posted on April 21, 2001 04:37:07 PM new
I list books on eBay (among other things). I make no claims to being an expert on the subject but I have been around the bookselling block a few times. I've enjoyed the Bookselling for Idiots threads immensely. Don't agree with everything I've seen posted, but I'm always interested in hearing suggestions and experiences from other sellers. With that out front I'll start this thread by relating a couple of experiences I've had book scouting at Estate Sales.
For the most part it has been my experience that books at Estate Sales are overpriced. I have found a few gems though. I have noticed that at some sales certain types of books are somewhat ghettoized and priced at giveaway prices. One sale I went to it was obvious that the estate belonged to a couple who had traveled extensively. There was an extensive collection of travel books some of which may have been well worth the 10.00 plus that they were priced at. Unfortunately I have no expertise in travel books so had no idea if there were any treasures in the lot. What caught my eye was a small shelve of paperbacks marked at a dime. Mostly junk except for a 1950's guide to Vietnam including where to find various kinds of late night entertainment of the type not generally mentioned in travel guides. Also a very nice paperback copy of a book written by Olivia DeHaviland with a nice photo of her on the cover. 20 cents was all I spent at that sale on those 2 items but I made over 20 dollars on them.
Why did I buy them?
#1 They were cheap
#2 They were in good or better condition
#3 They were unusual (The Vietnam book because it predated the Vietnam war and had those interesting chapters. The DeHaviland because it was in great shape, had a very good cover photo, and was no longer in print)
I listed the DeHaviland book under a movie memorabilia category and it was purchased by a DeHaviland collector for just over 20 dollars. The Vietnamese book never made it to eBay as a Vietnamese friend of my son was so amused by it that he gave me 10 dollars before I had gotten around to listing it.
Another sale I went to had an extensive collection of Texana books priced between 4-10 dollars. Once again I have no real knowledge of this area although I suspected there were some real steals on the shelves. What did catch my eye were 2 early Larry McMurtry hardcovers priced at 4 and 6 dollars respectfully.
Why did I purchase them?
#1 Larry McMurtry is a popular author
#2 1st edition hardcovers from the 70's are not usually heavily printed
#3 The books were in pretty good shape
#4 My wife reads loves McMurtry so my liability was low because if worst came to worst I could give them to her as presents
One book went for 20 plus on eBay. The other went for 30+. Both were listed in the collectible 1st editions category.
I have other experiences to relate but I'll wait and give the floor over to others for now. What are some of your successes, suggestions?
posted on April 21, 2001 05:05:35 PM new
I recently went back to school to finish a degree I started 15+ years ago. Because it was in Europe, I had to take a ton of tests (CLEP, TOEFL, etc) + the GMAT to get into b-school.
I had those books and figured I would try to sell them, I also had pre software. I had bought them for my own use, so I didn't really care what I would get for them. Lo and behold, they sold really well, the CLEP books went for 15$, GMAT stuff around 10$ etc... these were recent, but with tests, as long as the book cover the computerised test version (called CAT - computer adaptive test), they won't go out of date.
I wish I had thought of buying them on e-Bay at the time!
I also had a book on Excel for business stats go for 15$ (retail value was only 24$) and one on Calculus go for around the same. I had these for school and ended up getting more for them on e-Bay that at the used textbook stores near campus.
I would love to hear more ideas of what to look for!
posted on April 21, 2001 05:06:13 PM new
My best purchase at an estate sale was a set of Ency. Brittannica that focused on works of famous people like Plato, Aristotle, and such. It was originally priced at $75, marked down to $50, and we got them for $25. They went for over $300.
One of my more interesting purchases was a book written by Isaac Watts that had been published in the late 1700's, still mostly together if you can believe it. I would have thought it would have brought a small fortune, but it went for about $20. Still, I only paid $1 for it, so it was a healthy profit. I also picked one up at that same sale that had been published in the 1800's and sold it for about $10.
I routinely am able to pick up items for a song, really no more than what I'd pay at a garage sale or library book sale. I haven't really been to many estate sales where much respect is given to books. They're just anxious to get rid of them regardless of whether it's being run by a family member or a professional estate liquidator. And if you go on the last day, they'll mark the stuff down even further or give you a deep discount for hauling away boxes of them.
