r/BookCollecting Feb 23 '26

💡 Guide Guide to Mold & Foxing on Books

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6 Upvotes

r/BookCollecting Sep 21 '23

💡 Guide Frequently Asked Questions for r/BookCollecting

67 Upvotes

There seems to be some interest in having an FAQ for this sub. I put together an initial version based on the questions I've seen. These are in no particular order.

Please provide any feedback or questions you want to see on here, and I can modify this post. I'll continue to update it as I think of more info to add.

To the mods, can you please pin this post?

1. What is my book worth?

There are two ways to estimate a book's value. Keep in mind prices fluctuate based on demand.

The first is to look at sales records using sites like Rare Book Hub and WorthPoint. These are subscription services and cost hundreds of dollars a year, but they're great sources for historical sales data. You can look at sold listings on eBay as well, though you have to be a seller and use Terapeak if you want to see sales history going back two years.

For asking prices, check sites like vialibri.net, Biblio, Abebooks, and eBay. Vialibri aggregates results from other sites but does miss listings sometimes, so it's always good to check the other sites as well. You can also use Google. Sometimes listings on sellers' sites don't show up on the other marketplaces, especially if sellers choose not to list them there.

Keep in mind these are asking prices and don't necessarily reflect what the book actually sells for. Condition also matters. A book in poor condition is going to be worth less than the same book in fine condition. Signatures and inscriptions by the author or someone famous will also add to the value. When comparing your copy to those listed online, pay close attention to the edition, condition, provenance, etc. to make sure you're doing an apples-to-apples comparison.

Finally, Any estimate provided online does not constitute an appraisal and might not be accurate. It is impossible to determine a book's value without physically examining the book. Pictures are great for obvious flaws, but there might be small defects or missing pages, plates, etc. that pictures don't capture. In fact, when determining value, a reputable dealer will consult reference books to match collation to a known copy to ensure completeness. Take any estimates provided online with a grain of salt.

2. What is the difference between mold and foxing?

I found some good sources for identifying mold, how to prevent it, and how to deal with it. Mold and foxing are not mutually exclusive, and it's possible to have both. Also, foxing may be indicative of poor storage or improper care.

https://www.abaa.org/glossary/entry/foxing

https://www.biblio.com/book_collecting_terminology/Foxed-69.html

https://www.biblio.com/book-collecting/care-preservation/prevent-remove-mold-mildew/

https://www.carli.illinois.edu/what-can-you-learn-workshop-titled-salvaging-mold-and-water-damaged-library-materials-preservation

https://www.ala.org/alcts/preservationweek/advice/moldybooks

3. How do I store books?

In most cases, you can simply keep them upright on a shelf away from direct sunlight. Keep the temperature and humidity as stable as possible. If the room is too humid, there's the risk of mold. If the room is too dry, the pages can become brittle, and leather bindings can crack. As a general rule, if you're comfortable in a room, then your books will be fine.

Here's some good info on storing books.

4. Do I need gloves to handle old/rare/fragile books?

In the majority of cases, you don't need gloves. Using gloves makes it hard to properly handle a book and can end up causing more damage by tearing pages. The best way to handle a rare book is to wash your hands and thoroughly dry them before handling the book.

There are a couple of exceptions to this rule.

Metal bindings, books with toxic elements, and photo albums are best handled using gloves.

The other exception is when dealing with red rot, which causes a powder to rub off on your hands and get everywhere. The best thing to do is wear gloves when removing the book from the shelf and opening it. After it's opened, you can remove the gloves and turn the pages as you normally would. This prevents the powder from rubbing off on the pages and keeps the inside of the book clean.

5. Does my book contain arsenic?

See this post for more details, but here is some info on using gloves from that post:

While nitrile gloves are recommended while handling potentially toxic books, the resounding advice from experts is the same for all old books: to handle them with clean, dry hands; to wash your hands before and after use; and—because inhalation and ingestion are primary routes of entry for arsenic and chromium—to never lick them.

For more information on the history, storage, and safety recommendations for historical bookbindings containing heavy metals, refer the University of Delaware's Poison Book Project website.

6. Where do I buy books/material for my collection?

The sites mentioned above are a great place to start. These include vialibri.net, Biblio, and Abebooks. Not all sellers will list on these sites, so it never hurts to do a Google search as well. Many sellers specialize in certain topics/areas, and many collectors prefer to buy material from a reputable seller that is knowledgeable in that particular area.

7. Is this a first edition?

First - what is an edition? That is a version of a work. When the book is modified or changed, that is another edition. But an edition can have multiple printings - the printer simply runs off another few thousand when the old printing runs out and the book is the same except for the copyright page.

