This is Part 5 of Caro and Susan’s foray into the land of bookselling. Here are the earlier segments:

• Part 1, We Got Handed a Dream In the Discount Card Aisle
• Part 2, The Auction
• Part 3, A Name, Some General Background, and We Go Back to School
• Part 4, In Which we have a Haunted Bookstore

I like books.  I like beads, too and I somehow discovered these metal hook bookmarks.  They have a loop on the end from which to dangle beads, charms, and chains, and a shank which you slip between the pages of the book, so the cascade of pretty beads trails down the spine.  As a former librarian I must tell you that I cannot approve of these bookmarks.  No, I just can’t. They are not flat enough.  They are not good for the book, especially if you set a weight, such as another book or a cat, on top of the book while using the bookmark.

But…they are sparkly.  Book bling, I call them, and I always tell the folks to only use them on their non-expensive volumes, the ones they would risk taking to the beach or camping.  Last year I sort of got…addicted to making them.  It was soothing.  It had a pretty result.  We can sell them in the bookstore I said, as I finished the tenth one.  I can give them to friends at Christmas, I thought as I finished the second dozen.  I am out of my freakin mind, I decided, when I had a hundred of the things hanging around my computer area.

So I decided to get a table at the craft show.   If you have book bling, you might as well haul along some books to sell, right?  So I had stacks of books on the table, with bookmarks artfully posed on them.   As I sold the bookmarks, I chatted to each person about the book store we hoped to open.  Most people just sort of nodded and went on.  They had serious shopping to do, because this is THE retail event which kicks off the holiday shopping season in our town.  But, about one in ten people paused.  They got this look on their face, of anticipation, or even happiness.  They pressed for details.  It warmed my heart to realize that there was actually interest, that there might be actual customers out there.

A few people bought books, but the books were  props to advertise the store and display the bookmarks and I didn’t expect many to sell.  Used books were not exactly what people are looking for at a craft fair at Christmas time.  If I were doing it again I’d get some new books designed specifically as Christmas presents. I first wondered if the word of mouth I was trying to generate was worth the rather expensive booth rent, but at least I sold enough bookmarks to cover the costs and even made a little profit.  Which I used to buy more parts, and made more bookmarks.   I did mention I was sort of…hooked?

Ah, and did you know you can make bookmarks out of string or ribbon?  I am also thinking of getting a little laminator and making bookmarks out of the illustrations of vintage readers that are missing pages or are so trashed I would otherwise throw them away.

So at Christmas time we had about four or five thousand books, and a few hundred bookmarks.  What we didn’t have yet was an actual store!  T. thought it would be about three more months.  There weren’t any auctions to go to so I went back to making bookmarks during the long and cold winter months.

In the search I did I saw 8 different headings for this single book due to variations in the author’s name (Full 3 names, middle initial only, birth/death dates in parentheses, variations in the title (Intro by…,), and one line had the word “The” missing as the starting word of the title and “The” was (most likely accidentally) placed with the author’s name. – All others had “The…” in the title. It was by itself under the “See also” line Bookfinder.com uses and it brought up the book showing a single seller with their offering under 3 venues. A bit on the high side price wise from what I had seen others asking but their book was separate from the rest by excluding the simple word “The”.

I then noticed that I had excluded the word “The” in my search terms. I tried again and found the single sellers listing was no longer there. Bookfinder did not bring it up because I typed in the full title… – Hmmm. Not good…

I decided to try playing with the author’s name and added his first name without the middle initial or the word “The” at the start of the books title. Came up with the same 8 lines as I started with once again. Added his full middle name, which, by the way is not on the cover, title, or copyright page. As far as I could see only his middle initial is given in the book itself. – Only 5 lines with full name and variations in the title. – All the listings that had the middle initial did not come up.

Revise search again and try it with the middle initial, without the word “The” and It brings up only 3 lines plus the extra single that, as previously stated, did not have “The’ in the title.

Some readers that are still with me on this and not totally confused yet might be wondering why I was wasting so much time on a $10 book (if I’m lucky). I tried this little experiment to see how I should list my book for best exposure on one of the most popular book search sites on the internet. It is still sort of a tossup.

