Sell Your Books

 

We are always interested in buying collections of books, prints, maps, and ephemera that have a market and complement our inventory.  In recent years, that has become narrower as only a small percentage of these have retained their resale value. 

What Interests Us.

As a rule, we’re interested in specialized collections that contain material unlikely to be encountered elsewhere.  We’re also interested in first and limited editions, signed works, and association copies; fine bindings, prints, maps, and ephemera.  Condition is always of importance to us.

 

What We Avoid.

The vast majority of books we encounter no longer have a resale market.  This includes most fiction and general trade and reference books.  We are cautious about condition and cannot buy books that have been stored in musty or smoke-filled environments.

 

What Do We Pay?

As a rule, we pay about one-third of what we expect to earn from a collection’s sale.  We are also open to commissioned sales arrangements on larger collections (with quarterly payments and sales invoices).

 

What’s Next.

As a first step, it helps if we can send us a sample list of titles with photos along with some general information about the collection and why you are interested in selling it.   If the books look promising, we are happy to make a house visit anywhere in the Boston area (or farther afield if the collection merits it).