There are so many courses on rare books. If you only have basic knowledge of rare books, which one would you recommend a beginner start with? If so, why? Also, there is a course called “Introduction to the Principles of Bibliographical Description”. (Link: https://rarebookschool.org/courses/details/g10/ )Can I ask what it is about? And how is bibliographical description different from cataloguing? Thank you and I look forward to all your comments!

P.S. How can I find a person to write a confidential letter of recommendation or evaluation for applying to the Rare Book School?

Hello,

I am searching for a physical copy of an incredibly rare, out-of-print Korean sci-fi web novel translation that was printed in a limited micro-press run (likely a localized, low-volume "소량인쇄" forum print) between **2009 and 2011**.

* **Title:** The Savior / Guwonja (Original Korean: 구원자)

* **Author:** Kim Wooram (김우람)

* **Format:** English translation, small indie press / paperback bound. No official ISBN.

**Distinct Plot Points to Identify It:**

* It features heavy themes of dimensional travel/transit.

* A very specific, memorable scene where a character has to eat a **whole cake** inside a cockpit/transit area to stabilize.

* The main character's father is prominently featured and is frequently smoking.

*(Note: I am specifically looking for the vintage 2009-2011 translation, not the modern adaptation/spiritual successor 'Project V' by Park Seolyeon*

I remember seeing fantastic planet sell for 10k on eBay about a decade ago and I bought for much less and held mine hoping the scarcity would bring up the rarity and price but it didn’t :) lol anyway I’ve read it and I guess I’m ready to part ways with it. Anyone have a good place? I’ve pretty much just been referred to eBay and Abe books. Loved the story though, was also a huge fan of the movie.

The books is a first edition, first print. I thought it was the Mott’s signature, but the only other copy of this book which is signed has a very clear photo of Mott’s signature and it looks nothing like this. I can’t find any example of Armani’s signature tho that isn’t just a print on a t shirt or some other widely printed thing, rather than a real example of his signature that isn’t used to upcharge something silly.

Lot 75 Catalog notes:

CURTIS, WILLIAM. Flora Londinensis: Or Plates and Descriptions of such Plants as Grow Wild in the Environs of London. FIRST EDITION. Bound in three volumes. Engraved oval title-page vignette in Volume I. With 432 hand-colored engraved plates.

Lightly browned. Modern uniform tan calf, covers bowed. Folio. Nissen BBI 439; Stafleu & Cowan 1286. London, For the author and B. White, 1777 and 1798.

William Curtis, famed apothecary and director of the Chelsea Physic Garden, issued his monumental Flora in serial parts starting in 1775. When sold as completed works, the sheets were provided with title pages to be bound at the discretion of the subscriber.

These volumes represents the apex of 18th-century British natural history. Curtis demanded an absolute 1:1 life-size scale for all specimens, capturing plants at multiple stages of growth and decay rather than static snapshots. The project features the earliest professional masterworks of James Sowerby and Sydenham Edwards. The intense labor cost of the hand-coloring eventually forced Curtis to pivot to his commercial Botanical Magazine to offset his losses on the Flora.

I see a lot of amazing books in here. Where do you guys find these gems!? I recently got into buying, selling and collecting books and I haven’t been able to find anything like what I see in groups like this. I think my best finds so far at Imagical World of Bosson book 1 & 2 (both signed) a sorcerers stone 1st/1st and a Where the Wild Things Are 1st edition. Amazing finds, don’t get me wrong but I want to find the 200 year old occult books and stuff like that. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Currently working on gathering a complete set of First American Editions for Jules Romains' "Men of Good Will" series. Halfway there with 7 out of 14.

I came across this old copy of dune at an estate sale among boxes and boxes of old sci-fi. They were all unceremoniously in old cardboard boxes, and looked like they hadn't been moved out of this storage room in years. Contextually, that would suggest to me that this signature is legit, but I can't find any examples where the "f" looks like this. Any Frank Herbert enthusiasts out there to help? Any info would be appreciated. I'm not looking to sell, but am puzzled by the odd signature style and location.

I have spent a long period of time bringing this text back to the fore of the industry. Signor Cesare Della Riviera was a philosopher and an Alchemist, as presumed by the content of his singular historical work "The Magical World of Heroes" published initially in 1603, later revised for the 1605 print. This is the version of the work which I have translated into English, and in many ways the volume compiled maintains the format and structure of the original.

There is a fact hidden within these alchemical texts, the fact is that the unknowing adepts were living out the unconscious. The master alchemists viewed alchemy as magic, but the truth is, that it was a pre-cursor to depth psychology and well learned Masters knew this, though they had not the language for it. It was not until the analyst of centuries later decoded the language and saw its pattern was a mirror-image of the psyche as they had discovered it.

Today this work is as relevant as it was then. My volume contains a detailed introduction as well as an appendix for an essay on the text framed through the lens of Analytical Psychology.

