Being an antiquarian book collector is not a typical hobby, and so not many people know how to talk about it. They may intend to be curious, but sometimes their questions can be laced with ignorance that can throw you off guard if you’re not prepared. Why am I doing this? Am I really that passionate about it, if I stumble over my words when someone asks me why I collect?
Here are some questions I’ve been asked, and how I wish I had responded at the time:
“What’s the point if you don’t even read them?”
(This is the classic, and tends to be asked by ordinary people rather than book dealers. The best response to this is to be kind and informative, rather than aggressive in defence.)
The joy comes from the act of collecting itself, rather than from the books themselves. You learn to appreciate books in a different way to normal paperbacks. You learn about the materials used centuries ago, the techniques and hard labour that went into their creation. The historical significance of a book, and how it would have created ripples within its time, even if that is unrecognised today. It’s a rare and fascinating way of appreciating books, that goes beyond merely buying books for the sake of reading their content.
“You can’t go into modelling if you’re into old books”
Why not? What’s to stop me? Are the two worlds so separate that it is impossible to partake in both of them? What does a stereotypical book collector even look like to an outsider? Statistically, they’re most likely to be older white gentlemen. So already we can brea the stereotype. Are people expecting introverts wearing glasses, who avoiding partying in favour of curling up with a book? This may definitely be the case for several collectors, but not all of them. Don’t judge a book by its cover. You should be able to pursue as many activities and hobbies as you like. The beauty of book collecting is that it doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like- save the aesthetic critique for the books themselves, not the people passionate about collecting and preserving them.
“I don’t often meet young people who like old books”
I’m glad I can defy your stereotype!
“You need to have a specific focus if you want to collect”
No I do not, and don’t ever try to tell me how I should collect. There are as many different ways of collecting as there are collectors. Some people like incredibly niche topics: eugenics in the 20th century, or 17th century natural science books. Others prefer a wider search: World War Two, or books on travel. Regardless of your path, there is no right or wrong way of collecting. Personally, I like books that are 16th-17th century, in different languages, with pictures. This opens up my collection to a dazzling array of choices. I have books from poetry to philosophy, topography to theology, anatomy to astronomy. So why should there ‘need’ to be a monolithic definition of book collecting? You should do what feels right for you.
“What a waste of money”
What else would I spend my money on? It’s fashionable now to travel- and for someone who’s travelled to 40 countries, I understand the allure of it. Yet experiences like this are only transient; they stay with you alone, and die when you die. Jewellery and pretty cars quickly become outdated. Saving for a house in this economy is a luxurious dream, but even if it is possible, it’s still just a roof above your head. What better way to spend your hard-earned pennies, than on guarding history itself? Better yet, you get to CHOOSE the history you preserve. You can pour dedication and commitment into building something worthy of your pride. Antiquarian books have potentially passed through many hands over the centuries, and you are a part of that story. Money may buy a collection, but it cannot buy the joy you will have in the collecting itself.
“Isn’t it a bit pretentious?”
Pretentiousness is when people deliberately buy fake books in order to merely decorate their shelves with impressive-sounding titles. Go to pull one of the shelf, and you’ll realise that it’s just a hollow box. Antiquarian book collecting is a nuanced art form. It comes with prestige, and centuries of history surrounding it. People have earned fame for their commitment to antiquarian collecting, especially when they fund library exhibitions and scholarships. Universities have specific prizes dedicated to book collecting essay competitions. It is an art to be encouraged, not to be sneered upon.
A Third-Generation Bindery and Book Shop
The Fairy Antiquarian 
wow!! 106Do I Have What It Takes?
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