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68-470: Materials housed in special collections can be in any format (including rare books , manuscripts , photographs , archives , ephemera , and digital records ), and are generally characterized by their artifactual or monetary value , physical format, uniqueness or rarity, and/or an institutional commitment to long-term preservation and access. They can also include association with important figures or institutions in history, culture, politics, sciences, or

136-589: A bookman which is another term for a person who has a love of books. Book collecting can be easy and inexpensive: there are millions of new and used books which are available in brick and mortar bookstores as well as online bookstores. Large book sellers include AbeBooks , Alibris , Amazon , and Biblio.com , and there are independent booksellers that can be found online by searching key words such as: books, books for sale, bookseller, bookstore, rare books, collectibles, etc. Books traditionally were only printed on paper and then pages were bound together; however, in

204-461: A color range than dyes. Pigments are solid, opaque particles suspended in ink to provide color. Pigment molecules typically link together in crystalline structures that are 0.1–2 μm in size and comprise 5–30 percent of the ink volume. Qualities such as hue , saturation , and lightness vary depending on the source and type of pigment.Solvent-based inks are widely used for high-speed printing and applications that require quick drying times. And

272-782: A pestle and mortar , then pour it into a ceramic dish to dry. To use the dry mixture, a wet brush would be applied until it reliquified. The manufacture of India ink was well-established by the Cao Wei dynasty (220–265 AD). Indian documents written in Kharosthi with ink have been unearthed in Xinjiang . The practice of writing with ink and a sharp pointed needle was common in early South India. Several Buddhist and Jain sutras in India were compiled in ink. Cephalopod ink , known as sepia , turns from dark blue-black to brown on drying, and

340-504: A book is bowed (bent like a drawn bow ). Thick hardbound books also tend to have their pages sag downward in the middle even if they are sitting level on a shelf. New books are readily available from bookstores and online. Out-of-print , used , antiquarian, rare and collectible books are available in specialty bookstores both in person and online. Large online booksellers such as Abebooks , Alibris , Amazon , and Biblio , list inventory from other stores and collectors (charging them

408-446: A catalyst to cellulose oxidation. These chemical reactions physically weaken the paper, causing brittleness . Indelible means "un-removable". Some types of indelible ink have a very short shelf life because of the quickly evaporating solvents used. India, Mexico, Indonesia, Malaysia and other developing countries have used indelible ink in the form of electoral stain to prevent electoral fraud . Election ink based on silver nitrate

476-404: A change of ink texture or formation of plaque on the surface of the ink (Reibland & de Groot 1999). Iron gall inks require storage in a stable environment, because fluctuating relative humidity increases the rate that formic acid, acetic acid, and furan derivatives form in the material the ink was used on. Sulfuric acid acts as a catalyst to cellulose hydrolysis, and iron (II) sulfate acts as

544-427: A common pen can be harmful. Though ink does not easily cause death, repeated skin contact or ingestion can cause effects such as severe headaches, skin irritation, or nervous system damage. These effects can be caused by solvents, or by pigment ingredients such as p -Anisidine , which helps create some inks' color and shine. Three main environmental issues with ink are: Some regulatory bodies have set standards for

612-431: A complex medium, composed of solvents , pigments, dyes , resins , lubricants , solubilizers , surfactants , particulate matter , fluorescents , and other materials. The components of inks serve many purposes; the ink's carrier, colorants, and other additives affect the flow and thickness of the ink and its dry appearance. Many ancient cultures around the world have independently discovered and formulated inks due to

680-661: A drier. The earliest Chinese inks may date to four millennia ago, to the Chinese Neolithic Period . These included plant, animal, and mineral inks, based on such materials as graphite ; these were ground with water and applied with ink brushes . Direct evidence for the earliest Chinese inks, similar to modern inksticks , is found around 256 BC, in the end of the Warring States period ; being produced from soot and animal glue . The preferred inks for drawing or painting on paper or silk are produced from

748-485: A given copy. As with other collectibles, prices rise and fall with the popularity of a given author, title, or subject. Because of the huge number of books for sale and the constantly changing marketplace of editions available, there is no single comprehensive price guide for collectible books. The prices of the copies listed for sale at the online bookseller sites provide some indication of their current market values. The Rothschild Prayerbook sold for $ 13.6 million while