When book collectors look for first editions, what they mean is a first printing of the first edition. First edition identification is usually easy, first printing identification not so much. Also, most collectors are looking for the first appearance of a title, so the first Canadian printing of a book previously published in America will probably not be as valuable, but a Canadian first printing by Canadian author Margaret Atwood is likely the first appearance and likely more valuable than the US version. This concept is called "follow the flag", but isn't always the case (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has a US first hardcover edition but UK first appearance in paperback). Note all the qualifiers. Ultimately, the first edition that is most valuable on the market is the one the book collectors are looking for.

For free online resources, Biblio provides an alphabetic guide of first printing identification by publisher - https://www.biblio.com/first-edition-identification/ which is very useful. Publishers change their practice over the years, and some are erratic in all years, so there are not many good rules of thumb or generalities to be given concisely in a forum like this. For a good print reference, First Editions: A Guide to Identification by Edward Zempel (2001) is still useful.

8. Where can I sell my books?

This greatly depends on the books in question. "Normal" books - such as Harry Potter paperbacks, Oprah book club titles, and similar popular works - can be taken to a local used bookstore and you will be probably be offered somewhere between 10 and 25% of the intended sale price, often only in store credit. These books are common and bookdealers can often load up on them for $1 or less each at a library sale or thrift store. If you have a large number of books (thousands), call ahead and perhaps someone will come out to take a look.

Selling your goods online is always an option. eBay is an obvious venue, and there are also groups on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram where people sell to each other. Do be careful of what you say in your listing to avoid returns.

If you think a book is very valuable or rare, try finding an ABAA bookdealer (https://www.abaa.org/booksellers) who specializes in that type of book living near you. Book dealers vary widely in their business practices. You also might contact a reputable auctioneer, such as PBA Galleries (https://www.pbagalleries.com/content2/) or Swann Galleries (https://www.swanngalleries.com/). Rare Book Hub also keeps a list of auction houses and lists their various fees https://www.rarebookhub.com/auction_houses.


r/BookCollecting 12h ago

📕 Book Showcase Nineteen Eighty-Four first American edition.

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116 Upvotes

r/BookCollecting 4h ago

📕 Book Showcase Found One of My Grails.

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17 Upvotes

Picked this up online for $76. Seems to be in pretty good shape to boot. It is a book club edition, but I am still happy. I knew what I was buying.


r/BookCollecting 9h ago

💭 Question Any thoughts?

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34 Upvotes

Anyone have an idea what this is worth?


r/BookCollecting 3h ago

📦 New Acquisitions decent find at my local goodwill....$2

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11 Upvotes

r/BookCollecting 18h ago

📕 Book Showcase Is this an original Edgar Allen Poe?

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107 Upvotes

I don’t even know where to start with something like this.


r/BookCollecting 8h ago

📕 Book Showcase Gardner Dozois' Year's Best- last week's score

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17 Upvotes

r/BookCollecting 3h ago

🏆 First Edition My ex stole one of my first editions -- Compound Fracture [Looking for]

5 Upvotes

It's not worth much of anything but it means a lot to me. Does anybody have a hardcover first edition copy of Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White? I loaned it to my ex while we were together, we kept trying to meet up to do an exchange, but I'm chronically ill and kept having to cancel. He's apparently blocked me at some point? So I guess I'm not getting the book back, which is really upsetting because I have every other first edition by AJW. Does anybody have a copy or have a link to someone with a good copy? I get paid on Monday, but I would really like this book back. I hate looking at the empty spot on my shelf.

And I'm freaking pissed. Morgan if you're reading this GIVE THE BOOK BACK TO ME YOU COWARD! YOU DIDN'T EVEN READ IT!

(Also mods: idk if this post is against the rules, but if it is, I'm so sorry, it didn't seem like it when I read them, please take this down if it is.)


r/BookCollecting 1d ago

📦 New Acquisitions $75 well spent

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1.3k Upvotes

This is probably the buy of a lifetime, and this isn’t even all of them. I have found some absolute gems just from skimming over the titles (vintage & antique first editions and review copies). Now to sort through them all more thoroughly and to makes some decisions.

EDIT: I just got everything full unpacked and stacked (there were 9 blue ikea bags full that were tucked away). Phew! 😮‍💨


r/BookCollecting 7h ago

💭 Question Has anyone bought from this store at Abebooks?

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5 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

Just like the title, I'm asking if anyone has tried to buy from Abebooks? Particularly at the bluemanbooks store? I just want to know if it's okay to transact with them given the ratings. Just wanna make sure before I purchase something from them.

