Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Rare Books - A Good Investment


So says the New Brunswick Business Journal.

From the story...

Investing isn't much fun these days for the many who have lost serious money in the wild swings on stock markets over the last year.

And while the good times on markets could be elusive for awhile yet, maybe engaging in some serious collecting for profit could be just the thing to take your mind off volatile equities. For example, rare books are not only wonderful to read and great to look at, they can also be a decent investment, says Laura Minor, manager of Bauman Rare Books in Las Vegas.

For one thing, "it's a way of establishing something to pass on to subsequent generations," she said.

"For instance, people will buy from us when the baby is born and instead of a savings bond people might buy something like the first Winnie the Pooh ... . By the time that kid grows up, at least historically . . . our clients have always been very, very happy with what's happened."

And like anything worth collecting, the investor better be prepared to spend some serious money.

1 comment:

Selina Melancon said...

Hello! We're very excited to read your posts about the rare book industry, as we represent Bauman Rare Books, the nation's premier antiquarian book collector. If you are interested, we'd love to share news and updates about the different volumes BRB has to offer. If so, is there an e-mail address where you'd like to be contacted? Just so you'll know the type of information you'd receive, below is a sample of a recent press release. Thanks!

Selina Melancon
Faiss Foley Warren Public Relations
smelancon@ffwpr.com


BAUMAN RARE BOOKS OFFERS
UNIQUE 1960s SELECTION OF RARE VOLUMES
THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

During this period of American history characterized by change, Philadelphia-based Bauman Rare Books, located in The Shoppes at The Palazzo in Las Vegas, offers a rare selection that brings to life a different decade of turbulent change – the 1960s. From the important literature addressing racial injustice and the Vietnam War to memorabilia from the decade’s most important musicians, including Bob Dylan and Elvis, Bauman Rare Books offers rare volumes and artifacts sure to resonate with those who lived through the 1960s and those who romanticize the decade characterized by sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll:

Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963. First edition of Dr. King’s first published volume of sermons, preached to address “the evils of war and of economic and racial injustice [that] threaten the very survival of the human race,” $450.
Elvis Presley, Photograph inscribed, 1960. Original publicity photograph of the young Las Vegas icon, inscribed by Elvis himself, $2500.
Malcolm X, Alex Haley, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, 1965. First edition of this “brilliant, painful, important book,” $1800.
The Rolling Stones, Souvenir Program signed, 1964. Original souvenir program from “Group Scene ’64,” signed by all original members of the Rolling Stones, $5000.
Hunter S. Thompson, Hell’s Angels, 1967. First edition of the famed gonzo journalist’s survey of California biker gangs, boldly signed by him, $16,000.
Charles Schultz, A Charlie Brown Christmas, 1965. First edition of the adaptation of the holiday television tradition that remains an essential Christmas tradition for children today, $600.
Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 1962.First edition of Kesey’s searing indictment of conformity, $7000.
Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968. First edition, signed by Clarke, of this stunning exploration of transcendence, the novel version of his and Stanley Kubrick’s “proverbial good science fiction movie” (and one of cinema’s most psychedelic experiences), $4,000.

BAUMAN RARE BOOKS:
David and Natalie Bauman began their company in 1973 with their first investment in a box of 18th-century imprints, a love of literature and history, and a sense that this could be an interesting way to make a living. More than 36 years later, with the addition of some 40 dedicated and talented researchers, salespersons, and creative personnel, Bauman Rare Books has evolved into one of the finest and most respected antiquarian book firms in existence today. With locations in three great cities—Madison Avenue in New York; Center City in Philadelphia; and The Shoppes at the Palazzo in Las Vegas —the company is distinguished by its extraordinary inventory, meticulous research and exceptional customer service. Bauman has worked with both individual and corporate collectors to build some of the most extensive and impressive rare book collections in America today. www.baumanrarebooks.com, 702-948-1617.

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