The New Faces of Rare Book Collecting: Young Adults Redefine What It Means To Be A Rare Book Collector

What makes a book rare? Historically, books in great demand can gain this golden status through scarcity, condition, and even association with famous former owners. Other characteristics, such as historical relevance, physical properties such as age, and subject matter play a smaller role in determining the value of a book.

One of the most famous and rare books of all time is the Gutenberg Bible. There are only three complete vellum copies in existence today. While Houghton Library is Harvard’s home for rare books and manuscripts for works from Emily Dickinson to the collection of Theodore Roosevelt, the institution currently houses its two volume set in Widener Library, with one volume always on display in an upper reading room. One of the 48 surviving paper editions, this work is the prized possession of any collector lucky enough to own one. Yet in the age of the internet, there seems to be little interest — or space — for a couple of books in some homes, let alone volumes of expensive and delicate classics.

In 2022, at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair, young faces peppered the crowd of attendees and merchants. The daughter of the owner of Ankh Antiquarian Books in Chadstone, Australia, 22-year-old Laura Jaeger, plans to expand the store’s inventory to include subjects such as metaphysics and photography, in addition to the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian classics they already possess. She, and individuals like Kendall Spencer, who is an apprentice at DeWolfe & Wood Rare Books, are just the beginning of a move towards more diversity “behind a booth,” as Spencer puts it.

At this year’s California International Antiquarian Book Fair, hosted by the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America, the genres and topic represented by the convention have shifted to cater to all. Javier Ortega, a bookseller at Michael R. Thompson Rare Books in Los Angeles, reports a spike in interest for material on women’s studies and education, and Suzanna Beaupre, who works for rare bookseller Peter Harrington in London, stated that this new wave of interest has brought benefits for many artists.

“Forgotten women are now being recognized for their literary merits,” Baupre said.

Even works from previously established authors like Jane Austen, a 19th-century writer most famous for her 1813 work “Pride and Prejudice,” are gaining popularity as rare book collecting shines a spotlight on special editions of these beloved texts. In 2022, an edition of “Emma” sold for 375,000 pounds. The undisclosed buyer wanted the work to remain in England, so it now is on display at the research institution of Chawton House. This inscribed first-edition of Austen’s novel remains a fundamental piece of the history and culture of the United Kingdom, as well as a testament to the role that women played in developing the novel as an art form.

Rare book collecting, a hobby historically maintained by eccentric billionaires and wealthy universities, is now taking on new life among young readers. The rise of nostalgia and sentimentality in youth culture has cultivated a level of empathy and respect towards culture and history. These two values embody the very act of rare book collecting, and with the desire for comfort in media as well, the tangibility of information that is physically embodied by a book has increased the activity’s popularity among younger generations. There is nothing quite like the warm musky smell of book pages.

Young adults are redefining the concept of collecting and rare books as a whole. Many are moving towards a pattern of one off purchases rather than investing in systematic purchases, as Stephen Fowler of The Monkey’s Paw in Toronto, Ontario explains. Many novice collectors start by collecting special editions of works that hold personal value – a quiet, respectable pursuit.

One of the most notable groups from the new generation of rare book collectors are professionals in the technology industry. With their newfound wealth, many of these professionals have dove into the hobby due to their personal interest in works of fantasy or science fiction. Traditionally, many collectors start out by collecting special editions of works that hold personal value, then expand their collection to include more practical or unique books. With all the knowledge of the world at their fingertips, it seems that the new culture currently being developed by the new generation of collectors is balancing scarcity with nostalgia.

Francis Wahlgren, Heritage Auctions’ International Director of Rare Books and Manuscripts, attributed feelings of the past and memories as important components that push people to collect rare books.

“Nostalgia is a big factor,” Wahlgren said. “When you have people who can afford to pay a lot for something they loved growing up.”

Perhaps most young rare book collectors are grown up children attempting to heal their inner child. Young adults are continuing to preserve important moments in time and culture through these amassed collections.

The most important thing to remember about rare book collecting is that libraries remain a highly personal pursuit. Even experts recommend that all collectors start with subjects and authors they are truly passionate about.

“Collecting books with the sole intention of making a profit is the wrong way to go about it,” Wahlgren said.

If someone is going to spend a few hundred, or even some tens of thousands of dollars on a rare book, it might as well be one they like.

—Staff writer Emma D.D. Pham-Tran can be reached at emma.phamtran@thecrimson.com.