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816-460: A growing popularity of book collecting with the increasingly literate public. With the advent of the Romantic era in the 18th century and its focus on the past, book collectors began to show an interest in old books, antiquarian editions and manuscripts. This new emphasis was nourished by the flood of old books onto the market following the dissolution of monastic and aristocratic libraries during

884-552: A later edition, is worth a fraction of the first edition, but still fetches in the thousands of dollars as an illustrated book from the era in which Milton lived. There were many editions of Alexander Pope 's translation of The Iliad and The Odyssey . The first edition of 1715-1720 is worth a small fortune whereas slightly later 18th-century editions are a lot less expensive but still garner premium prices. The John Ogilby 17th-century translations of Homer 's The Iliad and The Odyssey garner hefty prices, but not as much as

952-400: A monthly fee and commission charges). Smaller online rare book stores can be found by doing a general search engine inquiry using keywords such as: rare books, collectible books, rare collectibles, out of print books for sales. Antique and collectible stores may have books for sale as well. Major auction houses auction off rare and collectible books; some local auction houses sell rare books by

1020-401: A polymer to suspend the carbon nanotubes. These inks can be used in inkjet printers and produce electrically conductive patterns. Iron gall inks became prominent in the early 12th century; they were used for centuries and were widely thought to be the best type of ink. However, iron gall ink is corrosive and damages paper over time (Waters 1940). Items containing this ink can become brittle and

1088-400: A prominent previous owner if the provenance is well documented. Books owned by well-known individuals that also have a connection with the author (often as a gift from the author with a written dedication to the recipient) are known as association copies . The American School Library is an example of a very rare multi-volume boxed set with works by many popular or famous authors. Apparently

1156-534: A reservoir. In the 15th century, a new type of ink had to be developed in Europe for the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg . According to Martyn Lyons in his book Books: A Living History , Gutenberg's dye was indelible, oil-based, and made from the soot of lamps (lamp-black) mixed with varnish and egg white. Two types of ink were prevalent at the time: the Greek and Roman writing ink (soot, glue, and water) and

1224-656: A special collections area or division can be a fundamental part of their mission. Some special collections are standalone institutions that are privately funded, such as the Newberry Library or the American Antiquarian Society while others are part of a larger institution, such as the Beinecke Library at Yale University or Special Collections at University College London . Many American university special collections grew out of

1292-682: A special collections department or managed separately, and whilst rare books and manuscripts are often kept within special collections some institutions may use the term exclusively for modern material. Larger, historically distinct collections may also be managed as part of a Special Collections department: for example, the British Cartoon Archive at the University of Kent is part of the Templeman Library 's Special Collections & Archives. For research libraries,

1360-439: A thickener. When first put to paper, this ink is bluish-black. Over time it fades to a dull brown. Scribes in medieval Europe (about AD 800 to 1500) wrote principally on parchment or vellum . One 12th century ink recipe called for hawthorn branches to be cut in the spring and left to dry. Then the bark was pounded from the branches and soaked in water for eight days. The water was boiled until it thickened and turned black. Wine

1428-515: Is much more general in its outlook. In the ancient world, papyri and scrolls (the precursors of the book in codex form) were collected by both institutions and private individuals. In surviving accounts there are references to bibliophile book collectors in that era. Xenophon wrote disparagingly of a man who tried to collect more books than his friends. Seneca the Younger was skeptical of those who collect books they do not read, asking: "What

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1496-569: Is that carbon ink does not harm paper. Over time, the ink is chemically stable and therefore does not threaten the paper's strength. Despite these benefits, carbon ink is not ideal for permanence and ease of preservation. Carbon ink tends to smudge in humid environments and can be washed off surfaces. The best method of preserving a document written in carbon ink is to store it in a dry environment (Barrow 1972). Recently, carbon inks made from carbon nanotubes have been successfully created. They are similar in composition to traditional inks in that they use

1564-558: Is the use of possessing numberless books and libraries, whose titles their owner can hardly read through in a lifetime?" Book collectors in western antiquity prized accurate transcription and high-quality materials. In 1344 the English bishop Richard de Bury wrote The Philobiblon , in which he praised the love and appreciation of books. Philip the Good brought together a collection of "about six hundred manuscripts in his possession at

