Rare Book Valuation. How I Do That. Part Seven. "Selling Is Vulgar".

Rare Book Valuation.

How I Do That.

Part Seven

"Selling Is Vulgar".

            Selling is vulgar... so never spoken of.  In rare book circles.  Rare books are ‘exchanged’... and money... is the bridge of that... ‘exchanged’.  If one acts that there is anymore than that... THEY are... ‘vulgar’ and... ‘exchanged’.  It is a ‘gentle sport’; the ‘exchange’.  And nothing more.  Ever.  That is how great collections of rare books are formed:  By ‘exchange’.

            The exchange process; the selling of a rare book, has numerous tiers within ‘a single rare book in consideration’.  I have been using the Allerton Brook Trout book as my specimen single rare book.  And I will continue to use it.  Two samples of tiers relating to selling include the largest tier treating selling as a whole stand alone skill topic inclusive of ‘ground rules’ (Part One).  I am not treating this tier.  I am treating a smaller tier (of ‘selling’).  This tier is ‘selling’ as it relates to rare book ‘valuation’.  Rare book valuation is the skill topic of this essay.  How I sell a book effects the value of the book.  I am dead serious about that.  I am talking about a lot of money.  And... a lot of less money.  All of this is vulgar... in rare book... ‘speaking of’.

            Rare book selling relating to rare book valuation... should you have a rare book... costs YOU money.  Every ticking second and every physical movement and... every mental affirmation and... it costs YOU money:  All of that.  So you figure how much it is costing you to ‘do this’ (funk around with a rare book you found) and be very accurate about that and

            Subtract that from the amount you sell your rare book for and... be very accurate about that and... all of this becomes an eye opener (I opener) causing... you to ‘leave the trade’ (quit being involved with rare books selling)?

            “GOOD BYE”?

            But most cannot even do this ‘that’ ‘very accurate’ so... they just loose money and are still around.  The simple finger math of all this?  IF... you sell a rare book for $2000. And it cost you, including your time, $1000 to do that ...how much did you actually ‘get’?  And of that ‘that’... you actually paid (let me suggest) $900. for the book so finger math that too and... “How much did you make on the book?”.  And then as to... self... was this ‘that’ worth “IT”.  So... aside from all the other topics I’ve written of in the six earlier chapters, this chapter topic... turns all that into... finger math of a ‘considered vulgar’ to ‘speak of’.

            Already vulgar to speak of... this ‘selling’ an old rare book... you’ve found... and... found a valuation... have I yet?  Well... lets just say that I have done all the valuation craft excepting this ‘exchange’ factor.  How do I do this... then?

            I have to make several leaps right away.  They are leaps because you probably cannot make them yourself.  I can and know well the ‘catching by my finger tips’ the far side of the leaps.  The first leap is that... rare book at hand (Allerton Brook Trout) I “HAVE” four or five ‘exchange’ (sell to) rare bookers ‘in mind off the top’ and... only need three.  This three is a staunch ground rule of all ‘exchange’ of rare books.  It is... that... IF... I offer for exchange (sale) a rare book at a valuation supported price... it should sell to one of these ‘first three people’ I “show” (offer for exchange) it to.  Again:  The book is NOT for ‘sale’ but to this critical proper first three ‘exchange’.  IF... after three ‘throws’ (offers for exchange) the rare book has not been exchanged (sold) then... PLAN “B” is required.  For I, this does not happen often for I have done my valuation craft (what this essay is about) very well using ALL MY SKILLS and... simply ‘step into’ the exchange realm with a well prepared offering.  And that most usually is “IT” for this whole process; my rare book is exchanged... I am done with that book and... very, very promptly, ‘moved on’ to the “next rare book”.

            How is this physically done... you ask?  I ...actually... carry the rare book (here being the Allerton) around with me... hidden from sight within briefcases... and I comment right here that what those briefcases physically are... IS a consideration of ‘selling’... for the more knowingly refined rare book seller or collector ‘knows’ and ‘looks at that’...:  The briefcase.  For more expensive books I use Zero Halliburton briefcases... all decades long used and ‘appropriately worn’.  After a few ‘exchanges’ a client EXPECTS the old rare book in consideration to be shown from one of these.  No surprise there right?  I go so far as to say that IF the old rare book does NOT come out of one of the Halliburton’s... it “isn’t rare enough’ (expensive enough) to... ‘be in consideration’.  Further... clients expect themselves to be a ‘left out’ if they are NOT shown a ‘for consideration of exchange’ from a briefcase during our ‘chance upon’ meeting.

