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Some of the reasons that antique books are so coveted by collectors include the fact that they are so inaccurate when held up against today's modern textbooks. When we understand how inaccurate medical books were from decades ago, we realize how much work doctors and scientists have done to get to where we are today - and how much more work there is to be done. Some appreciate that antique books are seen as almost elementary because this really paints a picture of the progress that people have made when it comes to science or medicine.
For others, antique books appeal because of the timelessness of their text. Human beings have not changed very much since they first began writing. We still have all the same emotions and feelings our ancestors had. About the only thing that has changed is that our body of knowledge is much wider today than in the past. Our feelings and emotions are still about the same.
And of course antique books can really tell a story about history that probably not many other items can. Older law books show how government and politics have shaped the history of some countries. Storybooks tell of what was important to people and how they would talk between themselves.
Having a book that some philosopher actually wrote is the best connection you'll ever have with that person. We can still get close to Plato and Socrates, just by reading their books and writings. Of course, we can only read reproductions of their works today. We won't be able to get anywhere near their actual writings. They are so viable today that they're only in museums and perhaps wealthy collectors libraries. How about Martin Luther King and George Washington. Their speeches and books are now priceless collectors items. Thank goodness we have antique books.
So who might be interested in antique books? It takes someone who enjoys history and connecting with the past. People who like to transport themselves back in time, so that they feel that they are in the shoes of the writer. These people can be fanatical about books. Many auctions have separate showings for books. Antique books and antique toys and antique furniture, probably don't all appeal to the same buyers. So there is a separate crowd of buyers looking for antique books. Many libraries specialize in historical books, and they're always buyers. University libraries and large legal libraries are always looking for antique books. Religious organizations are always looking for old Bibles and religious texts. There are also many private collectors looking for something unique that no one else has. While there are some in the antique business, who shy away from books because they feel it's not as exciting as a piece of 18th century Victorian furniture or a 200 year old piece of jewelry, there is still a huge market for antique books that are prized by collectors.