes them special.
July 8, 2018
My first book on this particular subject. The Author did a good job describing the talents needed and pitfalls to avoid. It is obvious that the Author has great experience with the subject covered. I thought he kept a pretty good balance between a collecting desire and a selling goal. I would recommend this book for people like me who have not yet read anything in this field. It is basic, but certainly gives some great directions you can follow to more advanced studies on book acquisitions, book storage, and book care, as well as pricing and sales strategies.
July 30, 2019
Two and a half stars. But only because it’s a classic case of it’s not you, it’s me. Bibliophilic as I am, the intricacies discussed in this book made me realize I lack the patience to cultivate a savviness for turning my passion into a business.
I highly recommend this to anyone out there who may be interested, no matter how vaguely, to give the antiquarian, even the used book business, a go. While this book is a bit dated, having been written before the internet dominated the world of marketing, the secrets of the trade discussed here have remain relevant.
I highly recommend this to anyone out there who may be interested, no matter how vaguely, to give the antiquarian, even the used book business, a go. While this book is a bit dated, having been written before the internet dominated the world of marketing, the secrets of the trade discussed here have remain relevant.
May 3, 2025
Interesting overview of being a a book dealer. This is the most recent edition, and is 20 years old, but remains relevant. I was surprised how many technical terms were new to me, and how difficult to identify a first edition can be.
May 3, 2019
This is a great book if you want to get into book scouting, which is buying and selling used and rare books. I most likely will test the waters with used books. Although I have one hardcover, first edition book, the first edition/rare book field is more expensive; I may enter it gradually. But I may do some business with used books (not first editions) that make good reading copies for people. This book covers what to look for, as no every used or paperback book is salable. I will probably reread or at least skim through this book in the future.
January 13, 2020
Very instructive.
December 18, 2020
Excellent guidance for both a collector and a scout/dealer. I will read it again and refer to it often.
August 17, 2021
Chock full of helpful information! Unfortunately some parts are outdated at this point (time for a 4th edition), but nevertheless still quite informative and engaging.
October 4, 2022
Using this book for your business is risky. The advice is meant mostly for the general audience and not for serious book people. One of the odd parts is that the author uses a nonstandard grading guide. Most sellers prefer a grading guide from the IOBA or the Ahearns, based on the AB Bookman's guidelines. The author also has doubts about how the internet works and it shows in his words that he is inexperienced in using the web.
February 11, 2016
I came to this wonderful book (Book Finds: How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books by Ian Ellis) from a very circuitous pathway: I had gone on Barnes & Noble's website to see if they offered classes in their "online university." I am sorry to report that they have done away with the university concept, but they now sponsor chat boards about different book topics. Looking around, I wandered into the one on "Collecting Books." Although I was familiar with the idea that first editions can be valuable, I really knew nothing about collecting books for fun or profit. While on the site, I asked the moderator if he could suggest any beginner's books to collecting, and this is the one he mentioned.
What a treasure trove of information. Ian Ellis's Book Finds is a great resource, even if you never collect or attempt to sell a single book. His breadth of knowledge about books is astounding, and he highlights so many authors in discussing his topic that, as a booklover, you are sure to find some interesting information or new authors here.
Ellis dispels the idea that collecting books means wading through dusty old volumes. In fact, for the average collector, many of those will be out of their price range. However, what is eminently collectible are "modern firsts," books written within the average reader's lifetime that have value, are likely to maintain or increase that value, and can provide a surprising new way to make money from books. Of course, to do that, an individual must have a good working background in the industry to know what to look for, what has value, and what problems a book may have that will make it virtually worthless to the collector market.
This book offers up an excellent starting point for your journey to collecting, and Ellis devotes an entire chapter to other resources by which to expand your book knowledge. He covers first editions and reader's copies, trends in buying and selling, mistakes that are easy to make (and avoid), and a glossary of commonly used terms in the business. He gives an insider's view of "scouting" as a career, but most of all, he allows his love of books to shine through. I highly recommend this book to any reader, whether you become a collector or not. You will have a much deeper appreciation of those magical objects called "books."
What a treasure trove of information. Ian Ellis's Book Finds is a great resource, even if you never collect or attempt to sell a single book. His breadth of knowledge about books is astounding, and he highlights so many authors in discussing his topic that, as a booklover, you are sure to find some interesting information or new authors here.