When you walk into the houses, usually you find all the glass, pottery, anything and everything breakable prominently displayed in the living room. You have to hunt and search for the books. Sometimes they're in the bedroom, other times in the attic just thrown haphazardly in boxes. Most people will pick up a book or two, put it back in the box and walk away. I'll dig through every book in the box, tell my husband to find an empty box or go ask for one and start loading.
There was some newspaper thrown on top of a box in an attic. My husband had been doing a very good job of searching along with me while trying to keep an eye on our kids at the same time (he deserves a medal, really). I took the newspapers off the top and gasped. I said, "Did you look in this box?" He said, "No, not really." (He also noticed the newspaper and assumed it was just full of something worthless.) It was full of magazines from the 1960's all dealing with JFK, both before and after the assassination.
Oh, at the sale where I picked up the Ency. Britannica, the bookshelves were stocked with many other interesting books, not necessarily old either. They were loaded with James Michener and I've found those always sell for me. Not for a lot of money, but I knew it wouldn't be too risky of a purchase. Also, their was a lot of political non-fiction, nothing old, just a specialized area of interest.
posted on April 21, 2001 05:26:50 PM new
I don't know how estate sales are conducted in other parts of the country, but here most are handled by professional estate sale management companies. The estate hires them to come in, price everything, and then conduct the sale. Presumably the company gets a portion of the final profit.
I wish these companies did not exist. They tend to overprice everything, I think to catch newbies or dealers with money to burn on the first day. I'm not exaggerating. I've seen crappy frames from K-mart, with the K-mart sticker still attached to the back, priced at $10.
For some reason, though, they tend not to price the books. Maybe it's too much work, I don't know. But so many times I've had to lug an armful up to the check-out card table and be subjected to on-the-spot pricing by women (the management companies are all run by women) who I'm sure don't know a thing about books. But they figure that if you want it, then maybe you know something about it that they don't, so they thumb through each and every one, looking for some telltale sign of why you desire that particular title. "Is it a First Edition?" they ask each other. "Check to see if it's signed" or sometimes they stand and wave the book at one of their coworkers across the room, "Marge, how much for this book on --" and here she looks at it again -- "nude people?" Meanwhile everybody in line behind me is burning holes into my back because it's holding up the line. All too often I want to turn around and say, "It's them, not me."
In the end, I often get at least one or two bargains (due to their lack of expertise), yet there are also days when I have to leave good finds behind because the on-the-spot pricers decided the book was worth much more than it really was (in other words, more than it would make sense for me to buy it and invest the time and effort it takes to resell).
If only the owners of these estates knew just how inept these people are. But then, I get the impression the owners are either dead, divorcing, or the estate is left in the hands of lawyers, so maybe no one really cares.
For these reasons, estate sales in my area are a crap shoot, but all in all, a better bet than thrift stores. Yard sales still remain the best opportunity.
posted on April 21, 2001 05:29:14 PM new
I live in North Texas and around here often the books are completely ignored at estate sales, and can be picked up for a song(often 50 cents or a dollar). I have also found that little pamphlets can do very well on ebay, and picked up at estate,yard and garage sales for 5 or 10 cents. Old mags are also fun to find, and when I list them on ebay I always take the time to see what the articles,illustrators,ads are inside. There's nothing better than having one magazine being bid on by a BARBIE collector and also someone looking for an article written by a certain author. Even mags from the 70's do well when you take the time to see who the illustrator is on the childrens pages. The goodwill store in Wichita Falls closed; it had BAD management and I never found anything in there to buy-so the good stuff must have been going somewhere outside of the store, BUT, we have some other thrift stores that always have great items, and deserve at least a once a week visit. FOL sales are also a great place to find technical ,how to, and childrens books.
Happy booking everyone.
jeannietex
posted on April 21, 2001 05:57:53 PM new
Its getting harder & harder to get good books in my area. Every one and his brother wanted to be an antique dealer for a while, then ended up having used junk booths. Seems now, they must be reading these posts and selling at Half & Ebay.
Used to, good books were abundant here. Now, I ask for them at the sales and I hear, "Oh, we sold everything we had at the last yard sale, and sold out quick...they were are best selling item."
