Where To Buy Antique, Vintage, Rare, Or Collectible Books

Where to buy Old, Antique, Vintage, Rare, or Collectible Books

 

Online and Offline Pros and Cons

There are many options for finding rare books, some online and some offline. But there are major advantages and disadvantages to both methods. Online you can find the exact volume you’re looking for and have it shipped right to your door, but you can’t handle the book to check for things like smell and fragility. Offline you probably will struggle to find an exact copy but you get to check over the quality much more thoroughly and you often save money by not having to pay for shipping.

 

Where to buy rare books offline

 

Old Bookstores

The best places to go for rare books offline is hands down a physical antique bookstore. You’ll get the best customer service from a dedicated dealer that is knowledgeable about the industry. But they often come at a much higher price tag than other alternatives. A lot of the antique bookstores have been closing up shop as well since the internet has started digging into their sales. If you can find them, they will be your single greatest asset in helping you locate a copy of your desired book both offline and online.

 

Estate Sales

Estate sale companies are turning into more of a hybrid online/offline model but I feel like they mostly belong in the offline category. Estate sale companies will often do an appraisal on any antique books they think are worth money and often try to get top dollar. What’s worse is that some of these companies intentionally overprice so that it doesn’t sell and they get to keep the “remainders” at the end of the sale per their contract. Overall, I can’t personally recommend dealing with estate sale companies unless you’re clearing out the remainders for pennies on the dollar, but then you have to deal with everything you don’t want.

 

Thrift Stores

Thrift stores often have good deals on rare books because they don’t know what they’ve got. But quality can be questionable and sometimes downright unacceptable. Overall, they can be a good place to look if you’re into hunting for books and have a large list of books you want. Prices have also been going up dramatically in thrift stores recently so it may not be the cheapest option available to you.

 

Flee Market/ Swap Meet

The vendors at the flee market will be the best deal you can find and they will often work with you and keep an eye out for anything that you collect. They can be a fantastic resource because these guys spend all day finding stuff which means you can have a dedicated pair of eyes out there for you.

 

Auctions

Auctions have also turned into a hybrid online/offline model. Antique books don’t often make it to auction unless they are highly collectible. You may find some common rare books at your local auction though, but they are few and far between. If you’re searching for the most expensive books on the market though, then you have to visit the big auction sites that everyone knows.

 

Library Sales

A lot of libraries will put select copies of their antique books up for sale but I wouldn’t expect to get any deals, you’ll simply end up paying a high price because they’re counting on the sale for income and they know what they’ve got. They are a great place to find local historical books though.

Where to find rare books online

 

Online marketplaces

There are more than a few online marketplace platforms that let small sellers sell anything. They often have a very comprehensive catalog because of this. So these can be some of the best places to find an exact copy of what you want. But you will be paying a lot for these books due to shipping, selling fees, and overheads of the small sellers. The marketplaces often are the best deals online but they can be convenient if you just can’t find a copy of something.

 

Dedicated websites

Dedicated websites will typically have a smaller catalog of books than an entire marketplace but they make up for it by being able to give you a better deal than these marketplaces. These websites often also sell on these marketplaces so the best advice I can give is to find the book you want on a marketplace and then search the seller’s username and you will often get directed to their dedicated website where you can get a good discount for literally the same book. Dedicated websites will also have extra information, newsletters, deals, and coupons to help support you in your hobby.