Value of old books.

[Bill Walker]

How do you find out what an old book is worth?
My wife has an old hardback book called the History of Hyde, from 1932.

I also have a small book The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam from 1913.
We're moving soon and getting rid of some stuff.But they seem too valuable to discard.

 

[Blumooniac]

In a word, Ebay.

I've got The Rubaiyat from that era- small, dark red? Not that valuable in monetary terms but a priceless piece of literature. Keep it. Or pass it on to a younger family member.

 

[mexico1970]

One reference on ebay I can find but it isn't sold.

 

[Bill Walker]

One reference on ebay I can find but it isn't sold.

View attachment 127782

Cheers mate. Not that valuable either of them then.
Might stick them on Fleabay.
Although I don't like their fee's or how they hang onto your money.
Probably cost 80 quid to post it to someone in Hyde !

 

[RadcliffeRick]

My dad spent ages looking for this!!

 

[mexico1970]

My dad spent ages looking for this!!
View attachment 127783

Should have let his fingers do the walking.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

How do you find out what an old book is worth?
My wife has an old hardback book called the History of Hyde, from 1932.

I also have a small book The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam from 1913.
We're moving soon and getting rid of some stuff.But they seem too valuable to discard.

Email Hyde library amd see if they have a copy

 

[idahoblues]

When I was a kid, my mum worked at a local at a local auctioneers, she is almost ninety now but still has a crazy ability to work out gold from shite.

Signed copies, first editions, hard backs etc

 

[calumdown]

How do you find out what an old book is worth?
My wife has an old hardback book called the History of Hyde, from 1932.

I also have a small book The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam from 1913.
We're moving soon and getting rid of some stuff.But they seem too valuable to discard.

i've got a more recent edition of omar khayyan's rubaiyat
(with illustrations by edward fitzgerald).
as a red wine drinker i wouldn't dream of parting with it :)

there's a truly wonderful novel called "samarkand" by amin maalouf.
it blends fact and fiction.
omar khayyan is accused of mocking islam.
the judge recognises khayyam's genius and spares him,
instead giving him a small, blank book,
telling him to confine his thoughts to paper instead of speaking them.

the novel follows khayyam's travels in 11th century persia as he writes his quatrains.
it then follows the trail of the book containing khyyam's writings,
right up to the modern era,
when the original hand-written rubaiyat went down with the titanic.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

Doesn't have to be necessarily old to have value. I couldn't find a copy of Horsetrader for under 3 figures and it was still in print in the nineties!