1632-537: The COVID-19 pandemic . Rare books Book collecting is the collecting of books , including seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever books are of interest to a given collector. The love of books is bibliophilia , and someone who loves to read, admire, and a person who collects books is often called a bibliophile but can also be known as an bibliolater , meaning being overly devoted to books, or

1700-640: The French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars . The British Whig politician George John, 2nd Earl Spencer (1758-1834) collected tens of thousands of volumes. Strengths of his collection included first editions of the classics; works produced by important early presses, and notably an almost complete collection of Aldine editions ; and many Bibles. In 1812 he founded the bibliophilic Roxburghe Club . Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872) collected 40,000 printed books and 60,000 manuscripts. He

1768-483: The Gutenberg Bible and Shakespeare's First Folio , books which are both famous and extremely valuable. Collectors of lesser means may collect works by a favorite author, first editions of modern authors, or books of a certain genre. Book prices generally depend on the demand for a given edition which is based on factors such as the number of copies available, the book's condition, and if they were signed by

1836-495: The St Cuthbert Gospel sold for $ 14.7 million. Both of these religious texts were sold in 2012. The Northumberland Bestiary sold for $ 20 million in 2007. The New Book of Tang sold for $ 17.1 million in 2018. William Shakespeare ’s First Folio , printed in 1623, sold for $ 9.978 million in 2020. An Action Comics #1 issue sold for a record $ 3.2 million in 2014 with a cover price of 10 cents. As with other collectibles,

1904-454: The temperature , humidity , illumination , and other environmental conditions are carefully monitored to ensure the integrity of materials, and adequate security is provided to protect the materials from unauthorized access, theft, and vandalism. Offsite storage facilities have become increasingly popular among institutions holding special collections. Most libraries consider it their mandate to maintain acquisition of new collections, although

1972-560: The 12th century variety composed of ferrous sulfate, gall, gum, and water. Neither of these handwriting inks could adhere to printing surfaces without creating blurs. Eventually an oily, varnish -like ink made of soot, turpentine , and walnut oil was created specifically for the printing press. Ink formulas vary, but commonly involve two components: Inks generally fall into four classes: Pigment inks are used more frequently than dyes because they are more color-fast, but they are also more expensive, less consistent in color, and have less of

2040-577: The amount of heavy metals in ink. There is a trend toward vegetable oils rather than petroleum oils in recent years in response to a demand for better environmental sustainability performance. Ink uses up non-renewable oils and metals, which has a negative impact on the environment. Carbon inks were commonly made from lampblack or soot and a binding agent such as gum arabic or animal glue . The binding agent keeps carbon particles in suspension and adhered to paper. Carbon particles do not fade over time even when bleached or when in sunlight. One benefit

2108-561: The arts. Some special collections are recognised as being of global importance; the UNESCO Memory of the World Register includes documentary heritage material. Individual libraries or archival institutions determine for themselves what constitute their own special collections, resulting in a somewhat mutable definition that is often a legacy of the institution's organisational structure. For example, archives may be part of

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2176-424: The author (and/or editor or illustrator, if applicable) or by a famous previous owner. For example, a first edition “And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street” can reach the price of $ 12,000 in the best condition. Some collectors join associations such as The Fine Press Book Association, which is aimed at collectors of modern fine printing . The Private Libraries Association also covers modern fine printing, but

2244-505: The best solution. Yet others think an aqueous procedure may preserve items written with iron gall ink. Aqueous treatments include distilled water at different temperatures, calcium hydroxide, calcium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium bicarbonate, and calcium hyphenate. There are many possible side effects from these treatments. There can be mechanical damage, which further weakens the paper. Paper color or ink color may change, and ink may bleed. Other consequences of aqueous treatment are

2312-407: The binding, or missing entirely. A book in good condition should be a rectangular solid when at rest, whether upright or on its back, with the covers at right angles to the spine. If a book is out of square, usually from resting crooked on a shelf, or leans to the right or left when on its back, it is cocked , or shelf-cocked . If the covers bend in or flare out, usually from rapid humidity changes,

