How To Collect Books On A Budget

[@jadaw644]

While I'm not interested in collecting older or classic books, I'm always interested in ways to find books on a budget! Thank you for your information! 💛

[@tomwayling]

Happy to help!

[@Sharon-bo2se]

While my own collection is mostly precious to only me, I worked for years in a large academic library with many real treasures. I did, however, get a cheap early common copy of the Scarket Pimpernel and its cloth cover has an impression of the classic image of the cabbage cart rescue. About 15 years ago I was in an antique shop in Vancouver Canada and noticed 2 framed drawings sitting on chairs I was considering. The shop owner and I had a nice chat when I realized one of the pictures I had moved aside was familiar. My first thought was literally "You shouldn't be here." The two drawings had come in a day earlier, no prices yet. A friend of the shop owner brought them in as Mum was clearing (quite a few ex pats in this area). I bought them the next morning by phone and picked them up on my way home on the bus. These pen and ink drawings, including drafting pin holes, are the original ones by H.M. Brock for the 1st edition published Jan 12 1905. The one I first noticed was the iconic cabbage cart street scene identical to the cover of my old popular edition while the other was Sir Percy surprising Chauvelin. I may not have a 1st edition copy of the book but this is better. Don't know what their current market value is but I just enjoy them every day.

[@jackwaycombe]

I've collected books for decades - on a very limited budget. Some of my most treasured volumes have limited market value, but are very precious to me. I'm actually kind of glad I never had the finances to buy more expensive stuff. Books that, in retrospect (I'm almost 80), might have diverted my affection from so many beloved volumes. I've begged my family (in the event I'm gone) to dispose of my collection, not to book dealers or even charity shops, but gratis to anyone they judge has a genuine interest.

[@jeremiahsaxton8967]

Some of my favorite old books I have I got from Goodwill for a dollar

[@helenk4357]

I would love to hear more about your beloved volumes.

[@vulpinemachine]

May you enjoy them for a few more decades yet :)

[@gingerleamcwow435]

What a kind and generous thing to ask that your collection is given to someone who shares the same interest and enthusiasm! But you're still young, so you've got many more years to hang on to them! Best wishes to you ❤

[@Dirk80241]

Dear Jack, it is inspiring and moving to read how you love your book collection. I hope you may enjoy them many more years, but I would suggest that you try as much as you can to find someone who has genuine interest and put them in your will. Then you won't have to live in uncertainty about what your family may do with your collection.

[@__greG]

My first time in an antique bookshop was in Venice a few months ago. I went into a lovely shop in Dorsoduro beacause I was looking for something in latin, as I was starting to understand the language better. "He sure has some cheap Vulgata or Prayer book or whatever from the 70's that wont cost me a fortune" I thought to myself. So I went inside this cute little shop, greeted the man inside in broken Italian and I asked him if he had anything in latin. He said sure, got up from his chair and started handing me books: "Biography of Diogenes, 1648; History of Judea, 1624; this one is a very good book my friend, Phaeders Fabulas, 1775" and continued to hand me 3-400 year old books when the oldest book I've held in my hands was probably from the 60's. I was shocked, and I was sure that these all cost at least 1 000 euros, and wanted to get out from the store as quickly as possible before I get charged 50 euros for sneezing or whatever. But for some reason I still asked him about the price of the books. "Oh well, this is 80 euros, this one is 60, this one is 100" and so on. I was absolutely flabbergasted, I would've never except such priceless and invaluable objects of the past to be this cheap. I ended up buying a school version of Phaeders Fabulas that would've cost 80 euros, but the shopkeeper said that he liked me so he only asked 50 (Which was a lot more fair). Since than I always go inside every antique bookshop and browse for old english, latin or hungarian books and I always end up finding some splendid work of art under 40 euros.

[@gingerleamcwow435]

My jaw would have hit the floor at those prices too! And then I probably would have emptied my bank account to be able to walk out with as many as possible 🤭

[@SardineNipplesXX]

Did you teach yourself Latin? I’m interested in learning Latin but don’t know where or how to start.

