What makes a book rare rather than merely old?
Rare Books · Revised 3 August 2026
Age alone is not rarity. Rarity depends on the size and survival of the edition, the priority of the issue, completeness of text and plates, the presence of an original or distinguished binding, and the interest of any inscription or earlier ownership. A common eighteenth-century volume may be worth little; a slim first edition of the twentieth century may be worth a great deal.
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