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| Grand Leather Bindings Collection £100 |
Kiss the Book
As many of you know, I'm an Antiquarian Bookseller, the purveyor of old and dusty volumes...It is not an easy way to make a living and indeed I have three other jobs in order to make ends meet.
However that is what I am. I can't stop being a 'Booklady'. The finding, buying and selling books is part of my life.
I have never lost the pleasure of the chase, the excitement I feel when I discover a rare and interesting book.
I then love to see a kindred spirit find that volume on my shelf, pick it up joyously, treat themselves and leave, clutching it to their chest in high delight.
Sadly that doesn't happen enough. You have to sell so many books just to cover the basic costs, let alone make a livable profit.
So I have come up with a new plan. I will still keep my stock but am venturing out into a changing world.
This is my post from my Facebook page of 'Kiss the Book' my company.
I though I would share it with you.
My new venture for Kiss the Book.
Most people buying my books are collectors or readers who are after a specific title.
However, there are many people who enjoy the purely visual pleasure of a selection or shelf of beautiful, unusual old volumes.
For them I have created "The Collections"
These are luscious little piles of books. They contain leather bindings, soft faded cloth coverings, gilt edges, gilt titles and sometimes even intricate gilt decoration. They are well loved, worn and so beautiful! They come in jewel colours- ruby, emerald, sapphire and gold.
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| Ruby Collection £15 |
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| Emerald Collection £15 |
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| Sapphire Collection £15 |
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| Gold Collection £15 |
I am also gathering little bespoke Collections for the lover of Gardening, Nature, Poetry, children's Books... the list is growing.
These make an indulgent treat for yourself or a unique and thoughtful present.
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| Children's Collection £15 |
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| Gardener's Collection £20 |
I can create a bespoke "Little Collection" to suit you and your home.
A home is made beautiful by books
These "Little Collections" can be found at-
' Vintage et al' in Silver Street in Warminster,BA12 8PS 01985 848472,
Dairy House Antiques Station Rd, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 9AN 01747 853317
Or at 'Kiss the Book' in Salisbury by prior arrangement-
Jane@kissthebook.com 01722 329 410
If you are on facebook, please do come and have a look at my page as well.
And who knows, maybe the people who buy these little collections for their looks may find unexpected pleasure in their contents?
(Oops can't seem to change the font...)
That sounds like a brilliant idea. And I may take a look when I need to think about presents. A couple of potential drawbacks - I haven't bought my wife a book since she got her Kindle and I also get the feeling she has any eye to cull my own, relatively small, existing collection..! But all the best with this project - it deserves to be a winner!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mike. I'm really enjoying putting my little collections together, I just have to hope people like them too! Jane xx
DeleteJane - I used to run book sales over here for British ex-pats, and even now, 7 or 8 years on, I still get nudged in the supermarket 'aren't you the Booklady?' I'm sure that people remember you much more when there are books involved!
ReplyDeleteI think that is a lovely idea. I have taken to doing something similar, grouping up collections of modern books into eg sport, cooking etc. Since Amazon hosts books at virtually nothing, ex-pats can get individual books so cheaply, I have to do something a bit different to sell them!
I agree, it's having ideas to make people feel that they've just got to have them! Good luck with your collections Jane xx
DeleteCall me a Ludite, but, whilst I have electronic devices to download books and journals, I prefer books and notebooks. I look after my books and prefer to hold a book in my hand when digesting its content and only pass on books or journals when I think people may value them as much as I do. Books can be an object of beauty in themselves and a house without books doesn't seem to feel like a home. I appreciate that not everyone is privileged enough to have access to books or libraries but life would be poorer without. They look beautiful and can be shared for others to enjoy and appreciate.
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly! I love my own books, they give me constant pleasure with their insides and outsides! Jane xx
DeleteWhat a nice idea! Do you ever sell at Hungerford Arcade?
ReplyDeleteThank you! I haven't been to the Hungerford Arcade but now you have tickled my curiosity- I must go and have a browse. Jane xx
DeleteI'm on my way!
ReplyDeleteHello Diane- thank you for visiting ' Kiss the Book'. I was so pleased to see you there. I love how people can connect when they live so far apart. Jane xx
DeleteJane, what a great idea! I wish you every success with your new venture, it may be some 'bread and butter' for you. Do you still have the children's collection bundle? My daughter has started to collect the little old Beatrix Potter books, and I see there are 2 in that bundle.
ReplyDeleteI am coming to like you on FB now. Thanks for popping in Jane, it's always lovely to see your name in the comment box. Love Linda x
Hi Linda, I'm off to 'Vintage et al' where I photographed these bundles and I will check if the children's one is still there. I always have a few Beatrix Potters, so if you let me know titles needed, I will tell you when I get them. Jane xx
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