[@CapAnson12345]

I've wanted to teach myself latin from old books too. Something charming about doing it that way.

[@HungoverHistorian-zf6gi]

Antique books in Italy go for very cheap compared to France or the UK. There is some market mostly for books in Italian and/or books with etchings, but anything Latin, English or French without engravings usually goes for under 50 euros. Also almost every small town has its shop it’s worth peeking into

[@ikikamilica]

I saw your short form videos and was very mesmerized by the beauty of the old books. So it happened that my university was giving away free old books so i grabbed a few that where still in nice condition and looked beautiful, I'm not sure if they are worth something but it just makes me happy looking at them and admiring there beauty and lovely print.

[@bc18651]

I guess I missed this earlier but this is an excellent video. I started collecting at 9 years old and I come from a working class background and now I have built a decent collection and I am proud of it. Find your niche make sure its something you love and buy the best quality you can afford and you will have fun and do well. Most of my early rare items were pamphlets and those are still some of my favorite pieces in my collection. You have given sound advice and I hope this will inspire those with limited funds to collect because it can be done. Thanks for the video.

[@modjohnsenglishdisco]

I cherry pick from free libraries, which are mostly full of self-help books and 20-year-old Lonely Planets. And thrift stores are loaded with treasures.

[@uuu12343]

Honestly, as a game and electrical/tech collector, I think there is something to be respected between collectors in terms of interest, understanding, and the fundamental love for learning. This is absolutely fantastic I first saw you in your shorts which captured my interests from the enthusiasm. Decided to watch this video and just from hearing your synopsis of the first few books alone showed the amount of interest, knowledge, and wisdom

[@HemiChrysler]

the same applies to car collecting

[@clairesstitchingcorner8910]

Love the longer video there’s not enough good channels that talk about books, that are not review videos.

[@aureaphilos]

Oh, I SO agree with that sentiment that education is a lifelong career! Having that as one of my philosophies has made my life so much richer and resilient, especially during its inevitable downturns. Thanks for another gem, Tom.

[@knottynate6876]

I collect. I have painfully yet lucratively sold. I get you brother. Love the work you are doing. Its more important than people can imagine.

[@DankBoyy00]

As for collecting on a budget, I personally believe that small bookshops and charity shops are the way to go. Dont go overboard and collect massively saught after rare books, but you can certainly find some gems hidden within these places

[@crespojosef]

Dear Tom, I am writing from United States, thank you for turning me on to Auden's poem, I recently lost my Mom. As I was looking to see if I had it in a certain book, I ran across 'Stop all the clocks'; and I wept, in a good way. I also wanted to mention, the fabulous piece on Vienna; it reminded me of Brahms Piano quartet no.3, especially the andante movement, Rubinstein playing the piano. I've never been to Vienna, but when I hear this piece for some reason, I picture myself there on a balcony on a windy beautiful Summer day.

[@jcortese3300]

Bike accident? (Your right forearm.) Hope it gets better soon. I don't consider myself a book collector, but now that I think about it, I do have a few sets that I specifically collected. When I was little, I loved a set of books with titles like "Under the Green Umbrella," "Under the Magic Umbrella," "Under the Stars and Stripes," etc. There are a few volumes in the series, and I went looking online for them when Amazon was just a wee thing in 1995. "Under the Magic Umbrella" was the first one I found and bought and I never expected to get it in my hands again, so that was very nice. I've since gotten the others. I also have a little collection of Eugene Field's work and a number of old Archy and Mehitabel collections as well. So maybe I am a collector, although just of old books I love. I also especially like it when they are library books with the paper cards and little envelopes still inside the back cover. They also remind me of when I would check books out of the local library when I was little.

