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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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 -
Eisen und Stahl.
RENGER-PATZSCH, Albert.Original price £9,750.00 - Original price £9,750.00Original price £0.00£9,750.00£9,750.00 - £9,750.00Current price £9,750.00Presentation copy. Presentation copy in the scarce dust-jacket, inscribed: '[...] / Essen den 18. Jan. 1935 / Albert Renger-Patzsch'.Eisen und Stah...
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 -
Les Européens.
CARTIER-BRESSON, Henri.Original price £8,750.00 - Original price £8,750.00Original price £0.00£8,750.00£8,750.00 - £8,750.00Current price £8,750.00In a presentation dust-jacket. One of a small number of copies issued in a presentation dust-jacket with the printed name of the recipient, this ex...
View full detailsOriginal price £8,750.00 - Original price £8,750.00Original price £0.00£8,750.00£8,750.00 - £8,750.00Current price £8,750.00 -
Three albums of Flowers and Views of the Holy Land, Jerusalem.
[ANON.]Original price £200.00 - Original price £200.00Original price £0.00£200.00£200.00 - £200.00Current price £200.00Early 20th-century souveniers from Jerusalem, containing local dried flowers and colour-lithograthed views of the Holy Land.Three small cloth back...
View full detailsOriginal price £200.00 - Original price £200.00Original price £0.00£200.00£200.00 - £200.00Current price £200.00 -
Altneuland, Roman von Theodor Herzl.
HERZL, Theodor.Original price £650.00 - Original price £650.00Original price £0.00£650.00£650.00 - £650.00Current price £650.00First Yiddish edition of the utopian novel by Herzl, in which he describes his vision of a Jewish state founded in Palestine.The novel Altneuland ...
View full detailsOriginal price £650.00 - Original price £650.00Original price £0.00£650.00£650.00 - £650.00Current price £650.00 -
Iton Rishmi.
ISRAEL, The Provisional Government of.Original price £3,500.00 - Original price £3,500.00Original price £0.00£3,500.00£3,500.00 - £3,500.00Current price £3,500.00The first publication of the declaration of the State of Israel. The first 25 issues of 'Iton Rishmi' containing the official publication of the Is...
View full detailsOriginal price £3,500.00 - Original price £3,500.00Original price £0.00£3,500.00£3,500.00 - £3,500.00Current price £3,500.00 -
In Hyde Park.
STENBERG, I. (?)Original price £550.00 - Original price £550.00Original price £0.00£550.00£550.00 - £550.00Current price £550.00An atmospheric original drawing by an unknown Soviet-Jewish artist.Graphite and watercolour on paper (42.8 x 36 cm). Signed bottom right and signe...
View full detailsOriginal price £550.00 - Original price £550.00Original price £0.00£550.00£550.00 - £550.00Current price £550.00 -
The South Pole.
AMUNDSEN, Roald.Original price £3,500.00 - Original price £3,500.00Original price £0.00£3,500.00£3,500.00 - £3,500.00Current price £3,500.00a cornerstone of Antarctic exploration; the account of the first expedition to reach the South Pole.A handsomely produced book containing ten full...
View full detailsOriginal price £3,500.00 - Original price £3,500.00Original price £0.00£3,500.00£3,500.00 - £3,500.00Current price £3,500.00
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