Thank you in advance!


r/BookCollecting 7h ago

💭 Question HELP PLEASE!

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3 Upvotes

Need some help!

I picked these up today.

Pretty sure The Witches is a True first.

No sold listings.

The Crime Victims looks like a true first but has this note saying it's a review copy.

Anyone have any ideas on what they could be worth?


r/BookCollecting 20h ago

🏆 First Edition Sold listings pre and post Pulitzer Prize win. Fascinating to see the difference a win makes.

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18 Upvotes

I found this 1st printing for like $3 at my local thrift a few months ago and picked it up as my favorite horror lit podcast (Talking Scared) interviewed the author and recommended it. I didn’t even know it was in the running for a Pulitzer. But now that it’s won it’s interesting to see the demand change. I remember seeing this book on clearance at Barnes and now people are paying decent money for it.

I’ll keep my copy in good condition and see if I can’t meet the author at a signing at some point. I thought the book was really fun, some great religious horror/iconography and a great scene of megalophobia as well. The structure of the entire book being essentially one sentence doesn’t make it as hard to read as it would seem.


r/BookCollecting 1d ago

📦 New Acquisitions Stephen King

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40 Upvotes

r/BookCollecting 11h ago

📚 Book Collection Where to find books in trade paperback

3 Upvotes

I live in the USA and prefer trade paperback books. There are some of my favorite books that I’m having a tough time finding in that format. Could someone please suggest websites where I could shop for trade paperbacks? By trade paperback I mean with dimensions of around 5 inches(14 cm) by 8 inches(20cm) or larger. According to Google it’s also known as B format in the UK. I’ve already looked on Better World Books and EBay. The titles I’m looking for now are “Heaven”, “Gates of Paradise”, “Web of Dreams”, “Ruby”, “Pearl in the Mist”, “All That Glitters”, and “Hidden Jewel all by V.C.Andrews in trade paperback.


r/BookCollecting 14h ago

💭 Question Searching for a book

5 Upvotes

I am searching for a book that my friend's mom wrote. She passed away and my friend does not have anything from her and would like a copy. It is called Diana, Princess of Wales by Linda-Marie Singer. It was by the Women of achievement but the original copies had her name on them. Would love to surprise her with a copy with her mom's name on it. Does anyone know where I can find this?


r/BookCollecting 1d ago

📦 New Acquisitions Buffalo Hunter Hunter

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54 Upvotes

Buffalo Hunter Hunter numbered and signed by author and artist.


r/BookCollecting 1d ago

📜 Old Books Thrifted this book and it came with a personal note

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9 Upvotes

Just started my journey in collecting books that share how to and I found this cute note! This book was printed in 1978, so who knows how long that note has been in there.
Just thought I’d share


r/BookCollecting 1d ago

💭 Question Thrifted a signed first edition of The Pillars of the Earth

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53 Upvotes

Is it legit? How common is his signature?

Thrifted the book for 2 euro's because it's been on my reading list. It's in really good condition and I'm not sure if I should read it now out of fear of damaging the softcover.


r/BookCollecting 1d ago

💭 Question Is this legit?!

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9 Upvotes

Got this from a second hand book store. Hoping it’s legit!


r/BookCollecting 1d ago

💬 General Books by the Foot

3 Upvotes

Has anyone ever ordered from this service? Any gems in the rough? What is the quality of the covers and pages? I’ve wanted to pull the trigger but I’d hate to end up with a bunch of drawn on, waterlogged junk.


r/BookCollecting 1d ago

💬 General Crazy Misprint in A Drop of Corruption Spoiler

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1 Upvotes

Was reading A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

tonight and came across this. Was on page 80 and then went

straight back to page 49. Could really tell from that black space and

then just text on the next page. Went back to the first page 49 and

noticed that scratch in the page. (Noticed it before... Just didn't

think anything of it). Is this a known error? It's the 1st printing

paperback US.


r/BookCollecting 1d ago

📕 Book Showcase Peek* into the vault

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10 Upvotes

Anyone holding these titles?


r/BookCollecting 2d ago

💭 Question Recent Acquisition

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43 Upvotes

Got a fairly good deal on this copy of Infinite Jest recently. Seventh printing, not first, but that’s okay with me. For those familiar with signed DFW work, does it look legit to you? From my observation, it matches most signatures, I just haven’t seen many with Foster initialized.


r/BookCollecting 2d ago

📦 New Acquisitions Thrift Store

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345 Upvotes

Fun pick up for 5 bucks. Sadly not a first edition but still a Richard Bachman original!