Ellis dispels the idea that collecting books means wading through dusty old volumes. In fact, for the average collector, many of those will be out of their price range. However, what is eminently collectible are "modern firsts," books written within the average reader's lifetime that have value, are likely to maintain or increase that value, and can provide a surprising new way to make money from books. Of course, to do that, an individual must have a good working background in the industry to know what to look for, what has value, and what problems a book may have that will make it virtually worthless to the collector market.
This book offers up an excellent starting point for your journey to collecting, and Ellis devotes an entire chapter to other resources by which to expand your book knowledge. He covers first editions and reader's copies, trends in buying and selling, mistakes that are easy to make (and avoid), and a glossary of commonly used terms in the business. He gives an insider's view of "scouting" as a career, but most of all, he allows his love of books to shine through. I highly recommend this book to any reader, whether you become a collector or not. You will have a much deeper appreciation of those magical objects called "books."
August 26, 2013
When I told a friend I was reading this book, she asked why someone would reveal their secrets and create competition for themselves.
Answer: Because, although the author says early on that buying and selling used and rare books is relatively easy to get into, it isn't.
As you progress through the pages, you see the whole business getting more and more complex and expensive.
Additionally, you wouldn't do this unless you both loved books and could treat them dispassionately as speculative trading stock. You also need to be a gambler and live in certain parts of the States so you have access to several bookstores you can buy and sell from.
Good luck bringing all that together.
Nevertheless, it was interesting to read about what the author does.
Personally, I wouldn't take this to his level because success depends on a buyer taking advantage of a seller's ignorance in underpricing a book. It's always nice to get a good deal but there are limits.
Secondly, the things that make collectable books so valuable seem like someone else's rules that I don't want to play by. I don't really care if the dust jacket is in pristine condition or if there is a remainder mark lowering the book's value.
This is a good book on the topic though, and there was an unexpected/unintended benefit: along the way I found a couple of book titles that sounded interesting to read- preferably not in a first edition.
Answer: Because, although the author says early on that buying and selling used and rare books is relatively easy to get into, it isn't.
As you progress through the pages, you see the whole business getting more and more complex and expensive.
Additionally, you wouldn't do this unless you both loved books and could treat them dispassionately as speculative trading stock. You also need to be a gambler and live in certain parts of the States so you have access to several bookstores you can buy and sell from.
Good luck bringing all that together.
Nevertheless, it was interesting to read about what the author does.
Personally, I wouldn't take this to his level because success depends on a buyer taking advantage of a seller's ignorance in underpricing a book. It's always nice to get a good deal but there are limits.
Secondly, the things that make collectable books so valuable seem like someone else's rules that I don't want to play by. I don't really care if the dust jacket is in pristine condition or if there is a remainder mark lowering the book's value.
This is a good book on the topic though, and there was an unexpected/unintended benefit: along the way I found a couple of book titles that sounded interesting to read- preferably not in a first edition.
October 3, 2009
This was an easy-to-read, how-to guide for potential collectors and dealers. I read the third edition, which was revised in 2006. It is amazing how incredibly dated its advice is now. While this book certainly takes into account the immediate effects that the Internet had on collectors and sellers, it does not take into account the enormous differences that scanners have made to both the atmosphere of book fairs and the online sales marketplace. Not including this information (no fault of the author's given that it was unavailable when he was writing) renders this book almost useless for the would-be collector. However, as an historical artifact into a particular moment in the book landscape, it still makes an interesting read. Specifically, I found Ellis' ruminations on the importance of seeing, handling, and reading books in order to appreciate them as especially reflective of both his prejudices as well as a specific historical moment. I would be curious to know how he felt about these issues now, just a few years later. Unfortunately, the website where he promised to update his book as more developments occurred (bookfinds.com), is no longer.
March 29, 2014
Ian Ellis is a bookseller. Book Finds is about how to successfully find and sell books as collectibles. The focus is on modern firsts, that is, first editions of modern books (as opposed to antiquities). The first thing you learn is that anything that isn't a first edition has no real value other than as a reading copy. Ellis provides extremely useful guidance on how to identify good books, how to spot trends, and even some tips on book repair and cleaning. The book's only real shortcoming is that it is outdated in places. This third edition was published in 2006, with the original published in 1996. He does talk about ebooks but e-readers were in their infancy, Goodreads hadn't been launched, and important technologies hadn't yet been invented. He notes that books are something you should hold and touch and feel, and this certainly is true for collectibles. You can read a book on a Kindle, but you really can't collect it that way. Overall, this is a very useful book on book selling.
