What Transforms An Ordinary Text Into A Vintage Book?

By Author: Krutika Sharma
Total Articles: 44
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Every person must have a collection of books. It is the most comprehensive reflection of his identity and personality. If one intends to become a collector then vintage books are an indispensible part of their book shelf. Vintage books are old texts irrespective of their origin, subject and type of print which either have some special significance or are extremely rare. For example an old bible is an important text but not always a vintage collectible, it becomes a collectible when say it is used by a former President of the United States for his oath. This makes the bible a part of a nation’s heritage and seals its unique place in world history.

Sometimes a book becomes vintage book by being associated to some important person and sometimes because it was witness to some extraordinary event in history. For example, many prints of the Magna Carta which is the first modern treatise on democratic principles exist but not all of them are vintage books. A Magna Carta was referenced by the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution under the legendary leadership of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. This Magna Carta edition being ...
... witness to one of the most important turning points of Indian History became a classic book and a rare collectible.

Literature Vintage Book Collectibles

Literature has been a major part of World History since aeons ago and giants in the field of poetry, prose and drama have been given the titles resembling to those given to gods and angels. Literary works have often shaken and awakened the world out of ignorance and sometimes thrown them into anarchy. Revolutions have begun out of literature. It is often believed that the true worth if a vintage book collection is ascertained by the literature it holds. The value of rare first editions, first prints, and signed copies of influential texts can only be guessed. It is often driven by passion and love for a particular piece of work that bidders spend millions of dollars for a vintage text.

Vintage Books are available in most classic antique shops and auction houses have different sections dedicated for different kinds of vintage books. Since there is no limit to the number of classic books out there to be discovered, the search for a vintage text is a great opportunity for new collectors. Sometimes one can find treasures in some old library or antique shop which are not listed in the international auction logs but are of extreme significance. The value of a vintage text should be ascertained not only by the rareness of the print but also by the impact it brought during its era. This therefore becomes the collector’s holy principle.