The best way to sell a Titanic Book Collection

[Tarn Stephanos]

In a week of so ill be putting 80% of my Titanic book collection up for sale..seems too many bills these days.

But im keeping the harcore ones (Shipbuilders,Thayer,Young,Lightoller, etc).

Plus the joy of collectiong is the hunt..I miss that, having the most sought after titles..

If I sell A Titanic book collection on Ebay- shoudl I sell as a lot, or as individual sales?
Is Ebay the best plce to sell a Titanic book colection? What about bookfinder.com?

Thanks

Tarn Stephanos

 

[Mike Herbold]

Tarn:
As a buyer, I go for the large lots, because that's usually the best bang for the book buck. As a seller, however, I think you're better off dealing one at a time. I know that you've sold books before on eBay, and gotten some pretty good prices.

Our book tastes are somewhat similar. Do you have a list of what you're selling?

 

[Tracy Smith]

Why don't you post a list here and let us board members have first pick, then sell what's left on Ebay.

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

I need to go through them all..

among the rare ones will be the 1912
Brit journal of commerce bound inquiry,
plus the recent Brit Inquiry book signed by Milvena Dean

*The blue 1912 Morgan Roberson book

*The 1912 Logan Marshall with red leather imitaion spine

*The 1912 Brit Beesley

*Ismay Line and White Star

*The Mowbray book with a rare cover picture

*the green 1912 Fredericks book

*Man of God, a 1912 book eulogising victin Rev Harper

*The Padfied,Harrison,Read books

*The Behe 'Psychic forewarnings' book

*The Goldsmith bio, #26 of only 100 hardcovers

*Goodbye Goodluck, Murdoch bio, only 500 printed

*The Hubbard book

etc, etc....etc..

Ill go through m,y things thius weekend.
Ill probrlly do it as a lot...

Even the most dediacted Titanic enthusiasts must trim their collections when the bills start piling high. I seem to have very good Karma at finding rare Titanic books, i suspect in due time i could replace most of these anyway.

Titanic books I have i will not part with are my Shipbuilders,Young,Thayer,Bullock,Beeskley and Gracie books..

I had to work double shifts a whole summer to get my shipbuilders..


Tarn Stephanos

 

[Tracy Smith]

Sounds like a great list, Tarn and I know it kills you to part with them. None of my Titanic books are particularly rare, except for perhaps my Padfield, but I've had that since 1968 and it's kind of battered from use and several moves over the years. I also have a copy of Diana Bristow's Titanic RIP which is nearly impossible to find.

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

That's a good list Tarn. As Tracy said, I'm sure you hate to part with them.

Best regards,

Jason

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Well, I have an interest in the Californian Incident. I already have Harrison, but I'd be happy to give the Padfield and Reade titles a home. Same with Behe's "Psychic Forwarnings"

I have no idea what the value of these books are, but perhaps you can e-mail me something and we can talk about it?

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Ill go through my collection this weekend and make a list....Il probrolly only keep about a dozen books- the rest ill sell....

Ill email anyone interested a list once its complied.

regards

tarn Stephanos

 

[Michael Tennaro]

Hi Tarn,
sorry to hear you have to lighten the book load. you wondered about whether an auction site, like eBay was the way to go, or the more traditional used book site route, like Abebooks (Bookfinder is a search engine only, you can't sell your books through them).

if you plan on going the auction route, Mike H gave sound advice by suggesting you sell the books individually. you likely will get a better price for your books that way. the downside to this approach is that this is a lot more work for you to list each book in a separate auction.

there are some pluses and some minuses to selling your books on a used book site. if you decide to go this route, I recommend Abebooks.com as the very best place to list them. avoid Amazon.com & Alibris like the plague!

I find that, generally speaking, I can get a better price by selling on the used book sites than I can in an auction. the advantage of the used book sites is that you get to set the price the book will sell for.

a downside to the used book sites is that it will likely take you several months (if not longer) for your books to sell. that is another advantage to an auction. the sale runs its course within a two week period and your money is already on the way to you.

bottom line if you need to generate some cash fairly quickly, eBay is going to get you the most return in the shortest amount of time.

all the best, Michael (TheManInBlack)

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Ill do Ebay..Ill try selling them as a lot first...If that doesnt work, ill do them individually, or as several lots..

Australia here I come!


Tarn Stephanos

 

[Fiona Nitschke]

(You're coming to Oz? Stay in touch!

)

As for your auction question, while Mike H stated he prefers larger lots, I'm the opposite. I have no interest in buying a heap of books I already own just to obtain one item. Then there's the extra postage for the 'unwanted' items as well, postage costs that wouldn't be recouped in selling the double copies. Geography plays a large part in this, of course - local buyers/bidders probably won't have this concern.

Sorry as hell you're having to part with some of your collection. I know it's a choice I'd find extremely hard too, although I do understand 'the thrill of the hunt' as well. Hope it works out for you.

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Hi Fiona!
actually ive broken up the lot and am selling them individually on Ebay- with the $, im off to Australia!

regards

tarn Stephanos

 

[Daniel Klistorner]

Tarn, Which part? There's a few of us in Sydney, Inger will be here for Christmas. There's others in Melbourne (or near there), Brisbane, Adeliade, Perth ...

Daniel

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Im hoping to move to the Melbourne area by the end of the year..
8)

see you there!

tarn Stephanos

 

[Kyrila Scully]

Oh, shucks! I thought you meant Melbourne, Florida!

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Soon Ill be selling my 1912
Shan Bullock book about Thomas Andrews on Ebay, plus 'Oceans Greatest tragedy, possibly my Lightoller and others...

keep your eyes peeled..

Tarn Stephanos

 

[Kyrila Scully]

Hey, Tarn. I just saw a copy of Psychic Forewarnings go for less than $35 on Ebay. A guy in England sold it. If I had been home to snipe it I would have snagged it. But I can't find my snipe code anywhere to snag it when I'm not home. I'll send you a check for $35 for your copy.

Kyrila

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

$35 is a steal for that book- The Behe book seldom goes for less than $75 these days..

regards

tarn

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Tarn, do you still have those two Californian titles by Reade and Padfield? If you do, I'm interested. Feel free to e-mail me about it.

 

[Kyrila Scully]

Talk about a steal! I just got Jacques Futrelle's book, "Thinking Machine" for $7.62! I'm so excited! (Oh, Tarn, please take pity on a poor working single mother! I just want to read the book, not invest in it.)

Kyrila