            That’s a something right there isn’t it!  A ‘chance’ meeting.  That’s read right:  I do not make appointments to exchange.  No... all is by chance.  One sided chance.  OH I AM out there somewhere with the rare books I’ve found, valuated and have in the briefcases ready for exchange but ...it is up to THEY to find ME.  That I am around... especially... this is known... the more ‘serious (BUYER) you are’.  That means “most” do not see ‘anything’, see a briefcase or even... see me.  Just the “first three”.  That is defined as “freshness”.  That is a major ground rule topic of ‘selling’.  I’m not writing about that.  It is only ‘protectively’ considered for selling relative to valuation.  Basic ruling is that ‘if they are not gonna buy (‘exchange’) it... they don’t see it... ever’.  That actually creates an aura and myth... that is positive.  If a briefcase opens then there is going to be an exchange of a... RARE BOOK.  That is what all this is about:  The rare books commonly call “THE STUFF”.  This “all” is about the stuff.  Do not ever forget this.  It is not about, for example, the briefcases or me... or you.  It’s about the stuff IN the briefcases.

            I know this.  YOU have to learn that.

            “The Stuff” is the confidence that makes the ‘chance’ ‘briefcase’ ‘exchange’ ‘first three’ system work.  Most all lay viewers... even book collectors or sellers... do not even know of this system.  It is a ‘How do you do that?”.  I do this because I have a supported true rare book offered for exchange at a... usually... devastatingly accurate...

            “Valuation”.

            Taking all of what I’ve learned and pontificated before you of the valuation of the Allerton AND including the minutia that I spoke of and did NOT explain... and of which there is a lot ‘of that’... I very rapidly ‘value’ ‘my rare book’ at hand; the Allerton.  Determining that I have a two thousand dollar book that is not only supported as actually rare AND supported to be actually ‘desired’ by collectors... AND being in ‘collector grade’ condition too... with all that evident in scant seconds when I pop the lid of the briefcase... and the book is first glimpsed... (three seconds)...

            Then handed for exchange from the (vulgar) seller to the (vulgar) buyer... with clearly stated (vulgar) price... the rare book...  usually is exchanged (sells) in... one and a half minutes.  It never goes back in the briefcase.  The exchange is completed; (vulgar) payment is made.  Very little is ‘said’.

            What is the exact price and how is that ‘how’?  “How” is because for all antiquarian objects (including rare books) there are only ever THREE prices:  Too high.  Too low.  And ‘everything else in between PICK ONE’.  With the Allerton that goes like this:  At $3000. it is too high with $2500 being that too especially for an in briefcase low time and cost quick sale.  $2000. is a good ‘too high’.  Too low is $800. But probable at $1000. And that... due to rarity and condition may be ‘pushed up’ to $1200.  NOW working the ‘in between’ ‘pick one’ I start at $1800. With that low-backed by $1450.  That last sounds good on the tongue but it may be ‘pushed’ again due to rarity and condition so $1650.

            Do I say sixteen fifty or do I ‘SURE BET’ the sale at fourteen fifty?  Usually I’ll sure bet and sell for the quick fourteen fifty.  This is especially eased by the fourteen fifty being a price that may hold out against a counter offer.  For example here... $1250 sounds too cheap to get away with for the buyer... and TO the buyer.   It is easier... therefore... for both (vulgar) buyer and (vulgar) seller to exchange at a ‘fair’ barrelhead price.  All ‘is never spoke of’ and took a total time of fifteen to twenty minutes including ‘no additional cost or expense... for BOTH parties of the exchange

            Let us keep something straight here. NONE OF THIS take place unless I have a rare book ‘on board’.  It is the rare book... and only that rare book... that drives all this.  No rare book then no going for a rare book exchange.  I must have the rare book and ‘support that’ book.  THEN I have something to exchange.  A good rare book is not vulgar.  It is beautiful.

            To ‘rest assured’ for this rare book exchange, one has to have found a supported rare book in notably good (fine collector grade) condition offered very privately into a knowing rare book community with no fanfare and a clean commercial history that additionally is a delight to the rare book knowing eye... to do this ..be a rare book hunter and seller.  To me, the hard part is the hunter.  The vulgar selling is easy.  But:  Rare books are actually very rare and have to be found.  After going around trying to ‘find one’ for a few days... “good luck with that”.