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The BookThinker Newsletter


ISSN 1547-9501

133, 9 March 2009

BookThinker Special Report, 6 April 2009


Update Announcements


BookThink Special Report
Selling a Signed First Edition on eBay
Update, and a New BookThink Service

An update on BookThink's auction of a signed copy of Gone with the Wind. [Read the complete article here.]


Gold Edition Quotation of the Month
Buying and Selling Catalogs
Part II: Auction Catalogs, Issue #57

Auction catalogs, especially those published in recent decades by major auction houses, are one of the most profitable of catalog niches. Not only do these catalogs feature the most sought-after items in the marketplace but also support these items with superb photographic presentations, detailed, authoritative commentary and often up-to-date pricing information (either in the form of pre-auction estimates or post-auction results) - virtually everything a collector looks for in a resource. Moreover, in cases where reference books on a specific collecting niche either don't exist or are prohibitively expensive, auction catalogs are especially attractive. [Read the complete article here.]

 

 

 

BookThinker Special Report, 23 March 2009

Update Announcements

 

 

 

BookThink Special Report
The Frugal Bookseller
Part I

There's no question that a comprehensive knowledge of history is a great asset for a bookseller. There are many reasons why, but perhaps one of the more important (and obvious) ones is that it empowers your instincts when scouting, enabling you to snag books that have value because they address or are contemporaneous with important historical events, people, periods, etc. [Read the complete article here.]

QMR Book of the Month
Neaderthin
Eat Like a Caveman
to Achieve a Lean, Strong, Healthy Body

Here's an interesting idea for a diet: "Never eat anything that you cannot get naked, armed with only a sharp stick." In case you haven't noticed, the so-called Paleo diet, which essentially attempts to mimic what cavemen would've eaten back in the day, is hot stuff these days - and this book, Neanderthin, is selling hand over fist at $40 and up.

BookThinker Update 16 March 2009

Update Announcements



BookThink's
Top Ten on eBay
February 2009

The saga of Aegard makes clear that what you see on eBay isn't always what happened. After a long run in the Antiquarian Top 5, Aegard is now not a registered user and his auctions were pulled. In this column, we report what eBay shows in search results and in individual listings. What we don't - and can't - usually know is whether what we see there is true. So take a grain of salt along with Top 10, and we'll keep trying to get it as on target as the information allows.

 

BookThinker #133, 9 March 2009

From the Editor

 

 

Looking Backward
How to Cut Costs (Maybe)
and Increase Profits

In every business there's a cost of doing business, and bookselling is no exception. If you're like me, your cost of doing business has been going up, up, up for years. And it happens by degree, one small thing at a time, until you wake up one day and realize that you're putting out big bucks every month for a suite of services that may or may not be luxuries in an economic downturn. [Read the complete article here.]

 

Big Savings with Multi-D
Cutting Costs by Cutting Boxes

In these tough economic times, anything that can relieve some of the shipping and packaging costs can be of big help, especially with postal increases happening now every twelve months (or less), and the prospect of Amazon increasing our shipping allowance to cover these extra costs is pretty much wishful thinking. One of the more recent trends in packaging has been the awe-inspiring Multi-D. [Read the complete article here.]

 

 

BookThink's Quarterly Market Report of Common, Profitable Books
Issue #6
Issue #6 of BookThink's Quarterly Market Report of Common, Profitable Books is now available for purchase. Purchase now.

Previous BookThink Update >>>>>>>

BookThink Special Report
2 March 2009>>>

An announcement: Issue #6 of BookThink's Quarterly Market Report is now available for purchase. This issue lists and annotates in detail 100 books that typically sell for $30 and up online and includes only those books that surface with some regularity at sales and other viable venues for purchasing inventory. Also, the commentary portions of this report have been expanded to provide an even clearer explanation why these books have value and in some cases also point you to related books that have similar value. Purchase it here.

Reminder: The complete Gold Edition and 50/50 back issues package is still on sale for $99.99. Purchase it here.

Finally, have you noticed? Bookseller forum traffic has been down everywhere, probably for many and various reasons, most of which are likely related to one thing, the economy; but I'm telling you, THIS is the time for booksellers who still want to be booksellers after the downturn to come together and start discussing survival and/or new profit-making strategies. BookThink's forum, if you haven't visited it, can be a serious tool for bookselling - and for this issue specifically. There's a hoop or two to jump through to get registered, but to sidestep all that and make this a clean, one-step process, email Pam at Pamela@bookthink.com with a word or two that will at least give her some reason to believe that you are either a bookseller or somebody interested in books (and not spamming the masses), and she'll usher you in.