2380-514: The book, and can increase the risk of inadvertent damage. However, the theatrical effect of showing a rare book being handled with gloved hands may increase its selling price. Common defects include general wear; dust jacket or cover edge wear, scratches, and tears; the previous owner's written name, bookplate , or label; soil and stains; dogeared pages; underlining, highlighting, and marginalia; water damage; torn hinges, endpapers and pages; and pages, illustrations, or whole signatures free of

2448-526: The carton. Other sources can include estate , yard, garage , or rummage sales ; and charity fund-raisers. Antiquarian book collecting may be roughly defined as an interest in books printed prior to 1900 and can encompass interest in 19th, 18th, 17th, 16th, and 15th-century books. Antiquarian book collectors are not exclusively interested in first editions and first printings, although they can be. European books created before 1455 are all hand-written and are therefore one-of-a-kind historical artifacts in which

2516-533: The collected works of William Shakespeare ) garnered a record-breaking $ 9,978,000 at Christie's in October 2020. Later 17th-century folios of William Shakespeare 's works can still fetch about the price of a small house but are more readily available and relatively obtainable, whereas almost all extant copies of the First Folio are owned by libraries, museums or universities and thus are unlikely to appear on

2584-578: The collections for which they are responsible. Items in a special collection are usually stored in closed stacks (not directly accessible to the institution's patrons) which contain noncirculating items, meaning that items cannot be loaned or otherwise removed from the premises. Access to materials is usually under supervision. Depending on the policies of an institution holding special collections, researchers may be asked to present identification cards, letters of reference, or other credentials to gain access. Most special collections are stored in areas in which

2652-415: The first edition is not always obtainable, either because of price and/or availability. Later editions/printings from an era of interest are still often desirable to the antiquarian collector as they are also artifacts. For example, a first edition of Paradise Lost (1667) by John Milton can fetch equivalent to a down payment on a house. However, the first illustrated folio edition of 1688, technically

2720-644: The first edition of the Pope translation. This may be in part due to a significant number of copies of Ogilby's first edition that probably perished in the Great Fire of London of 1666. The first English movable-type printer was Caxton in the late 15th century. Editions of his books from the 15th century are very rare. Occasionally, 16th-century editions similar to Caxton's books appear among antiquarian book dealers and auctions, often fetching very high prices. The last Shakespeare First Folio of 1623 (first edition of

2788-428: The fresh print. Other methods include harder paper sizing and more specialized paper coatings. The latter is particularly suited to inks used in non-industrial settings (which must conform to tighter toxicity and emission controls), such as inkjet printer inks. Another technique involves coating the paper with a charged coating. If the dye has the opposite charge, it is attracted to and retained by this coating, while

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2856-534: The height of his reign", which was the largest private collection of his day. With the advent of the printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century, which resulted in cheaper and more abundant books, and with the contemporaneous economic, social and political changes of the Renaissance , book collecting received a great impetus. Jean Grolier , the Treasurer-General of France,

2924-405: The idea of "edition" and "printing" is irrelevant. Any book printed up to the year 1501 is known as an incunable or incunabulum. Such books command a premium and are particularly sought after by collectors interested in the history of printing. There is also an interest among antiquarians for books beautifully made with fine bindings and high quality paper. For many books printed before about 1770,

2992-539: The inclusion of TiO2 powder provides superior coverage and vibrant colors. Dye-based inks are generally much stronger than pigment-based inks and can produce much more color of a given density per unit of mass. However, because dyes are dissolved in the liquid phase, they have a tendency to soak into paper, potentially allowing the ink to bleed at the edges of an image. To circumvent this problem, dye-based inks are made with solvents that dry rapidly or are used with quick-drying methods of printing, such as blowing hot air on

3060-497: The intensity and appearance of dyes. Dye-based inks can be used for anti-counterfeit purposes and can be found in some gel inks, fountain pen inks, and inks used for paper currency. These inks react with cellulose to bring about a permanent color change. Dye based inks are used to color hair. There is a misconception that ink is non-toxic even if swallowed. Once ingested, ink can be hazardous to one's health. Certain inks, such as those used in digital printers, and even those found in