Yard sellers are hearing the same question over and over, Do they have books for sale. I ran across one lady having a sale today and asked her if she had any books, which she did and had forgotten to go through (her mother in laws stuff...) she goes through them quickly and you know what shes willing to sell?
The Better Homes & Gardens, the Readers Digest, etc...if it was a halfway normal craft book, no dice.
Its not like I start out late in the day. I'm up at 5, mapped out the sales and out the door at 6, by 9:30 or 10 its over with.
I hit a church sale, 2 community sales...I bet 30 total this morning, and found 4 books that weren't either the above, romance, or mass market or book club.
posted on April 21, 2001 07:54:50 PM new
I find most of my books at Yard Sales, Estate Sales, and Library Sales. Not so many at Thrift Stores.
I have yet to attend an Estate Sale where the people running it knew how to price books; generally the ones they want four or five dollars or more for are worthless (to me), but I often find something good in the ones they have priced at a dollar or less.
I agree that the pamphlets and magazines are often a gold mine - and they are lightweight, easy to pack and ship.
Any older, large-size softcover books should be looked at carefully. They are usually priced at around fifty cents; I have sold them for up to a hundred dollars. One of the best was on a popular early fashion designer; one was by and about a potter who worked in the fifties and sixties.
At a library sale today, I saw something I could not believe. A couple was carefully going through the RD Condensed Books, priced at 25 cents each, and they were filling up two large grocery bags with them. Can anyone tell me WHY?
posted on April 21, 2001 07:59:07 PM newAt a library sale today, I saw something I could not believe. A couple was carefully going through the RD Condensed Books, priced at 25 cents each, and they were filling up two large grocery bags with them. Can anyone tell me WHY?
posted on April 21, 2001 09:02:13 PM new
The very first item I sold on eBay was a Little Black Sambo book I bought for a quarter at a yardsale. I sold it for $86. I had zero feedback and the buyer pulled my contact info. That was about 4 years ago and I've only sold 3 books since.
Two were bought at a yardsale, and one from Goodwill. The most I paid was $2 for any of the 3. They sold for $25, $65 and $160. I just bought what I liked, and ended up getting lucky. (One was about gnomes, one about art, and the other a first edition signed Biography). I've always wanted to try again but have been hesitant until I read the bookselling thread.
I'm laughing at the Reader's Digest Books for a quarter.
I picked out a couple dozen or so from a yard sale, brought them home, spray painted them gold, tied a taffetta wired ribbon around them, added a mushroom bird and some dried flowers and voila ... sold them at a craft show for $18 bucks a pop .
(takes about 10 minutes and a $4 total material investment per book ... pencils out to about $80+ an hour)
RD books are a good weight and size for decorating, and the embossed lettering on the binding looks cool when painted.
Hmmmm .... am I gonna go to "Book fold/spindle/mutilator's Jail?
posted on April 21, 2001 09:06:31 PM new
Regarding the RD books: In general all the Readers' Digest books/magazines are popular in many nursing homes. A condensed story can sometimes hold the very short attention span of some residents.
My mother was in a nursing home for quite awhile and I would read to her any new RD magazine that came out. She had been an avid and varied reader all of her life, but unfortunately at the end the RD's were the best solution to an otherwise unending day.
posted on April 21, 2001 10:03:58 PM new
heartsong - No - there is no punishment for mutilating RDC Books! (Actually, it did cross my mind that maybe they had some craft project in mind . . .)
madrona - I had not thought of that! If any elderly people are enjoying reading them, I think that is great. It's quite possible the people I saw were going to take them to a nursing home, who knows?
posted on April 22, 2001 02:21:08 PM new
Our library book sale had the RDC books on the $2 table. Was trying not to laugh out loud ! Then they had all paperbacks new and old for a nickle. Go figure !
