"Your Collection is Only as Good as Your library"
That was one of the favorite sayings, of a friend, who had the largest collection in the world in his category, and who couldn't pass up a book about his interests. Most of the most astute collectors and successful dealers (do you know any dealers that don't collect?) have large libraries of books on antiques and read them. My husband, who is a director of his collecting club, has noticed that he is spending a lot of time answering questions, on their forum, that could be found in already published material.
I just listed a book, The Collecting of Antiques, by Esther Singleton that was published in 1942. This book is a true reference, full of information about a variety of fine antiques with some photographs. It contrasts sharply with the typical, "picture and price guide" book that we see published today and that are so popular. "Let's see how many of the items pictured can we find". Price guides are very useful, but cannot always be taken literally. What an item is worth, is what someone is willing to pay, and most importantly, rarity. The price guides, even those that are out of date can give you a good indication of rarity. The picture books are fun, but don't forget to seek out the other many fine books on antiques and collectibles. We are lucky that so many have shared their knowledge with us and should support their efforts.
Another friend of ours, who was a large book dealer in New England, found one of the few rare copies of a book in an old trunk, that sold for huge sum. Someone remarked to him, "You were so lucky". His response was, No, I've been studying all my life, so that I would be ready when I found that item of a lifetime".