BookThink Special Report
The Great Depression
Why History Matters in Bookselling

There's no question that a comprehensive knowledge of history is a great asset for a bookseller. There are many reasons why, but perhaps one of the more important (and obvious) ones is that it empowers your instincts when scouting, enabling you to snag books that have value because they address or are contemporaneous with important historical events, people, periods, etc. [Read the complete article here.]

 

 

 

First Edition Guides: General

  • 20th Century First Edition Fiction: A Price and Identification Guide
    2008 Edition, Thomas Lee

    Buy it at BookThink

  • American First Editions, Merle Johnson, revised and enlarged by Jacob Blanck (Fourth Edition)
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • Author Price Guides, Allen and Patricia Ahearn (4 vols.; also available for individual authors; also issued as complete set on CD; 174 authors to date. Note: Some issued in looseleaf binder so determine contents before buying.)
    Buy it at Amazon - vol. 1, 1990 or Amazon - vol. 2, 1998 or Abebooks

  • A Bibliographical Introduction to Seventy-Five Modern American Authors, Gary M. Lepper
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • Bibliography of American Literature, Jacob Blanck (9 Volumes)
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • Bibliotheca Americana: Dictionary of Books Relating to America From its Discovery to the Present Time, Joseph Sabin (29 Volumes or 2-Volume Microprint)
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • The Book Collector's Handbook of Values, Van Allen Bradley (1982-1983 Edition)
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • Collected Books, Allen and Patricia Ahearn
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • First Editions: A Guide to Identification, Edward N. Zempel and Linda A. Verkler
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • First Printings of American Authors, Matthew J. Bruccoli (5 Volumes)
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • Guide to First Edition Prices 2008/9, R.B. Russell
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • Modern British Authors, B.D. Cutler and Villa Stiles
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • Modern First Editions: Points and Values, Gilbert H. Fabes and William A. Foyle (First, Second and Third Series)
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions, Bill McBride
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • Points of Issue: A Compendium of Points of Issue of Books by 19th - 20th Century Authors, Bill McBride
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

  • Wright Howes: The Final Edition (of U.S.iana)
    Buy it at Abebooks or Amazon

Other Books

  • The Performing Arts: A Guide to the Reference Literature
    Buy it at Amazon

  • My Name in Books : A Guide to Character Names in Children's Literature
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Make Mine a Mystery: A Reader's Guide to Mystery and Detective Fiction
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Introduction to Bibliography and Reference Work
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • International Bibliography of Discographies
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Index to Black American Writers in Collective Biographies
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Graphic Novels: A Bibliographic Guide to Book-Length Comics
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Literature: A Genre Guide
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Fine Arts: A Bibliographic Guide to Basic Reference Works, Histories, and Handbooks: Second Edition
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Fantasy Authors: A Research Guide
    Buy it at Abebooks

  • Encyclopedic directory of ethnic newspapers and periodicals in the United States
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Applied and Decorative Arts: A Bibliographic Guide to Basic Reference Works, Histories, and Handbooks
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • American Popular Culture: A Guide to the Reference Literature
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Read the High Country: Guide to Western Books and Films
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks b>

  • American Military History: A Guide to Reference and Information Sources
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Murder in Retrospect: A Selective Guide to Historical Mystery Fiction
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Children's Books About Religion
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • A Guide to Field Guides: Identifying the Natural History of North America
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Anatomy of Wonder: A Critical Guide to Science Fiction, Fifth Edition
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Children's Authors and Illustrators Too Good to Miss: Biographical Sketches and Bibliographies
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Christian Fiction: A Guide to the Genre
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • The Bookmark Book
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Fantasy Literature for Children and Young Adults: An Annotated Bibliography, Fourth Edition
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Reference Guide to Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • 100 Most Popular Picture Book Authors and Illustrators: Biographical Sketches and Bibliographies
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • The Newbery Companion: Booktalk and Related Materials for Newbery Medal and Honor Books
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Reader's Adviser : Vol.1 The Best Reference Works, British Literature & American Literature
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Children's Book Award Handbook
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • The Entrepreneur's Information Sourcebook: Charting the Path to Small Business Success
    Buy it at
    Amazon or Abebooks

  • 100 Most Popular African American Authors: Biographical Sketches and Bibliographies
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Graphic Novels: A Genre Guide to Comic Books, Manga, and More
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Quotation Index to Children's Literature
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Reference and Research Guide to Mystery and Detective Fiction Second Edition
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

  • Fluent in Fantasy: A Guide to Reading Interests
    Buy it at Amazon or Abebooks

Above is a sample of the Editor's Hot Picks.
Click here to see all of them.

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