3128-582: The invention of block printing during the early Tang dynasty , with both imperial and private collections blooming throughout the country. However, the systematic study of book collecting began only during the Qing dynasty . Virtual book collecting can be described as collecting books in a digital format (virtually) on a computer or other electronic device. A bibliophile may acquire ebooks by downloading them or copying from borrowed media, such as CDs and DVDs. However, this may violate copyright law, depending on

3196-540: The license under which the ebook was released. Ebooks acquired from Project Gutenberg and many similar free collections cause no violation as they have gone out of copyright, have been released under a Creative Commons license , or else are in the public domain. For more modern accounts, see the series of books on book-collectors, book-collecting and "bibliomania" by Nicholas A. Basbanes : Follow husband and wife team Lawrence & Nancy Goldstone as they search for rare and collectible volumes, and explore real mysteries in

3264-428: The limitations of their physical plants may not be able to handle all that is acquired. Storing materials offsite allows flexibility in how libraries design and apportion their space and provides security for materials. The 2010 "Taking Our Pulse" report cites a survey in which 67% of responding institutions use offsite facilities, with another 5% in planning stages. Special reading rooms are often provided to minimize

3332-448: The market. For the antiquarian collector, how a particular book's production fits into a larger historical context can be as important as the edition, even if it may not be a first edition. Also of interest are books previously owned by famous persons, or personages of high stature, such as someone from royalty or the nobility. Tracing the history of an antiquarian book's possession history, referred to as " provenance ", can markedly affect

3400-604: The merging of rare book rooms and manuscripts departments in a university's library system. In contrast to general (or circulating) libraries, the uniqueness of special collections means that they are not easily replaced (if at all) and therefore require a higher level of security and handling. The primary function of a special collections division is to foster research by providing researchers and interested groups or individuals access to items while ensuring their longevity. Many staff members involved with special collections have either advanced degrees or specialized training related to

3468-642: The need to write and draw. The recipes and techniques for the production of ink are derived from archaeological analyses or from written texts itself. The earliest inks from all civilizations are believed to have been made with lampblack , a kind of soot , easily collected as a by-product of fire. Ink was used in Ancient Egypt for writing and drawing on papyrus from at least the 26th century BC. Egyptian red and black inks included iron and ocher as pigments, in addition to phosphate , sulfate , chloride , and carboxylate ions, with lead also used as

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3536-657: The only extant full set is owned by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History . The history of book collecting in China dates back over two millennia. An important effort to collect books in China was made during the early Han dynasty by the government, as many important books were burned during the Qin dynasty . From then on, book collecting began to flourish in China, particularly after

3604-441: The paper, and paper composition (Barrow 1972:16). Corrosion is caused by acid catalyzed hydrolysis and iron(II)-catalysed oxidation of cellulose (Rouchon-Quillet 2004:389). Treatment is a controversial subject. No treatment undoes damage already caused by acidic ink. Deterioration can only be stopped or slowed. Some think it best not to treat the item at all for fear of the consequences. Others believe that non-aqueous procedures are

3672-411: The past decade or so, books are also available in audio format through websites such as Audible, Google Audiobooks, Librivox, Kobo Audiobooks, and Downpour. Users of these sites can purchase a large library of books that they can access at any time using a phone, tablet, or computer. Just like hard copy books, audio books can be accumulated over many years. Wealthy book collectors pursue rarities such as

3740-451: The presence of food and beverages. Protective gloves are sometimes required when consulting particularly delicate materials, photographs, and metal objects, and many libraries may require that books be read only while resting in special cradles. Research libraries are increasingly investigating offering virtual reading rooms and virtual teaching environments to support remote access to special collections - work which has been accelerated since

3808-402: The railroad magnate Henry Huntington and the financier and banker J. Pierpont Morgan . Well-known book collectors of the 20th century included Eric Quayle ( children's books ), Henry Wellcome ( history of medicine ) and Michael Sadleir ( Victorian fiction ). Book prices generally depend on the demand for a given book, the number of copies available for purchase, and the condition of

3876-456: The rare-book world, in: For book collecting in China, see: Ink Ink is a gel , sol , or solution that contains at least one colorant , such as a dye or pigment , and is used to color a surface to produce an image , text , or design . Ink is used for drawing or writing with a pen , brush , reed pen , or quill . Thicker inks, in paste form, are used extensively in letterpress and lithographic printing . Ink can be