An error in your title/author listing can put a book on a line by itself but might also cause mistrust in a potential buyer. Adding or deleting words that are not in the title or varying the way it is written (“Title: with intro by” or “Title; with intro by” would be on two separate lines simply due to punctuation) can make your book stand out from the rest and make your copy the only one a potential buyer sees IF they click on your line. Typing it exactly as the cover/title page will put your listing in with the seething masses where most buyers will be most likely to click. And what to do if the title page and cover have variations??? – I’m sure at this point there is a Shakespeare quote that is fitting. Something about consternation. -

I would suggest if going with the ‘seething masses’ that you make your listing stand out with a bit of synopsis or keywords. – Desperately Seeking Synopsis & How can a book seller stand out from the crowd? -

In the end it will all boil down to each seller’s personal preference. Long time booksellers may know of this phenomenon and through the comments give us their preferences (and why of course) but the reason for this posting is for those that didn’t know of the alternatives available in something that should be so simple.

Hey! Here is the Shakespeare quote. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” – In this case it is ‘A title by any other name would smell as sweet” but then only if it sells.

Paul Young – Prying1books.com

All of the following creepy crawlies like HIGH humidity.  If the humidity dips below about 60% they’ll shrivel up and die.  So if you see these beasts in an incoming box you know it’s been somewhere DAMP and that means mold and water damage are very likely.

Do note: these critters are all harmless.  They can’t sting you, bite you, or make you sick.  They can just give you a fright.  There’s pictures of bugs beyond the jump, so the faint of heart may want to skip the rest of this article…

Lepisma saccharina

Going by the name silverfish, fishmoth, carpet shark, or paramite these little insects love to chew on books.  They’re silver and shiny and move with a distinct wiggling motion like they’re “swimming” across the surface.  They’re usually no bigger than an inch long (2.5 CM).  They’re harmless to humans and don’t spread disease.  However they can badly chew up books, so spotting these guys in a box is a bad sign.  Books that have been gnawed on by silverfish have a distinct nibbled appearance on the edges.

They are found worldwide, but North America has two additional similar looking species.

Thermobia domestica also known as Thermophila furnorum

The firebrat is very similar to the silverfish in habitat and behavior but likes it HOT.  Indoors they like warm, hot places like boiler rooms, muggy attics, laundry rooms, kitchens, etc.  They’re brownish and about half the size of silverfish.   Again, they don’t spread disease but will eat books.

They are found worldwide, generally in warm climates but can be found indoors in colder areas.

Psocopterans

There’s over 5000 species of booklice, barklice, and barkflies.  These are tiny little chewing insects that generally don’t get more than 1 cm or 1/3 an inch in length.  They’re scavengers and will eat the glue in bindings… but most are really interested in mold.  If you see these guys, it’s almost guaranteed there’s mold around.

The various species are found worldwide and since they’re small are hard to tell apart. If it doesn’t have wings, it’s more likely to be a bit more destructive than the flying ones.

Oniscideans

There’s over 3000 different species of woodlouse… also known as armadillo bugs, doodlebugs, pill bugs, potato bugs, roly-polys, sow bugs, slaters, butchy boys, and wood bugs.  Despite the common name including “bug” these are actually little crustaceans… meaning they’re more closely related to lobsters than silverfish, firebrats, and booklice.  They’re small (fingernail size or smaller) and harmless to humans.  They generally like to eat decaying material, so aren’t a direct threat to books.  However, since they breath through gills they need VERY high humidity to survive. If you see these guys near books, it’s DAMP.  You probably want nothing to do with those books.

These guys are found worldwide.  There’s many different native species but if you’re in Europe or North America, you’re most likely to see Armadillidium vulgare which was accidentally introduced from the British Isles. Armadillidium vulgare can curl all the way up into a ball, other species can’t.  (I personally think these guys are cute, but I’m probably in the minority here…)

These four critters can’t hurt you, but you don’t really want them in your shop either. They all like high humidity so if you do accidentally get some in a box, propping the books somewhere to dry in the sun for a day will probably get rid of them.  (if you can salvage the books at all)  They’re nothing to be frightened of, just be aware that they’re red flags that that box has been somewhere damp!

Beginning July 1 The Bookshop Blog will be posting a lot more content. Whether you are considering selling books online, opening a B & M bookshop, are a seasoned veteran of the book trade or just love reading about books and the people that sell them, we’ll have something for you.

The Bookshop Blog is looking for bookshop owners, book hobbyists, collectors or those going through the initial stages of creating a bookselling business to join our writing team.

