Rare Book Handling and Storage Guide
Forget about the myths of white gloves and join us as we reveal the engaging truth behind rare book care!
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Gloves Off, Hands On
Contrary to popular belief, white gloves should not be worn when handling rare books. Your clean and dry hands are all that's required. So, no more awkward fumbling with gloves – let your tactile senses indulge in the pages of history!
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A Gentle Opening
When opening a leather-bound beauty, be mindful of its vulnerable joints. Avoid laying the book flat and flipping the front cover open. Instead, hold it in one hand and gently open it with the other, supporting the cover's weight with your fingers. A little care goes a long way!
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Handling Larger Books with Confidence
Dealing with larger tomes can be intimidating, but fear not! Lower the spine gently onto a book cushion or any forgiving surface. With one hand holding the book upright, gracefully lower one cover until it rests on the surface, then do the same for the other. Voila! Now you can turn the pages with panache.
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Organising Rare Books with Style
For larger books, a sideways stack is allowed, but don't go overboard. Avoid putting excessive pressure on books. Remember, it's all about keeping things balanced and organised – like a well-curated bookshelf gallery!
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Wrapping Dust Jackets with Care
Dust jackets need love too! Shield them from the elements with a clear acetate cover. But don't go overboard with plastic; we're looking out for our books, not trapping moisture!
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Finding the Ideal Climate for Your Collection
Finding the right temperature for your books is like striking a harmonious note in a symphony. What's comfortable for the book collector is comfortable for their books, but do keep your bookshelves away from direct sources of heat or air conditioning. Keeping the humidity and temperature balanced throughout the year will make for happy folios (and quartos, and octavos and....)
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Shielding Rare Books from Harmful Light
Watch out for direct sunlight which is a rare book's worst enemy. Avoid fading spines and increased temperatures by keeping your books away from the sun. UV filter films and bookshelves with doors will protect your beloved collection.
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AVOID: Water, Smoke, and Fire!
It's time for a little avoidance game. Stay clear of water sources near your bookshelves – books and water don't mix well. Also, let's not turn our libraries into smokehouses, as books are fantastic scent retainers. And while we're at it, let's keep the fire away from those cherished bindings. Solander cases to the rescue!
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Dust Busting Dance
Dust bunnies are not welcome on your bookshelves. Keep those pages gleaming by regularly dusting your collection with a soft brush. Doors on bookshelves make the dust evasion even more impressive!
With these engaging and original tips for rare book care, you're well on your way to becoming a master of literary preservation. So, go forth, handle your precious books with confidence, and let the stories they hold continue to enchant the world! Happy reading and caring!
About Us
Shapero Rare Books is an internationally renowned dealer in London, specialising in antiquarian & rare books and works on paper, with particular expertise in fine illustrated books from the 15th to the 20th century, travel & voyages, natural history, modern firsts, rare children’s books, guidebooks, Hebraica & Judaica, Eastern European, and Islamica.
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FEATURED ITEMS
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The Strategy of Peace.
KENNEDY, John F.Original price £9,500.00 - Original price £9,500.00Original price £0.00£9,500.00£9,500.00 - £9,500.00Current price £9,500.00Inscribed by the President. The first edition, first impression of this collection of essays and speeches by John F. Kennedy on his foreign policy ...
View full detailsOriginal price £9,500.00 - Original price £9,500.00Original price £0.00£9,500.00£9,500.00 - £9,500.00Current price £9,500.00 -
Picturesque Hong Kong.
[HONG KONG]. HAZELL, Denis H. (photographer).Original price £1,000.00 - Original price £1,000.00Original price £0.00£1,000.00£1,000.00 - £1,000.00Current price £1,000.00A very attractive series of photographs showing Hong Kong in the colonial era.'Denis Henry Hazell (1897-1970) was a British businessman. Some of h...
View full detailsOriginal price £1,000.00 - Original price £1,000.00Original price £0.00£1,000.00£1,000.00 - £1,000.00Current price £1,000.00 -
Reaching for the Moon.
ALDRIN, Buzz & MINOR, Wendell (illustrator).Original price £375.00 - Original price £375.00Original price £0.00£375.00£375.00 - £375.00Current price £375.00Signed by buzz aldrin. First edition, first printing of this picture book autobiography of Buzz Aldrin, signed by both Aldrin and illustrator Wende...
View full detailsOriginal price £375.00 - Original price £375.00Original price £0.00£375.00£375.00 - £375.00Current price £375.00 -
The Capital of the Tycoon.
ALCOCK, Sir John Rutherford.Original price £1,250.00 - Original price £1,250.00Original price £0.00£1,250.00£1,250.00 - £1,250.00Current price £1,250.00A handsome set of Sir John Rutherford Alcock's (1809-1897) account of his time as the first British diplomatic representative to reside in Japan.A...
View full detailsOriginal price £1,250.00 - Original price £1,250.00Original price £0.00£1,250.00£1,250.00 - £1,250.00Current price £1,250.00 -
Operations in Waziristan 1919-1920.
[CONFIDENTIAL] - General Staff Army Headquarters, India.Original price £1,500.00 - Original price £1,500.00Original price £0.00£1,500.00£1,500.00 - £1,500.00Current price £1,500.00The scarce official account of the Waziristan campaign 1919–1920, and preceding 1917 conflict, with copious views and maps of the scarcely travers...
View full detailsOriginal price £1,500.00 - Original price £1,500.00Original price £0.00£1,500.00£1,500.00 - £1,500.00Current price £1,500.00 -
Travels to Tana and Persia. [WITH] A narrative of Italian travels in Persia in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
BARBARO, Josafa; Ambrogio ContariniOriginal price £200.00 - Original price £200.00Original price £0.00£200.00£200.00 - £200.00Current price £200.00Hakluyt Society, first series, 49a & 49b.Important collection of early travels to Persia. The second part contains accounts by Caterino Zeno. ...
View full detailsOriginal price £200.00 - Original price £200.00Original price £0.00£200.00£200.00 - £200.00Current price £200.00 -
Bilingual Coptic-Arabic Psalter,
[PSALTER].Original price £12,500.00 - Original price £12,500.00Original price £0.00£12,500.00£12,500.00 - £12,500.00Current price £12,500.00From the monastery of saint anthony. This volume bears witness to a very specific monastery in Egypt known as the Monastery of Saint Anthony, in th...
View full detailsOriginal price £12,500.00 - Original price £12,500.00Original price £0.00£12,500.00£12,500.00 - £12,500.00Current price £12,500.00 -
Call for the Dead.
LE CARRÉ, John.Original price £9,750.00 - Original price £9,750.00Original price £0.00£9,750.00£9,750.00 - £9,750.00Current price £9,750.00First edition of the author's first novel. The exceedingly scarce first edition of the author's first novel, introducing the character of George Sm...
View full detailsOriginal price £9,750.00 - Original price £9,750.00Original price £0.00£9,750.00£9,750.00 - £9,750.00Current price £9,750.00 -
A Humument.
PHILLIPS, Tom.Original price £5,000.00 - Original price £5,000.00Original price £0.00£5,000.00£5,000.00 - £5,000.00Current price £5,000.00Inscribed presentation copy. Inscribed to Hilary Gerrard, Ringo Starr's manager for over thirty years and a director of the Beatles company Apple C...
View full detailsOriginal price £5,000.00 - Original price £5,000.00Original price £0.00£5,000.00£5,000.00 - £5,000.00Current price £5,000.00
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