Are Little Leather Library Books Considered Rare Or Collectible?

Question

Heard Little Leather Library books are desirable to collectors now. Are editions from the 1920s–40s particularly valuable if they're in good condition? Some are tiny classics, right?

Rhona · Answer

It really depends on the set and the condition, though many of our printed sets are very collectible – especially a complete series that has been printed well. I have seen great interest in very old (vintage) pocket editions, often of individual books. This sort of book is usually collected for the physical experience of the book as a whole, and the tactile, curated experience of being held by the collector in a special collection of similar books. I can really think of no better example of this than the story ‘The Pleasure Archive’ – a non-book story about a man who creates a unique and highly personal archive of the unusual and the erotic. His ‘archive’ is a private journal in which he records every experience in great and sensory detail.

Charlotte · Answer

I have always been drawn to old books, but little leather library books are probably my favorite vintage find. Collectibility of these small volumes would depend on a number of factors including condition, age, and whether the book is part of a complete set of volumes by that author.

The literature is often beautifully crafted with embossed leather covers that give the book a time-less elegance. Titles like ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and ‘Jane Eyre’ are highly collectible and can be sold for a pretty penny. Prices for these mini tomes range from $20 to over $100 depending on their rarity and how popular they are with other collectors. So, if you happen to stumble upon a little library at a flea market or antique shop, grab it – it’s a piece of literary history!

Xavier · Answer

Many little leather library books are collectible. They are so small and their leather covers are so lovely. While there are many common ones, some are harder to find, especially the early editions or complete sets of a title. Some titles that are collected in leather are The Secret Garden and Treasure Island. Their value depends on their condition and how much people want them but they can be worth taking a look at if you like unusual books.

Oscar · Answer

I am happy to confirm that little leather library books are loved by book collectors. They are tiny books bound in leather which were originally published by companies such as The Little Leather Library Corporation in the early part of the 20th century. Many of the books were part of a subscription service and were often given as presents so well preserved copies of the books are highly sought after by collectors.

Many of these volumes were part of subscription services, and even many given as gifts are still around today in fine condition, with their original dust jacket, if any. Titles such as Alice in Wonderland and Pride and Prejudice can garner good sums of money when found in fine Little Leather Library versions. Also highly prized are volumes with special cover art and/or gilded edges. Often a collector seeks out entire sets of a particular title, and these command even greater sums.

Little leather library books have gained in popularity and are collected by antique book lovers and enthusiasts of tiny books as well as by serious collectors of rare and historic books.

Delilah · Answer

The little leather library books are treasures for the book lover. So small, with such beautiful leather bindings, many collectors search for these volumes. Not all of the books from The Little Leather Library are rare, but some of the editions or even titles can be very difficult to find in good condition.

Most of the titles that The Little Leather Library published were classics, such as ‘Aesop’s Fables’ and ‘The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam’. As far as collectibility goes, the fact that The Little Leather Library published these in mass quantity doesn’t take away from the value of the individually well-preserved titles. These little leather bound volumes are a fun addition to any vintage book collector’s library. So, keep your eyes peeled for these often-overlooked treasures.

Michelle Dawn Courtney · Answer

The question of whether or not these paperbacks are rare is somewhat of a redundant theme in my book. That the totems of culture produced in mass to be placed in every living room of the land, actually survived to this day, is a miracle. My first purchase was a battered, distressed leather-bound edition of The Ransom of Red Chief. It was a tattered, worn-out book that had been left in the attic of some house, but it was a timeless story that had been preserved within the leather covers. The accumulated history of all the hands that held these ‘collectible’ items before me is far more precious than any monetary value placed upon them today. They are touchstones. Yes, to some people, they may be collectible but, as with any artifact from any other bygone era, they are rare simply because they have been cared for and passed down through the generations.

Tae Hyung · Answer

For many collectors, the hardest part of the hobby is searching for specific titles. That one book that you are missing in a 50 volume set, becomes your white whale. You search for it online, and find it in a terrible condition, for way too much money. It lists for a while, and then it disappears for years. That search for that one book, is what defines many collectors. The common books are just steps to get to the rare ones. The rare books in a series are the oddball titles or the book with a short print run. They can be reprinted for decades, and then suddenly be reprinted for only a year or two. Knowing the hierarchy of rarity in the LLL universe is an advanced level of collecting, and that is where the serious money is spent, and the serious trading of books occurs.

Kayla Owens · Answer

Like all old books, the condition of a Little Leather Library book is paramount. Some copies are so dry that they crumble at the spine, while others appear almost new. Although all volumes of a title are published in identical illustrated boxes, those showing all volumes are far rarer than individual books. Also be aware of later reproductions and ‘in the style of’ books that are often misrepresented as originals. True Little Leather Library books have a very particular feel and smell, and online buyers should ask the seller for close-up photos of the spine stamp and any other publisher’s marks found on the inside of the front and back covers. A knowledgeable seller will provide these images, while an ignorant seller could be sitting on a goldmine or selling a heap of rubbish.

Sherri Davis Mckelvey · Answer

“Rarity” is a word that must be used with caution. Although millions of Children’s Books were printed, finding them in collectible condition is another matter altogether. The cheap leather used in their covers tends to dry out, crack and change color with age. Bright gilt titling and supple bindings are not typically found on worn books. But the cheap leather-covered Children’s Books have a kind of charm and are highly collectible, not least because of their nostalgic appeal and the fact that they look like a miniature library. They are indeed forerunners of those special edition books published in fancy cardboard boxes. For serious collectors, the first edition published by the original publisher, publications with short print runs, and those with unusual advertising inserts included are of most interest. Conditionally collectible with charming obscurity is perhaps the best way to describe these much-loved books.

Are Little Leather Library Books Considered Rare Or Collectible?

9 Answers

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