Category: Book Hunting

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Top Book Picks from Brisbane’s Lifeline Bookfest

The Lifeline Bookfest has been one of my key suppliers of books since I started Livre Eclectica. It happens twice a year and runs for a week at the Brisbane Convention Centre. I have lined up early to be among the very first in, and I have also gone on the last few hours of the last day. Either way, it never fails to disappoint me.

This week I have picked up a range of titles that you might like to browse:

I only select books that whisper my name. So, hopefully they might do the same to you! I’ll be loading these into the site over the next week, and will update the hyperlinks above.

Enjoy!

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Book Hunting – Saving Lives By Day

When I began collecting vintage books, I had no idea of the incredible pleasure I would get from the book hunting side of the business. I am never happier than when I am fossicking, uncovering discarded gems, and holding history and the memories of peoples lives in my hands.

I do source books from a variety of places, but my absolute favourites are secondhand book stores and secondhand book sales. All those wonderful worlds and memorable characters that should never be forgotten, clumped together and close to being discarded. It’s like saving a life.

What is even more fascinating is to see what people buy from my store. Many, many times I have browsed through my inventory and thought “I shouldn’t have brought that” or “that will never sell”, and then a few days or weeks later it does. Conversely, the books I’m sure will be snapped up can languish in the storefront indefinitely.

Recently, I sold a copy of Jerome K. Jerome’s (the author of Three Men and a Boat – To Say Nothing of the Dog) Three Men on the Bummel to a customer in Norway. Bummel was never as popular as Boat, but I spied a nice clean edition of it while I was living in Perth and couldn’t resist it.

I immediately thought I’d made a mistake, as there were so many copies of it available online for sale (scarcity can be a bookseller’s friend). So, I racked it up to experience and noted that I needed to check availability more throroughly in future.

Yet, somehow, this customer came to my ETSY store instead of to the vintage seller super-sites such as ABE and BIBLIO, etc. Maybe it was my photos, the price point, or the site reviews. Who knows?

But I was THRILLED.

It’s like reuniting friends across the world. And that feeling never gets old.

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The Pleasure of Collecting Book Series

One of the hardest apsects of running a vintage bookstore is letting go of the books again once they come in. Occasionally, I can’t and they find their way into my personal collection.

I’ve mentioned this before, but the most addicitve of all of these temptations is collecting series. Recently, I came across five L M Montgomery books from the 1940s Angus and Robertson edition. Then a few months later, two more in the same series. Some of them were the Anne of Green Gables books, but there were also Marigold and Pat and Emily stories. Seven in total! Some of the dust jackets were in better condition than others. But once they were dusted, covered in Mylar, and lovingly shelved, they look fabulous together.

Hard series for me to let go of include the Silver Brumby books that come and go, the Narnia series, Angelique historical romances, and James Bond.

In the store at the moment we have books in the Biggles and Tom Swift series. I’d love to hear what your favourite series are, so I can keep an eye out for them.

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Our Best Tips for Buying at Secondhand Book Fairs

This weekend is the bi-annual Lifeline BookFest in Brisbane. It’s an event that I really look forward to. And even though I’m not a seasoned book hunter, I thought I’d share with you what I’ve learned the last few years from watching the dealers.

First in best dressed – There is no subsitute for arriving early and getting first pick. The Dealers rush in and just swoop up arm fulls of books, without spending too long deciding on them. I imagine this is partly because their experienced eyes can make snap decisions, but I think they must cull them later. They literally run between tables and fill their trolleys (and cars) up to the brim with booty.

Have a Focus – Go in with a plan of the kind of books you are looking for – publishing date range, fiction or non fiction, hardcover or paperback, dust jacket or no dust jacket. Know your limit on condition.

The Collector’s Section – There is always a section behind a counter where BookFest display books they think are collectible. Sometimes, these can be badly overpriced but their policy is that they will match a lower price from another bookstore, if you can show them evidence of it. Last year, I picked up a couple of Raymond Chandler books and was able to get a first edition reduced from the ticket price.

Bring a carry bag on wheels – BookFest have shopping trolleys you can use, but I prefer to take a cabin bag with wheels. It has a limited capacity which ensures I can get it home. P.S. Park your car close too!

Wear comfy shoes – There is a whole lot of standing on concrete floors and nowhere to sit.

Bring snacks – You don’t want to be relying on the Convention Centre eatery!

Avoid ex-library books – Sadly, the library stamps affect their value.

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The Book Hunters’ Network – involving friends and family

As with any profession or passion, it’s all about the people. That doesn’t just mean other collectors, but friends and family who have an idle interest in what you’re doing. Here are some of the books that my friends have found for me at jumble sales. It’s then become a wonderful reason to catch up for a cuppa, to do the book hand over.

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The Life of a Book Hunter

When I began collecting vintage books, I had no idea of the incredible pleasure I would get from the book hunting side of the business. I am never happier than when I am fossicking, uncovering discarded gems, holding history and the memories of peoples lives in my hands. I do source books from a variety of places, but my absolute favourite is second hand book stores and second hand book sales. All those wonderful worlds and memorable characters that should never be forgotten.