Almost anyone who has an interest in Napoleonic history will at some point begin to gather a library of books on this fascinating era. When this occurs, you have become a book collector. Eventually, Napoleonic books may become a large part of your interest. Whether you build a library of rare books, or simply buy new titles and used ones, there are some sensible and affordable ways to protect your investment and preserve its usefulness and value.
The first thing to do is develop the attitude of a book collector. Most collectors want to read, handle, and cherish their books. A book is not only a source of information and entertainment, it can be regarded as an art object as well. A bookshelf lined with fine quality books may invoke the same emotions in a book collector that a connoisseur of paintings might feel in a first-class art exhibition.
Treat your books gently. Don't pile them on the floor or leave them in the back seat of your car. Books belong in their natural home: a bookcase. Shelve books neatly. Don't jam them in tightly, and don't allow them to sag diagonally and lean against each other. Oversize books should be stored on a shelf or bookcase designed to accommodate them. Don't stack large, heavy books on their sides as this can cause the pages to tear apart from the binding.
At right, uniform plates from a first edition book published in a folding case by T. Mollo of Vienna, about 1799; 46 hand-colored plates on the Austrian army.
Just as importantly, keep your books away from direct sunlight
Since your books will most likely outlive you, remember that others will some day own them. Don't personalize your books by writing in them, affixing unsightly bookplates to them, or embossing your name with a blindstamp. An author's signature may be valuable (particularly first edition copies and signed copies), but unless you are recognized as a celebrity or famous in some way, putting your name on your books will lower their value substantially. [The corollary to this is that some types of inscriptions from that period can be charming, and dedications or autographs by other historical notables may be acceptable even if they are from later periods.]
The ideal environment to preserve books is a temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) with a relative humidity of 50%. Such perfect conditions may not be feasible in your home, but the following guidelines are probably attainable. Keep your books in an area without extreme temperature fluctuations and without extreme humidity. Don't store books in basements, cellars, attics, garages, etc. One of the most common problems with books is damage caused by dampness and high humidity along with the insects and molds such an environment attracts.
Just as importantly, keep your books away from direct sunlight. The sun can fade dust-jackets and spines, and dry out the binding. The sun has been known to warp the boards of some British bindings.
Almost all books published in the last hundred years have been issued with paper dust-jackets. These should always be saved as they can add significantly to the value of a book. Collectors want their books to be in as close to brand-new condition as possible. If it originally included a dust-jacket, collectors will want to have it. This is even more true of books published in the last 30 to 40 years. Some collectors will not consider purchasing a book that recent if it doesn't have a dust-jacket.
Dust-jackets should be handled carefully so they don't tear. Enclosing your books in protective plastic covers is an affordable and wise investment. These are available from library supply companies for about 50 cents each, depending on the size and quantity.
Leather-bound books are a category unto themselves. If well kept, these books maintain and increase in value more quickly than other types of binding. Leather bindings can be of great artistic beauty and value, but they need regular care or they can deteriorate with age. Just like shoes or coats, leather books need to be polished about once a year to keep them from drying out and cracking. Avoid using shoe polish or similar commercial products as they often contain chemicals which can injure/discolor paper. Library supply companies offer special leather polish for books, as well as plastic book covers (see list at end of article).
Paper itself can deteriorate with age. Beginning in 1850, paper was manufactured from wood pulp. By 1890 most paper was made this way, although even in 1870 a significant number of books still had rag content paper. Wood pulp paper contains acid which makes it brittle and yellow over the decades. Little can be done about this problem other than de-acidifying your books, a fairly simple but expensive procedure. However, storing your books properly in a temperature-controlled environment will slow the acidification process. [Some publishers today print on acid-free paper. It is one factor to note when considering whether to pay a little more for a book.]
Sometimes a book needs to be re-bound, although this lowers its value substantially compared to a book with its original binding intact. However, re-binding is preferable for a book that is literally falling apart and which has almost no value. Some bindery companies are able to do a remarkable job re-binding a book, saving part or all of the original spine and outside boards. The analogy of a rare car found in a junkyard is appropriate. Restoring such a car dramatically increases its value and usefulness.
Despite their relative importance, French editions are not necessarily more valuable from a collecting standpoint than Napoleonic books in other languages. For information content, however, nothing is better than the original sources. In the military sphere, limited editions of 300 to 500 copies are the most difficult to find and consequently extremely valuable. The most sought after Napoleonic books are those with color illustrations, such as the English plate books which sell for thousands of dollars if in fine condition.
If you collect papers such as historical documents, autographs, etc., these should be stored in archival-quality plastic envelopes and boxes. Avoid using the sort of plastic sleeves commonly found in office supply stores as most contain acid and are not suitable for archival purposes.
Employing these guidelines will add immensely to the life and value of your books, as well as preserving your library for your own use as well as for future generations.
Owen D. Kubik has been a book dealer for more than 10 years and currently owns a used and fine book store in Dayton, Ohio. He is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America, the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, and the Napoleonic Society of America.
Other book dealers who contributed to this article include Peter Holmes, Bob Ruman of Articles of War, Michael Williams of Empire Books, Brian Russell of Fourth Street Book Shop, Pierre Beaumier of Vive l'Empereur Books, Dennis Shorthouse of On Military Matters, and Robin Bates of The Red Lancer.
Protecting & Preserving Your Library
- DO keep your books upright on shelves
- DO keep books in an area of moderate, even temperature and humidity
- DO treat leather bindings once a year with book polish
- DO keep books and paper documents in archival-quality plastic sleeves
- DON'T throw away dust-jackets
- DON'T store books in direct sunlight
- DON'T underline or highlight pages
- DON'T put bookplates or embossed name stamps in your books
Library Supply Companies
Demco, Inc. (free catalog)
P.O. Box 7488,
Madison, WI 53707-7488
(800) 962-4463; fax (800) 245-1329
Gaylord Brothers (free catalog)
P.O. Box 4901,
Syracuse, NY 13221
(800) 634-6307; fax (800) 272-3412
Highsmith, Inc. (free catalog)
W5527 Highway 106,
P.O. Box 800
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538-0800
(800) 558-2110; fax (800) 835-2329
On Military Matters,
55 Taylor Terr.,
Hopewell, NJ 08525
(609) 466-2329 or fax: 609-466-4174
Back to Table of Contents -- Napoleon #3
© Copyright 1996 by Emperor's Press.
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