Some of the benefits of submitting with us are:

An audience for your writing and your business, currently approximately 16 000 page views per month from over 8 000 unique visitors, 750+ subscribed readers and over 2300 Twitter Followers.  All very targeted visitors.

Links  from an established and trusted domain (Google PR 5) to your site. You can include 2 links to your site per post.

Once you have been with us one month you will begin to share in the revenue generated by the site, converted to a per post amount (updated every few months).

There will never be any fees or charges at any time. You are free to leave the group at anytime without obligation.

Your commitment and investment is entirely up to you. Posts would be on the topic of Books, Book Collecting, online bookselling, operating a bookstore or any general book related stories. (450 words min. with 1 or more image(s) attached)

We are also looking for 3 book reviewers.

Submitting posts is as simple as clicking send on your email. I will do all of the behind the scenes work.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Thanks for your time, hope to hear from you.

Bruce K. Hollingdrake

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Before you begin looking for such an item, you should decide what type of wood and finish you are looking for. This will help you save time in searching the most appropriate places for the ideal item. Mahogany is generally a moderately dark wood with a deep red tone. It is a very rich looking finish and a distinct wood grain, with variations that range from the red tones to very dark or deep striations. When finished and cared for properly, items of this wood will provide a rich look to any room.

Though mahogany is a common wood used in an older antique bookcase, walnut is also very commonly found. It lacks the deep red tones, though the wood is also a moderately dark one in the medium browns, with a slightly red tint. This wood lacks the variations in color, with less pronounced variations in the grain, for a more even tone. This finish is also very attractive for spaces that consist of classic decor.

There are many different styles used in older furniture. Shelves in a Queen Anne style usually include legs that gently curve outward called a cabriolet. Other styles include straight legs and fewer design details. There are many items made from the 1920′s to 1940′s that use the barrister style still found in many products available today. Though they do not include much detail, they are all made with the common feature of glass doors that lift and slide backward, into the top of the shelf space.

When you have decided what style you would like, you can begin your searching be browsing through local antiques shops or by looking at estate sales. Many local newspapers provide details such as date, time, address and items for sale. You may even find an occasional older piece at a local auction. Many products are available online from dealers and other stores though these prices may be on the higher side of the range.

If you are considering purchasing one of these lovely items online, make sure the piece can be authenticated by a reputable dealer or professional, who will know exactly how to inspect such items to make sure they are genuine. Such professionals can also provide a fairly accurate date or age of the piece and will provide an estimated value.
This gives you a good idea if the seller is asking a fair price.

In general, prices for an antique bookcase can range from $300 to several thousand, depending on age, wood type and the manufacturer. Those which were produced inlimited numbers may cost much more than others. The age and condition of the piece also determine what it is worth and what you should pay.

Good luck in your hunting.

Not so fast, is that a real signature?  A real signature can vastly increase the price on a book while a forgery can ruin a good copy.

One of the most common errors people make is mistaking a printed signature for an actual signature.  These are pretty common, especially with super popular authors.  It’s purely decorative.  The easiest way to tell if it’s a printed signature is to turn the page and run your fingers over it.

There’s often a little bleed through onto the back of the page, so look though the page at a light source.  If it’s uniformly dark, it’s probably printed.  If it’s irregular, odds go up that its  a real signature.  If there’s actual bleed through of the ink in irregular spots, its almost certainly a signature.

The other trick is to run your fingers over the signature, front and back.  First run your fingers flat, then make claws with your hands to run your nails over it lightly.  Run your fingers over a printed section, then over the signature.  A printed signature will feel uniform.  A signature will have some indentations if if was done with a pointed pen.  A felt tip pen signature will be smooth but will have bleed spots you can see from front and back.

If the ink used in the signature is a different color than the rest of the text, this also makes it likely it’s a signature.

Great, you have a signature!  But is it the author’s signature?

One of the quickest things to check is print date vs author’s death date.  If it was printed afterward, it’s definitely not real!

Wikipedia often has a sample signature for well known authors on the page about the author.  For example, the page on J.D. Salinger shows off what Salinger’s signature is supposed to look at.  Not every author has a representative signature, but it’s often a good first stop for well known authors.  A little searching on the internet should turn up lesser known authors signatures as well.  Looking through multiple signed copies on book selling sites can also give you a good idea of what it’s supposed to look like.