[@gdkey8025]

i love collecting books a budget... ie old penguins and puffins (5 pounds or less at times), And local books on Cornwall/Devon/Somerset (I have a fair few 19th Century books like the Visitations of Cornwall and never payed more than £80 for one i don't think) another tip is for first editions, i have bought a couple with out dust jackets and it takes a zero off the price! great video!

[@josiahmorton1597]

I have a question. What are some tips on how to find the value of a book? What are things to look for that will take away from it's value? Thanks for the video. You're videos are Amazing!

[@etnijaveirija4901]

You are my find of the year! Thank you! Verey researched information.

[@brendacorrea9167]

I think that it's an interesting topic of antiquated books. Especially of what they've been through history throughout the ages.😊

[@georgemoore-wg5jj]

Hi Brenda🌹🌹 How are you doing?

[@Lokster71]

A Month in the Country is such a beautiful book. It packs so much into so few words. There's an interesting film with a young Kenneth Branagh and Colin Firth. And Cultural Amnesia is one of my favourite books. I've read and it and re-read it.

[@robertawalsh2995]

8:42 I was looking for a particular out-of-print book at a price that I could afford and found the loose pages for sale from someone who acquires and sells the pages of old books that have been digitalized by a company (in the U.S.) that guillotines the spines off because digitalizing the loose pages is easier. I have a fitted, archival box for the pages because the remaining margin was too narrow to rebind.

[@arghjayem]

How narrow is too narrow to rebind? There are some interesting techniques that can be used in cases like that I think that would allow it to be bound. 🤷

[@mikecordasco9346]

Greetings from New Jersey. Fantastic content. Thank you so much. I’m so glad that people like you exist. It’s so nice to see that in a society of smart phone, brain drain, that the love of books is still alive. You are a helping to preserve an absolutely beautiful thing. Thank you-- Mike Cheers🇬🇧

[@Dirk80241]

I love books, and although I have a few rare books, I am not a collector like you. But I find this video very inspiring. Amazing to find the tiny Miscellany that Hitchens lost and was looking for - and it is a beautiful copy. You show how collecting books can become exciting. Thank you!

[@mombulu02]

I love this channel! I’m an avid book collector and have around 200; but really of some quality books I have only around 40 that I really love. I read all of them! And they’re beautiful!

[@jarredjacob2244]

I have a question for the next one! Do you read/collect contemporary books? If so, who/what are your favorites?

[@Captain_Yata]

Is your arm okay? 💙 Lovely video :)

[@tomwayling]

Thank you! A minor football injury

[@Captain_Yata]

@tomwayling Ah, fun, hope it gets better soon :)

[@christianmiller.MathTeacher]

OMG thank you for the inspiration. i often stumble upon old books in practically mint condition, lying on racks at garage sales at even older houses. As a math and science nerd, i had never been interested in books that offered no practical lessons or scientific experiments in them .. However, chancing upon your video through KZbin's weird algorithm has given me a fancy idea - displaying rare, nonscientific books on coffee tables, on armoirs, in selfies. It can be a blast for nerds. Collectors can have many different reasons to collect. Thanks again 🔥

[@Aemirys]

I'm so glad to have your channel recommended to me! Subscribed!

[@scays]

Hi Tom, I am the latest of a long line of Authors who have taken on the update of one of the oldest construction books in the UK, used by so many students who study construction, using Mitchells Construction by Charles F Mitchell. I am collecting as many editions of the book I can to form a history of the book set. My earliest is the 1898 edition of the elementary book, the 4th edition, although the preface is dated 1897. There is a copy of the preface to the first edition, dated 1888, but as yet, I have not been able to find a copy. Or any of the second or third editions. Charles F Mitchel was the senior lecturer at Regent Street Polytechnic together with his brother George. Both brothers trained as architects, but only George seemed to have registered; Charles seemed to have preferred academic life and writing. By 1887, Charles was working as a part-time Lecturer, becoming full-time in 1888. This seems to tie in with the creation of the book series. This is not a simple book, it would have taken at least a year to write the copy and organise the drawings needed to illustrate the book, again tying in with the dates and his part-time status. The book was published by B T Batsford, 94 High Holborn, London, but unfortunately, they seem to have sold the book to another book publisher. its ended up at Routledge, and I can not find any correspondence that might show the very beginnings of the book. I have tried the librarian at University Westminster, who has some documentation in the small pamphlets and internal newsletters, resulting in a single photo but little else. So, I am wondering if you might have any clues. Do you know of Mitchell or even the publisher, Batsford? Have you ever seen a copy of the early editions? My early edition is in need of some love, the spine is damaged but the inside is ok, so if you do a video on repair, it would be appreciated. I look forward to your reply