February 26, 2012
This is a review for the 1996 paperback edition. I know there are more recent editions. My copy was missing two chapters (9 and 10) and had chapters 11 and 12 bound in twice, so my review might be skewed because of this. Anyway, my take on this book is that it is dated in some ways because it was written pre-internet blast off. I think the game has changed when it comes to collecting books. my guess is that the author addresses these issues in his updated edition. (2006) That being said, some of the information on what to look for in a good used or rare book is still pertinent. The bibliography in the back of the book is also an interesting snapshot of what was popular to collect at a particular time. It's interesting to use this list as a comparison with others to see what stays desirable in the field of book collecting and what is less timeless.
March 8, 2011
I got this from the library mostly because I bought "Carrie" by Stephen King at a yard sale and was trying to find our if its a First Edition. I thought I'd just look up some info and then take this back.
I then started reading all the other information. Who knew that theres so many types and even subtypes of books to collect. I did learn about several good places to find books like ABE.com. I also learned that buying and selling collectable books is a job that right now I don't think I want to pursue.
Very good info for anyone who likes to read and might be thinking about selling/trading books. Whish I had read this before taking in a car load of books to sell. Would have saved me a trip and back ache the next day.
I then started reading all the other information. Who knew that theres so many types and even subtypes of books to collect. I did learn about several good places to find books like ABE.com. I also learned that buying and selling collectable books is a job that right now I don't think I want to pursue.
Very good info for anyone who likes to read and might be thinking about selling/trading books. Whish I had read this before taking in a car load of books to sell. Would have saved me a trip and back ache the next day.
February 10, 2012
Good advice for looking for rare books, selling rare books, and caring for books. Lots of other reference guides discussed, too.
The one thing that I didn't like about this book is that the title is slightly misleading. There's not as much about finding and buying rare books that you're looking for; it's much more about how to find books that you can turn around and sell. It's about finding *any* book to turn around, rather than finding those specific books you're looking for for your own collection.
The one thing that I didn't like about this book is that the title is slightly misleading. There's not as much about finding and buying rare books that you're looking for; it's much more about how to find books that you can turn around and sell. It's about finding *any* book to turn around, rather than finding those specific books you're looking for for your own collection.
December 16, 2015
A phenomenal book for those who are interested in collecting and/or dealing books. This is a great beginner book for those interested in dealing and may very well talk you out of the concept given how much books have changed over the years, however, for the intimate collector it's a treasure trove of not only great places to score books but also how to care for, clean, and repair them. Furthermore, the final chapter exhibits a wonderful list of collectable books that will give the novice a inside look at great books that one should have on their shelves.
November 18, 2013
This book was a bit outdated since I believe it is from the late 90's. So the references to the magazines and book publications are also out of date, actually some are not even in business anymore. All that aside there was some really great information and the author goes in depth on many different aspects. You will need to understand that this book also has a lot on how to buy and sell for profit so take that into consideration when buy the book.
October 14, 2011
This book was very interesting and of course made me want to quit my day job. Collecting and selling books, scouring books stores and thrift shops for more books...I can do that! However, this book was published in 2006 so I'm not sure how much of it is just to dated for an ever changing market. Still good info on how to spot damage and first editions.
January 3, 2017
While I disagree with a good armful of her theories about what makes a book "valuable" or "trash", this is a compendium of thousands of years of book knowledge that I'll keep on hand for its more useful and specific pieces of current wisdom.
April 15, 2007
really good reference book to have especially if you're interested in more than just reading books.
November 18, 2008
Really crappy advice.
December 14, 2008
How trade credit in used bookstores works.
January 6, 2013
Comprehensive and well written. Ellis provides a road map to tracking down books and direction for turning bibliophilia into either a profession or self sustaining hobby.
November 22, 2014
Read this one for work.
February 17, 2016
Good reference book
September 1, 2010
Invaluable resource, although some aspects are a bit out of date.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews