Spencer W Stuart, an adviser to both private and institutional collections, is the author of Contemporary Issues in Rare Book & Manuscript Collecting: A Handbook for Collectors and the Trade and organiser of the monthly webinar program Collecting Insights.
In this abridgment of one of the chapters, he addresses some of the things his clients wished they had known before embarking on their collecting journey.
Before collecting books, I wish that…
…I had understood the layers within the rare book trade
Depending on your budget and the area you wish to collect, your position as a collector exists within an ecosystem in which various actors (dealers, auctioneers, private collectors and institutions) are dependent upon one another to a greater or lesser extent.
That said, there are more opportunities than ever for private collectors to gather quality information to make informed decisions and, in some cases, ‘short circuit’ the typical buying chain. Depending on your interest, monitor local and regional auction houses and ‘follow’ the smaller dealers who may occasionally have items related to your interests. In short, learn to fish for yourself.
…I had stayed curious
Make a point of going off the beaten path. Seek out the estate sales, attend lesser-known regional auctions, make a day of it. The ease of internet commerce can have a glazing effect; there are still untapped opportunities if you look for them.
…I had ‘gone to school’ on my collecting interest
Collecting is a passion that benefits from information. Dedicate time to studying your chosen topic both from within the collecting community (trade and auction catalogues, bibliographical reference and exhibitions) and recent academic scholarship. Find out if materials are being researched, interpreted and contextualised by academics and what conclusions are being drawn from material.
…I had understood what it meant when fellow collectors said I ‘have time’
When seasoned collectors say this, they mean that you have a lot to learn and that you will make mistakes. The learning curve can be tightened by ‘going to school’. Remember, a large collection does not necessarily mean a quality collection.
…I had identified when I had become serious as a collector
This does not refer to overflowing shelves, piles of prints and storage lockers, but when you felt you had hit your stride with the acquisition of a key item in the collection’s arch. Such acquisitions are highwater marks from which to measure future offers and your collecting practice.
…I had understood the precedents for my collecting
Typically, a large percentage of supply is held in permanent collections. Try and identify collections within institutions that correspond with your collecting interest and examine their acquisitions. Major institutional collections often inform the buying practices of the trade and can have a significant influence on market values.
The absence of much in the way of reference copies in institutions may mean your subject is not being actively collected or that collections are in the process of creation.
…I had led with research
You are at a fair or perusing a catalogue and you come across an offering that ‘hadn’t occurred to you’ before. This is a fork in the road, and you need to be cautious. Either the item is not relevant, or your knowledge is limited. In that latter case, it may be a moment to pause and build the solid foundation of research.
…I had understood the exceptional and the exemplary
The exceptional are items within a collecting focus that are rare, in fine condition or individually unique. The collection of ‘examples’ may forego fine condition in favour of quantity and representation. Identifying one’s position on this spectrum has implications for the time and financial commitment required to develop a comprehensive and coherent collection.
…I had budgeted for expression
Collecting is an expression. Much like a musical score, there is a structure or strategy and then there’s the performance. To that point there will be the occasional acquisition that ‘does not quite fit’ but feels it has a place as an important addition to a collection, adding grain to what might becoming a uniform, seamless accumulation.
…I had not ignored pop culture references
As you wade further into the trade catalogues, academic articles and historical reference texts, your view of a topic will grow increasingly sophisticated.
But do keep tabs on the more popular references to your chosen topic. Magazine articles and Netflix shows that resonate with a mass audience can influence the market. They may impact future acquisitions or present an opportune moment to sell.
…I had shown or shared my collection
This does not have to be the staging of an exhibition, it could be simply inviting family or fellow collectors to view your holdings. Write an article, give a presentation or even present at a conference.