[@helenk4357]

There is amazing history and an obvious passion in what you write. Send a letter to Tom... please don't rely on him reading your comment.

[@iEjay]

very insightful video!

[@tomwayling]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@issinkyi2867]

Thank you so much for sharing. Does the movie Hook showcase a first deluxe edition of Peter and Wendy?

[@tomwayling]

Hmm I’ll have to watch it and check it out!

[@c.coleman2979]

Browsing through Library sales, goodwill and yard sales are also worth while for your collections. People will donate or discard books they inherited but not interested in.

[@johnsullivan3444]

Great channel. So interesting. Do you read any horror or gothic novels? Do you have any smart facts relating to gothic novels or gothic authors? Maybe an idea for an October episode?

[@7137159381]

I Have started collecting modern signed first editions books by best selling authors, including some limited editions, as these are affordable and not extremely expensive, and a good investment for the future.

[@monkeyface6139]

It's nice to see Mick Hucknall so enthused about a subject, he's not been himself since Simply Red broke up. Keep it up Mick.

[@tarrat3717]

What? A minor football injury. I heard a rumor (or maybe starting it) that you were crawling on your hands and knees, going through ancient castle walls, climbing ramparts, clearing cobwebs, fighting dragons (that’s maybe a lie), endeavoring to find the one book of your dreams titled “------“, and that is how you were injured.

[@jmcmontanheiro]

My book collection is precious only to me, but I do appreciate looking for books on budget. Some of my best buys were amazing finds on old books fairs.

[@yemo34]

I've been collecting a'lot of Masemune Shirows art books and comics. There's not many runs of his stuff. Most of it hasn't been reprinted at all since the nineties. The guys responsible for the way the vast majority of modern concept art and cyberpunk looks. Sure much of his arts on the dicier side (a big reason most of his work isn't reprinted). But if you work in the games and film industry. You see his influence everywhere.

[@frankpistone4613]

Can you do a video on what to look for for first editions as well as other things to look for in collecting books

[@helious5056]

What are your thoughts on penny dreadfuls, dime novels, pulps and other more "low brow" pieces of literature?

[@lindaempleo3137]

I found a journal from an American Japanese person who found himself in camps after we were bombed. It has journal entries of his life while he was locked up. As I picked this journal up and I realized what it was it is absolutely fascinating and I know I have a piece of history.

[@KnjazNazrath]

"A book sitting on a shelf in a library is probably going to last longer than a digital version of it." True, and it's less likely to be edited over time.

[@davidshi451]

Unrelated, but you look just like Jason Salkey, who played the well-read rifleman Harris in that TV show Sharpe!

[@jackywhite880]

I'm retired. Despite having run a public library for some years, I mostly owned any book I read. Just loved collecting - but on a strict budget. Now - at almost 80 - mostly housebound. But I still dabble, even though on a far stricter budget. But, far more than edition rarity or investment value, I limit myself to books I really like. Latest acquisition - for pennies from a charity shop - is a very old Agatha Christie Penguin paperback with a title that most certainly isn't 'woke' these days. You know which one...

[@dawndarling8853]

A red herring swallowed one and then there were three 💜

[@roadrunnercrazy]

Oh, yes! I know which one you mean. I've never seen one with that title here in Canada.

