doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT - Divesting a Library

Good morning:

I would like to begin the process of divesting/downsizing my 40+ year library of sporting and reference books. For now, that would be books about waterfowl decoys and sporting art.

What is the best course? Do sporting auction houses typically buy books? Too many to list on eBay, and I don't want the hassles that go with that.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

One day i have the same problem coming.

I told my wife to look up sporting book dealers and have a couple see if they will buy the collection and the price. This will not get you best price, but will be easiest. You could also list on this site if you wanted too.

Decoys if quality Guyette and Deeter seems to be a good place to auction, check with them. Also the art.

Poulin seems to auction art now and then.

there is a dealer that was at the Southern last year and I sold him a few books, very nice guy but I just checked and don't have his card. Carol Lueder also deals in sporting books but I can't find her # either.

Are you familiar with bookfinder.com? I would start there. Type in the book and you can see how many copies are currently for sale and the prices they are listed at. That will give you an idea of what you have. Probably best to figure on the bottom prices listed.

If you have anything truly desirable, EBAY will probably get you the best price. Listing a few books will also give you some idea of the market, it's amazing how few buyers for some things there are out there.

If you just want a dealer, try Abebooks, search for one of your books, you'll get a list of copies for sale. You can click on the seller and you will get their contact information, that will get you a good list of dealers.

Good luck, I don't think this is a very good time to sell books.

Tim

Thanks Tim:

I don't think there is ever really a good time to sell books. Some titles and/or authors get hot and go for crazy prices, but it is definitely a niche market.

I've been thinking the same thing for a few years now, always meant to call Carol at Gunnerman books.

Unfortunately, that lovely lady recently passed and I don't know if Gunnerman will still operate without her.

Check with Leland Little (LelandLittle.com). I watch their sporting arms and sporting art sales. They also sell entire collections at auction and seem to draw a lot of bidders.

Just a thought. I was moving and needed to get rid of quite a few books. I had three boxes of high quality and rare books on vintage sports cars. I ended up taking them to the city library and donating them so other local people can use them. Write them off your taxes and you can likely get as much in your pocket as selling them to a dealer.

Please keep in mind that many local libraries accept book donations. After the books appear at a book sale for a week the unpurchased volumes are sold for pulp. That is a terrible fate for a commodity that we were taught was almost sacred. Please let me know where you gave your classic sports car books, AGS. I will try to rescue them. Bibliophiles are ethically obliged to place their collections with fellow connoisseurs. Do not assume that public libraries are run by book lovers... and dog catchers are animal lovers.

J.K.B. von Falkenhorst

The last time I was at my hometown I stopped at the local village library that I visited and used going back to being a kid. They have no interest in anything hunting or firearms related, sadly.

The tax write-off via donation is a valid option. But my experience in the museum field showed me that museums and libraries can only hold so much. They tend to politely decline duplicates or items that they already have a sufficient amount of to support a collection.

No rush on my part, just looking ahead.