posted on September 8, 2002 04:43:45 PM new
I recently found a 1908 copy of a A Child's Garden of Verses illustrated by Bessie Pease Gutmann (Collins then). It's in fair to poor condition, the spine is broken and there are some loose pages but the illustrations are in good shape. Is it worth my while to break up the book and sell the illustrations separately or is this book worth more whole, despite it's condition?
Thanks all.
posted on September 8, 2002 05:01:01 PM new
If the illustrations are color chromolithographs, it may be worth it to break it up and sell them individually as there is a market for these. It depends on the size of the illustrations and whether or not they are actual bookplates with no printing on the opposite side. Most chromolithographs were phased out by 1910. The period from 1900 to 1910 was a transition period in illustrating using a variety of techniques.
I myself prefer and collect the chromos as they retain their color and brilliance so well after 100 years.
It's probably easier to sell and ship the book as is and just feature the illustrations. If they are B&W, I probably wouldn't bother as you probably wouldn't get a bid unless it is a large size book.
posted on September 9, 2002 06:04:05 AM new
I work in a Rare Book Store....
The book sounds like it is in pretty poor shape to begin with so all the value in it would be in its illustrations. In a similar situations, we have broken up the book for the illustrations and sometimes even framed them individually for sale.
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A Man will spend $2.00 for a $1.00 item he needs.
A Woman will spend $1.00 for a $2.00 item she doesn't need.