Actually for a quarter tho they would make a good "book safe".
posted on April 22, 2001 02:51:54 PM new
At the thrift store I go to they've told me they throw away the RDCBs. Apparently nobody around here buys them. The craft idea is a good one.
posted on April 22, 2001 02:55:55 PM new
I also sell CD's and I'm always amused at garage sales when the people have carefully gone through all their mainstream run of the mill paperbacks and carefully priced them all individually at half price but have their CD's all for a dollar. On the other hand I've been to sales where the CD's were all priced 8-10 dollars and the books were all a dime.
posted on April 22, 2001 03:40:59 PM new
Sorry to hear about the high priced books but here where I live the Estate Sales sell them $1.00 and $2.00. I picked up a bood for $1.00 sold for $45.00. I went to one estate sale and the books were autographed. Leo Durocher was one. I sold it at my mall space for $35.00 but I bet on ebay it would have gotten a lot more. Can someone give me a clue as to what kind of paper backs to buy. There are a lot of them around. What I don't understand is when someone puts a book on at it has 12 bids and then the next week an identical book is put on and there are no bids. Go figure.
posted on April 22, 2001 04:19:47 PM new
I have run a FOL sale near Washington, D.C. for several years and RDCBs are prety much a dog on the market. We sell them once in awhile to a book dealer who in turn sells them to interior decorators--coded by the color of the cover. We get $.25 each. What interests me the most is talking with our customers who sell on eBay--I know we support several serious eBayers--but the DC area is rich in book sales. Unfortunatley the competition is also stiff for dealers. One of the things that makes our FOL sale a success is that we don't have time to seriously look at many of the donations and ex-library books we get--bargains always get through.
posted on April 22, 2001 08:13:35 PM new
My most memorable book buy took place on a sweltering July morning a few years back. As all the jewelry, china and glass dealers crowded around the cases inside the front door, I sauntered up the narrow stairs to a small back bedroom where the books sat waiting. For about 15 minutes I was absolutely alone. Long enough to put all the good books in cartons quickly. One did not have to open them. Full sets of Bureau of American Ethnology (BAE) from first in late 1800s to wonderful books--first editions of all the Teddy Roosevelt books and so many more I cant even remember! I do remember a full set of the RR survey books with maps about 1850s...with a few duplicates. I sold 10 for 500. right away through the Antique Trader and still have the XII which worth more than that alone. I also sold many of these books during that time and still have some! Everyone snickered and looked at me like I was insane carrying carton after carton down to my car on that torrid day. The books were $3.00 each but since I bought so many, I ended up paying 125. for everything which was a discount. The family was a prominent New England family and I even bought her wedding fan which was dated and happened to be my birthday! I only remember two other deals (not books) that approached that. One included Tom Thumbs vest and the other advertising items from an old store.
posted on April 22, 2001 08:46:00 PM new
Me3...full sets of BAE? Gosh am I jealous!! It is one of my fantasies to find a complete set! I have had such great luck with the ones I have found.
posted on April 22, 2001 09:13:32 PM new
Amy, I should have said full set of RR Surveys but lots of the BAE..as I remember from 1-20 at least. A few years back. Nothing much around like that they say..but I work on Saturdays so dont get a chance to poke too much. Library sales have been very good to me for Ebay books, but not in that category or class.
posted on April 23, 2001 07:06:30 AM new
Yesterday I was at a library bag sale and also saw someone scoop up every single hardback condensed book! I just googled for a second and moved on. I wonder if the lady was gathering up material for a nursing home?
I don't know what most of the folks at bag sales are buying for. I was able to go back several times to the paperback romances and fill up on nice, recent, good-condition romances. I take them to the bookstore for trade, but at home I set aside several just to read first. Meanwhile other folks were swarming the very-picked-over nonfiction tables that I'd already rejected. Funny.
posted on April 23, 2001 08:17:54 AM new
I hit two library sales this weekend. Both opened Friday evening, so I didn't get to the second one until they opened Saturday morning. Neither were exceptional, but I found a new sealed copy of MS Office 97 Professional in with a Getting Started book.
Paid .25 for it at the Saturday morning sale.
posted on April 23, 2001 09:12:22 AM new
A couple of years ago I picked up a large 1884 atlas (that was falling apart) for $15.00 at an estate sale in Colorado Springs. I preceded to sell the individual maps for a total of around $400. I love finds like that.
posted on April 23, 2001 12:23:32 PM new
I do enjoy this topic! Have to share this with you. I was working in our co-op antique/coll. shop one Sunday...a lady comes up with a RD book that a newbie dealer had marked as a first edition.....
It was OK ~the lady explained that it was the Right Color for the room she was decorating. Just goes to show that there is room for everyone.