The book will be printed in a High-Quality 6x9 Hardcover format and will be ready on Oct 25th, early access is available to the charter members on our page. You can read the E-Book version or listen to the Audiobook there today!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy how this project turned out,

B. C. P. Statema,

13 Oct 2026, Kenosha, Wi.

Thethinkingpress.org

2nd print first edition Jaws, First edition Animal Farm and Time Machine, and last just a very cool old copy of war and peace!

Hello I found this book at Anime Expo with a seller who offers items from Japan and he had a section of his booth that had old books at monasteries and other places threw out when they got too damaged he gave it to me for free in my collection of other rare books that I bought from him because he said he was unable to translate it and had no clue where it came from despite being born in Japan himself and living there throughout most of his life
If anybody knows what kind of script this is it would be much appreciated because he said that it looks like it was written in a rush or by somebody with poor handwriting.

Hi everyone!

I recently received a copy of The Art of God of War III — Folio Limited Edition published by Ballistic Publishing, limited to only 300 copies worldwide.

My copy is numbered 052/300, which was a very exciting surprise! I believe it is authentic, but given how rare and valuable this edition may be, I'd really appreciate some help from anyone who has in-depth knowledge of this particular book.

I've included several photos documenting the item, from the outer presentation box to the book itself, the certificate of authenticity, the signatures, the gold seal, and a few minor condition issues.

Here are some details about my copy:

Number: 052/300, handwritten in black marker on the certificate of authenticity.

Certificate: Includes four signatures and a gold seal.

Presentation box: Overall in very good condition, with a small fold on one corner.

Book: The pages are in excellent condition overall. There is a small crease/tear on the introductory page featuring Kratos choking Helios.

Cover: The black satin-like material has picked up a little dust and a few small fibres. I'm not sure what the safest way to clean it would be, so I'd appreciate advice on that as well.

I also noticed that the gold seal on the certificate isn't perfectly centred, and that the seal appears to have some physical depth. I'm sharing these details in the hope that someone familiar with the original production can tell me whether they are consistent with genuine copies.

My main questions are:

Is there anyone here who knows this specific Ballistic Publishing edition well enough to help authenticate it?

Are the numbering, signatures, certificate, gold seal and overall construction consistent with a genuine copy?

Is there a specialist, publisher archive, or experienced collector I could contact and send additional high-resolution photos or a video to?

Given the edition's rarity and the condition of my copy, what would be a realistic current market value?

I'd also be open to selling it if there is genuine interest. To be completely transparent, I need to raise money for an upcoming move, so I am considering selling some of my collection. However, I would first like to learn as much as possible about this particular copy and establish a realistic value rather than make assumptions based on its rarity alone.

I'm not looking to claim that it's worth a fortune simply because it's limited to 300 copies. I'd much rather hear from people who genuinely know this edition.

Thank you in advance for any help, information, or leads. If anyone has specialist knowledge of this book, I'd be very happy to share additional photos privately!

God of War is one of my favourite franchises, so I'm really excited to have this piece in my collection, even if I eventually have to let it go.

I bought this book at an antique shop back when I lived in London. It’s a 1937 edition of Gulliver's Travels (illustrated by Arthur Rackham), a classic that I absolutely love.

​But the most curious thing happened when I was leafing through it at home: I discovered an old photographic negative tucked between the pages! I managed to "develop" the negative by inverting the colors using an app on my phone, and it revealed a woman standing by a harbor.

​The book also has a bookplate (ex libris) inside the cover with the name "Christine I. Fawell". I can't help but wonder if the woman in the photo is her!

​I’ve attached pictures of the book, the bookplate, the original negative, and the revealed photo. I’d love to get your thoughts on a couple of things:

​Does anyone recognize the harbor or the buildings in the background? It looks like a coastal town somewhere in the UK.

​If there are any fashion history experts here, what year or decade would you say her outfit (the coat and hat) is from?

​Would love to hear any clues you guys might have!

Hello, I started reading this book from my grandfathers old collection and realized it appears to be a first edition hardback of the book. I’ve done some digging to try and see if there’s any record of the hardback and was unable to find one. How rare is this book and is it worth anything? I’m not going to sell it but am more curious since I couldn’t find any hardback first editions.

Does anyone know where I can find a copy of this book? I have been looking everywhere online, but it feels impossible to find one. Every website that once sold it, says it’s sold out and they don’t know when/if it will be back. Please help if you can, thank you!!

I’m currently reading Air Spy by Constance Babington Smith, in an ITAK Corporation reprint I found on eBay. Unfortunately, this reprint contains no photographs or drawings.

I’d like to find an illustrated copy of Air Spy or Evidence in Camera, the British edition of the same work. Does anyone own either and have advice on which edition to look for? The copies I’ve found are quite expensive, so I’d appreciate knowing what visual material they contain before buying one.

I’m researching WWII photographic interpretation for Chinagraph, a game I’m developing, so the images are of particular interest alongside the text. Any pointers would be appreciated.

This is from the 1895 edition of the “New Library of Poetry and Song Volume 2” edited by William Cullen Bryant. The spine was ripped and when i looked inside, it has a bunch of signatures. None of them are from any page of the book. Any ideas?