![]() To which was later added one of the few perfect Gutenberg Bibles-the object of a 1969 burglary attempt conjectured by Harvard's police chief to have been inspired by the 1964 heist film Topkapi.Ĭampus legends holding that Harry Widener's fate led to the institution of an undergraduate swimming-proficiency requirement, and that an additional donation from his mother subsidizes ice cream at Harvard meals, are without foundation. "the precious group of rare and wonderfully interesting books brought together by Mr. Its 57 miles (92 km) of shelves, along five miles (8 km) of aisles on ten levels, comprise a " labyrinth" which one student "could not enter without feeling that she ought to carry a compass, a sandwich, and a whistle." Īt the building's heart are the Widener Memorial Rooms, displaying papers and mementos recalling the life and death of Harry Widener, as well as the The library's holdings, which include works in more than one hundred languages, comprise "one of the world's most comprehensive research collections in the humanities and social sciences." It honors 1907 Harvard College graduate and book collector Harry Elkins Widener, and was built by his mother Eleanor Elkins Widener after his death in the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. The IRS and Insurance companies have specific requirements for appraisers.The Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, housing some 3.5 million books in its "vast and cavernous" stacks, is the centerpiece of the Harvard College Libraries (the libraries of Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences) and, more broadly, of the entire Harvard Library system. The average used book store is not usually qualified to perform formal appraisals for tax or insurance purposes. In more than a few instances I've had clients tell me that an experienced bookseller in their area has told them their collection was "not worth appraising" when in fact the total value was in excess of $40,000.00. It's also important to note that the average bookseller is not necessarily qualified to provide you with a formal appraisal of your collection. Always retain an appraiser who follows this practice. I do not purchase or attempt to purchase any books that I appraise. It's always best to have someone appraise your books who is experienced and who also has no conflict of interest regarding your collection. Be very cautious in having an auction company or bookseller value your books. In some cases auction companies, in an effort to have collectors consign merchandise to them, will over-value the items. If you are inquiring about only one or two (or a few) books please email information about the book(s) to CAUTIOUS OF AUCTION COMPANIES THAT ![]() If you're in doubt, simply email me and, in most cases, I can advise you. Not all books or collections of books are worth spending money on for an appraisal. ![]() At that point we will advise if the books have any value, let you know what the fee will be, and request images.ĭO YOU NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON A BOOK APPRAISAL? Please do not send photographic images until first contacting us with information about your book or books, viz., Author, Title, and date of publication. Please do not call about informal appraisals. For more information look at the "informal appraisals by email" tab. In most cases there is at least a $5 per book charge. My appraisals are backed by 34 years experience and research. My name is James Beattie, and it is I who will actually do the appraisals.ġ - Formal written book appraisals of collections for insurance, probate, or tax purposes.Ģ - Informal appraisals of 1-25 books by email. I work with lists and digital (or conventional) images. I routinely perform appraisals nationwide (and sometimes worldwide) without having to travel to the site. If you are interested in a professional, accurate book appraisal,of your collection, or have simply asked yourself, "what is the value of this book I found in the attic, then you have arrived at the appropriate site. ![]()
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