If it looks NOTHING like the author’s signature, it’s obviously a poor forgery. However, it probably won’t look quite like the sample one either. Authors often sign big stacks of books at a time or sign them at an awkward height or on unsteady surfaces.  If it doesn’t exactly match, it may still be the author.  You’re looking for something that looks similar, but isn’t an exact clone.

One that looks EXACTLY like the representative samples you’re seeing online should  raise a red flag.  Print out the signature and lay it over your suspected signature.  Put a flashlight behind the two pages.  If it lines up EXACTLY, you may have a forgery.  Printing out a copy and using carbon paper to trace on the signature isn’t exactly hard.  Trace over the signature, then go over it with a pen and you appear to have a real signature.

Looking at it through the page and running fingers over it may help catch that type of forgery.  It’s easy to do, but easy to detect because you’ll have a double set of overlapping impressions.  Or is if was done with a felt pen, you’ll have lines from the tool used to make the carbon copy when you shouldn’t have any impressions.

Erase marks around the signature may also indicate that carbon marks were rubbed out.

If they use a projector, it’ll be harder to detect but you’ll still have uneven marks in the signature because the forger is effectively tracing or coloring in the signature, not actually signing.  It may have overlapping unnatural grooves or bleeds where the forger went back over the section to make ti look ” real”.

A really good forger will just practice and practice to make a good natural looking signature.  But most people don’t have that patience or skill so it’s a very small number of  copies that would have that sort of care put into them and are probably being marketted near the top of the price range.

If it’s a truly expensive copy (costs more than  a car, for example) and a well known author, consulting an expert may be worth the money.  If the book is already in your possession this may be expensive, but its worth the investment.  If nothing else, you can then include the info of who verified the signature and when and say the documentation verifying it will be included with purchase.  (this will probably up the price you can charge for it)  Again, consulting the internet is probably your best bet to find an expert on that author.  Or call an auction house that specializes in that sort of thing.  They’ll know who they use. (they may charge you a referral fee, however)

If you have not already purchased the book from someone, asking for exactly that sort of documentation may be a good idea.  If they don’t already have it in hand, agree upon a price beforehand and indicate that the seller will cover the cost of the verification.  If it comes back as a fake, you are not obligated to buy and you aren’t out the cash for verification.  If it comes back as real, you’ll buy at the agreed price plus the cost of the documentation.  If it needs to be shipped to the expert, you may need to cover the shipping cost as well.  This adds to the cost as well, but is probably worth it in the long run for such a huge investment.

Using an escrow service may also be a good idea for very high value items where you can’t physically examine it beforehand.

But what if the person walks into the shop and you don’t have time to do all this?  For lower priced items, it may be worth the gamble to buy it anyway without doing the research.  Just be wary of things where the price is TOO good.  If  the person selling it to you KNOWS it’s a valuable book but wants an unrealistically low price for it ($50 for a signed Catcher in the Rye), be wary.  If they want a low price but don’t know what they have, it’s probably worth a gamble.

For things where they want a higher price than you’re comfortable paying without research, see if they’re willing to hang about for a little bit while you do some research, or come back later when you’ve had time to gather some data.  Serious sellers will probably be willing to come back later or let you do the research because they’re sure you’ll see the value and want to buy.  You may sometimes disappoint them by telling them it’s NOT a real signature since they may well have bought a forgery that’s decades old!

People with a copy they know to be a forgery will probably cut the price quickly and hope to sell it quick or just move on to the next shop, hoping to score with someone that didn’t do the research.  If you get someone in that you’re fairly certain is peddling a forgery and bolts off to try to sell it elsewhere, calling other dealers in your area and asking if that person has shown up with that book may be a good idea.  If he has a real signed copy, the other dealer may have time to have the research in hand and can buy.  If not, he’s still got time to do research and reject the forgery.  You don’t want other dealers buying forgeries either, because once they have that stamp of authenticity of coming from a dealer, people will probably never check them again and you might be the one to eventually end up with that forgery and curse your luck for being caught holding the hot potato.

This all sounds very scary, but unless you’re handling high end books, you probably will never see a forgery.  The effort required to pull it off is a bit beyond the skills of your average crook.  But it does happen. be careful what you buy and be careful what you sell.