Category
Books
First editions, issue points, dust jackets and condition. What separates a shelf of old books from a collection, and how the trade tells the two apart.
All guides
More on books
3 guides in this category so far.
GuideHow to identify a first edition, publisher by publisherThe rules for spotting a first printing differ by publisher and by decade. A working list for the British and American houses whose books come up most.
GuideWhat makes an old book valuableAge on its own is not it. Demand, scarcity, condition and the dust jacket decide what old books are worth, and the jacket alone can be nine-tenths of it.Objects
- Modern first editions22 records
- Children's books14 records
- Travel and exploration9 records
- Bindings and sets11 records
Sale prices
Recent books sale prices
Hammer, excluding premium.
| Date | Object | Saleroom | Estimate | Hammer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Aug 2026 | Ian Fleming, Casino Royale, first edition, 1953 Lot 41 | London | £3,000 to £5,000 | £4,200 |
| 7 Aug 2026 | J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, first edition, paperback, 1997 Lot 58 | London | £800 to £1,200 | £1,500 |
| 10 Jul 2026 | Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, first edition, first issue, 1843 Lot 12 | London | £6,000 to £9,000 | £8,200 |
| 8 May 2026 | Winston Churchill, The Second World War, six volumes, first editions Lot 19 | London | £200 to £300 | £260 |
Hammer is the winning bid before the buyer's premium. Figures are illustrative until partner salerooms supply live results.All price records →