Product Description

There are few pastimes as fascinating, enjoy able and rewarding for the enthusiast of modest means as col lecting books. A concise history of printing is followed by a list of suggested subjects for the collector with limited funds. It explains painly the often obscure terminology used in describing books, elucidating such perplexing terms as 'foxed', 'unopened', 'unsophisticated' and 'disbound' explaining where to find the 'title-page', the 'fly-leaf' and the 'colophon', as well as showing the collector how to detect a 'first edition', distinguish between 'original boards' and 'contempoary tree-calf' and collage his books to check for completeness.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #204986 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 120 pages

Customer Reviews

Good Introduction
This handy little book covers a vast range of topics and is an excellent introduction to the world of book collecting. I found the later chapters on first editions and childrens books more useful than the rather dry and esoteric material on the history of printing and binding. However it definitely gives one a "feel" for the magnitude of the hobby and provides real substantive information - if brief - on identifying first editions and names the most sought after books - some of which, like Ian Fleming's - are a real surprise. At the price you can't go wrong, it is a no risk useful and enjoyable book.