[@Lijoje]

Hello Tom. Thank you for this video. I have a question, I have inherited quite a few 18, 19 and early 20th century books. Unfortunately, a lot of them are damaged, pages falling apart, water damage and some even are starting to mold. I wouldn't how to take care of them, let along repair them. Should I try to sell them or just accept the fact that they are worthless at this point.

[@BanazirGalpsi1968]

I have several copies of Lord of the rings, most of them gifts. But what is like to get only exists in books that cost thousands. And it's the original fold out map from the first or second edition. I have almost no budget. I'm told it's been reproduced full sized but no idea how much that is or how to get it. That's because about 1978 or so, I was able to borrow Lord of the rings from the school library at Rochester Christian School. It was in a black covered 3 volume set and it had the full size fold out maps. It was the first hardback copy id ever seen. Later my brother acquired the Balentine paperbacks with Tolkiens watercolors on the covers. Hobbiton Bag end on fellowship, Forrest scene on two towers, barad dur on return of the kings. Same vintage, late 70s.

[@drewproductions1358]

what are your thoughts on covering books in mylar covers or placing old books inside of plastic bags to protect them?

[@knottynate6876]

Let them breathe or mold will disappoint you. Dust occasionally. Store off the ground encased. Avoid direct sunlight and moisture.

[@beckycaughel7557]

The book at war that looks interesting. I’ll have to check that out.

[@muskrat72]

I have bought a couple books for my wife’s library from Easton Press and have always if they were a good value. They are really high quality but since I dont know much about book collecting are they worth the cost?

[@susprime7018]

A Month in the Country compares well with The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West and Ford Madox Ford's The Good Soldier (I hope, because I have that one in the stack).

[@synthiandrakon]

One thing about old books to remember is that what makes a book valuable is pretty arbitrary, things like conditions or even editions don't inherently have value if you are collecting to experience old books, to read them and enjoy them. Its like pokemon cards where its an expensive hobby if you want the psa 10s to resell and make a profit or whatever, but if you just want to hold a old book, to see its history to read something in the way people in the past would have read it, then you don't necessarily need a pristine copy, you don't necessarily need the very first copy, you can get a lot of joy out of an old reprint that in all but resale value can offer you much of the same experience

[@romanbrough]

The oldest book I have is a version of Tom Thumb from the 1650s. Don't know if would ever sell it, or even how to sell it.

[@investment-mk3vl]

thank you Tom

[@Socrates...]

I am interested in collecting the first English edition of Tintin's, what sort of budget would I need for a for collection?

[@stefang5639]

Books in the constructed language Esperanto is my niche area. They are extremely rare, have 130 years of authors from all around the world and often very interesting but most of them are also very cheap most of the times.

[@craigslist6988]

I have a question - when do you think the last "rare book" was printed? To expand on that, the old and rare books have these great properties like hand made bindings, unique print properties, etc. But modern books are mostly mass produced and uninteresting. So a follow up question in case you do answer - if you wanted to hand down a quality, likely to be valuable, book that was printed this or last year to your great, great, great grand children.. what book would you choose?

[@gingerleamcwow435]

These are very interesting questions! I wish he would have answered these 😢

[@jonathan99399]

This really fascinates me.

[@novh4ck]

I don't think you have to collect old and rare books and spend a lot to be a book collector. I like sci-fi and fantasy genres so I collect these kind of books from Czech authors (my brethren) and it makes me happy. Nobody will most likely value my collection after I am gone but it has a lot of value to me.

[@weremermaid]

I've gotten so many old books for free when people dump their collections. I don't really have anything that's worth a lot of money. My oldest book is in very poor condition and is missing a cover. I'd like to get it repaired with a new cover. I got it from a physics department move on campus, when one of the older professors was getting rid of older books. I also found another old physics book that's ~a hundred years newer than the first, with the original owner's name written in it. That original owner was a professor and dean at that university when it was still a college.

