Instructed to Diminish my Book Collection by SWMBO

[Dave_n]

Over the last 60 plus years I have collected a fair number of military history reference books, predominately naval and some army/air force. Note most are European not US military. The naval renditions include reprints of the earliest Jane's (including pre-1900 and then WWI and II), plus monographs on planes. Also a number of books covering Lee-Enfields etc.

At one time there was an excellent bookstore in Central DC that would give a reasonable price for such "objects" if you listed them and then drove them down I95. I live in the suburbs of Philly but would be willing to move them ~200 miles if people wanted a fair number of them.

Since we (SWMBO and I) are now looking at moving to a smaller place in the next couple of years, I wondered if anyone in the SWF has any feasible ideas. Can provide photos, ISBN numbers etc. Dave_n

 

[Greyman50]

Know where and what situation you are in. Most of my book collection is in a storage unit with lots of other antiques, many family pieces.

 

[jeffsmith]

My Wife Understands
Right After My Firearms
Are My Books

"Cold Dead Hands"

 

[Yendor357]

I had to look up what SWMBO is.

Glad I ain't got one…

 

[45Smashemflat]

Any chance of a list?

 

[Golddollar]

Any books about the Finns fighting the Russians in 1939 and the 1940s?

 

[mtgianni]

I took some books to a gun show and sold them for amazon used prices last year. Sadly most were around $4 each. Collectable books are really sinking in value. That doesn't stop me reading and buying.

 

[fordson]

Any books about the Finns fighting the Russians in 1939 and the 1940s?

I can recommend three titles, if you're interested:
* Frozen Hell - Thr Russo-Finnish Winter War 1939-1940 by William R. Trotter
* Finland's War of Choice - The Troubled German-Finnish Coalition in WWIi by Henrietta O.Lunde
* Finland At War - The Continuation and Lapland Wars 1941-1945 by Vesa Nenye (lots of good photos)

 

[Dave_n]

Lists

I can put a list together in the next couple of weeks as requested and make it available generally, and/or email it to people who are interested.

I had thought of taking a table at one of the local gunshows, but just the thought of lugging books over at close to 85 would certainly drive me to drinking any of the income!! Dave_n

 

[Dave_n]

Any chance of a list?

See comment above. Dave_n

 

[Golddollar]

I can recommend three titles, if you're interested:
* Frozen Hell - Thr Russo-Finnish Winter War 1939-1940 by William R. Trotter
* Finland's War of Choice - The Troubled German-Finnish Coalition in WWIi by Henrietta O.Lunde
* Finland At War - The Continuation and Lapland Wars 1941-1945 by Vesa Nenye (lots of good photos)

Thanks. I have the first one, I'll keep an eye out for the others it the OP doesn't have it.

 

[jeffsmith]

No Guarantee I will make a Purchase
But a List will be Helpful

I can put a list together in the next couple of weeks as requested and make it available generally, and/or email it to people who are interested.

SNIP

 

[walter o]

I took 5 years of home shop machinist a machinist work shop to the gun show and sold then to a starting home machinist for $20.00.Glad to see them go to someone that might gain some knowledge from them

 

[bummer]

I would be interested in a list

 

[coltle6920]

See if the local VFW has an interest in any of them.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Down sized about 7 years ago. Learned some lessons:

Very few people are willing to pay true value on any form of knowledge!

Only allow other people to pack your trash! They will treat good stuff the same as the trash!

No matter how you separate "keep" and "give away", other people will mix it all together!

I would rather burn my collection than sell it to Half Price Books!

Watch how boxes are marked! 2 boxes with about $500 each in Military collectables went to Goodwill by mistake!

Ivan

 

[glenwolde]

Well if you have a problem selling them you can always donate them. That might create the best Military History section in a local library in the State.

But all that'll get you is a tax deduction and a Thank You.

 

[mtgianni]

Well if you have a problem selling them you can always donate them. That might create the best Military History section in a local library in the State.

But all that'll get you is a tax deduction and a Thank You.

In Montana it takes a librarian override to keep a book that is over 5 years old. The local standard is 3 checkouts in the last two years if it is over 5 years from published date. Sadly, MT is not progressive enough to come up with this policy on its own.
Short story is they may not be able to accept your donations.

 

[Golddollar]

I would be interested in a list

So would I.

 

[Jeff423]

In Montana it takes a librarian override to keep a book that is over 5 years old. The local standard is 3 checkouts in the last two years if it is over 5 years from published date. Sadly, MT is not progressive enough to come up with this policy on its own.
Short story is they may not be able to accept your donations.

Slightly off topic but: When I worked in a medical school library we would often get calls from the widows of doctors who would want to donate their late husbands collection of medical journals. The problem was that most of the journals were very common ones that every doctor got and we had plenty of them. Kind of like people wanting to donate their collection of National Geographics to a library.
People also wanted to donate or sell old medical books to us because they were "old". At the time I think they were worth less than $1.00 unless they were of particular interest. If they were very old - 200-300 yrs., they were of more interest and if they were incunabula we were very interested.
Just to go a little further with this, a lot of old books were not printed on acid free paper and tend to fall apart.