3944-412: The resin of the pine trees between 50 and 100 years old. The Chinese inkstick is produced with a fish glue, whereas Japanese glue (膠 nikawa ) is from cow or stag. India ink was invented in China, though materials were often traded from India, hence the name. The traditional Chinese method of making the ink was to grind a mixture of hide glue, carbon black , lampblack, and bone black pigment with

4012-409: The risk to holdings while being consulted by patrons, which are sometimes monitored by library personnel who also provide reference assistance and relay requests for materials. Rules often apply to use of materials in order to protect against inadvertent damage; Writing implements which use ink are very commonly prohibited, as well as flash photography, use of mobile phones (except for photography), and

4080-544: The solvent soaks into the paper. Cellulose , the wood-derived material most paper is made of, is naturally charged, and so a compound that complexes with both the dye and the paper's surface aids retention at the surface. Such a compound is commonly used in ink-jet printing inks. An additional advantage of dye-based ink systems is that the dye molecules can interact with other ink ingredients, potentially allowing greater benefit as compared to pigmented inks from optical brighteners and color-enhancing agents designed to increase

4148-528: The value of a book ultimately depends on its physical condition. Years of handling, moving, and storage take their toll on the dust jacket , cover, pages, and binding. Books are subject to damage from sunlight, moisture, and insects. Acid from the paper making process can cause the pages to develop brown spots, called foxing ; gradually turn brown, called tanning ; and ultimately crumble. Despite appearing in many films and other popular culture, wearing cotton gloves while handling old or rare books does not protect

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4216-456: The value of a copy, even if it is not desirable per se . For example, a copy of a less-important 18th-century book known to have been owned by Voltaire would achieve a value many times its stand-alone market value, simply because it was once in Voltaire's possession. Previous owners of books often signed their copies or labelled them with bookplates , and it is often not difficult to identify

4284-480: The writing fades to brown. The original scores of Johann Sebastian Bach are threatened by the destructive properties of iron gall ink. The majority of his works are held by the German State Library, and about 25% of those are in advanced stages of decay (American Libraries 2000). The rate at which the writing fades is based on several factors, such as proportions of ink ingredients, amount deposited on

4352-416: Was "the greatest collector of manuscript material the world has ever known". His zealous collecting efforts, which were termed bibliomania by Thomas Frognall Dibdin , resulted in the preservation of much historical material, particularly manuscripts, that would otherwise have been destroyed. The increasingly wealthy United States during the 19th century saw the appearance of "titan" book collectors such as

4420-412: Was added during boiling. The ink was poured into special bags and hung in the sun. Once dried, the mixture was mixed with wine and iron salt over a fire to make the final ink. The reservoir pen, which may have been the first fountain pen , dates back to 953, when Ma'ād al-Mu'izz , the caliph of Egypt, demanded a pen that would not stain his hands or clothes, and was provided with a pen that held ink in

4488-586: Was an English antiquarian reaction to Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries . The commissioners of Edward VI plundered and stripped university , college , and monastic libraries; so to save books from being destroyed, those who could, such as Archbishop Matthew Parker and Sir Robert Cotton , began to collect them. By the late 17th century, millions of printed books were in circulation and auctions devoted to books began to occur and printed catalogues devoted to books began to be issued by book dealers and by auction houses in Europe and America, leading to

4556-688: Was an important bibliophile and book collector of this period. Grolier owned a library of 3,000 volumes and was known for his love of the Latin classics and of richly decorated bookbindings . He was a patron of the Aldine Press that had been founded by the prominent Renaissance printer, typographer, editor and publisher Aldus Manutius the Elder . During the Reformation many monastic libraries were broken up, and their contents often destroyed. There

4624-527: Was used as an ink in the Graeco-Roman period and subsequently. Black atramentum was also used in ancient Rome ; in an article for The Christian Science Monitor , Sharon J. Huntington describes these other historical inks: About 1,600 years ago, a popular ink recipe was created. The recipe was used for centuries. Iron salts, such as ferrous sulfate (made by treating iron with sulfuric acid), were mixed with tannin from gallnuts (they grow on trees) and

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