[@oslaskid]

I collect old books, mainly early to mid 20th century travel/exploration, and my wife makes me spray them with mild disinfectant and put them in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer for two days to kill off any bugs. Is this the correct way to deal with second hand books or is there a better way? Are there any problems such as this associated with old books? All comments welcome.

[@monkeyface6139]

Mick ; will you be releasing any Simply Red songs in Latin ?

[@jameslain4795]

Have you ever come across an original copy of Major Robert Rogers Journals?

[@NancyOwens-sz1nb]

Greetings from Alabama 2 books I recommend: 1. . When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning. Abt the program which sent books to American soldiers overseas. 2. Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World by Lawrence Goldstone and Nancy Bazelon Goldstone. A married couple in New England become entranced by collecting books.

[@Bernardt_Art]

Could you please create a video about Nemo in Slumberland, if possible?

[@Wooster23]

Do you have an online presence or website for your books? Even if you don't do sales online, I'd love to see your collection and what's for sale.

[@jackcaswell4188]

Considering the advancement in AI and scanning technology digitizing old books will become more prevalent in much the same way they've begun digitally unravelling the Herculaneum papyri

[@depthcharge123]

14 videos for the price of one.

[@freedone.]

I know this is just a conspiracy theory but is this guy related to the Report of the Week Review Brah? :)

[@chinchintabete]

Look into David Irving

[@JAmediaUK]

I Disagree about the life of a digital book. A properly scanned digital work does not degrade, and there can be multiple clones made with no loss of quality. The scanned version separates the work from the storage medium. I have documents that started life on an 8-inch floppy disc under CPM that have gone via a Sinclair Spectrum (on Cassette), MS-Dos and 5 inch floppies to an Apple Mac and back to MS Windows, archived on a CD then a DVD and are now on 64 bit Win11 stored on 2 separate RAID 6 systems (and one on an M2 Drive). The original book is still on the shelf, but it is one book on one shelf. A Single point of failure. So whilst I love books and am a Publisher, a digital back up is very important.

[@redwawst3258]

🤠

[@General_reader]

Answer: money. Or low standards

[@wytrzeszczwytrzeszcz7739]

Also know where old people and also pass away. There is big chance that family will throw books away after that so free thing

[@AIMLESS-NAMELESS]

I would do unspeakable things for a first edition of the eye of the world. I will never be able to afford one

[@michaelroberts1065]

Arsenic in some green books. Do these worriers know that rice contains arsenic? Let rice soak in water for 24 hours drain and wash.

[@PChel_009]

шикарно выходит

[@cornelisvreeswijk186]

It sounds like you're saying "clection" instead of "collection".

[@aswathythayil6346]

🥰🥰😍😍🥰🥰💞💞🥰🥰💞🎉🎉💞💞

[@jessicacollins8049]

Books? Budget? Does not compute

[@Chytnbnll]

🫡

[@blackmetalerik]

bük

[@andreaurelius45]

Mention of Hitch tanked it for me. I'm out. ...guy was all "I'm right and your wrong!" ....yeah...he did not last long. Smoked, drank, and drugged himself into a very early grave. You see, Hitch was wrong. We have eyes because there is something to see. We have ears because there is something to hear. We have a nose because there is something to smell. We have a Spiritual Awareness because there is something to..... You get the point.

[@thomasdequincey5811]

How to collect books on a budget - steal them from the Library! P.S. I'm joking.

[@simon_1987]

Just get ebooks. No one has space for dvds, books, any physical media. Just makes your house look cluttered and crap

[@ilikemandalorians9861]

Speak for yourself lol

[@Mister_Fancypants]

Your house must feel cold and empty

[@knottynate6876]

You are a reader. Not a book collector. The smell of the book, the feel of the pages and dust cover, the knowledge of its age and rarity are all lost with digital interpretations.

[@oz_jones]

"Just choose not to own things" Lol.

[@matweb8195]

"You VIL own nothing and you VIL be happy" - Herr Klaus Von Schwab (Have fun with that)