We Buy & Sell: Rare Books & Manuscripts

We Buy Single Books, Entire Collections, and Entire Libraries...


Sell to Us
Use our contact form to tell us what you are interested in selling. We'll respond promptly. (Please continue reading to understand the material we seek for our customers.)

We purchase rare books, manuscripts, autographs, ephemera, or photographs—items centered on American history, whether printed, handwritten, or created in the 18th, 19th, or early 20th century. We buy entire collections, libraries, as well as individual items. We travel extensively to assess larger or noteworthy collections.

We offer strong prices for desirable items and pay promptly

 We buy for inventory:

• Significant and defect-free copies of antiquarian rare books published in the 18th century and 19th century. Old leather books, books in original publisher’s cloth or boards; typically, printed or published in the 18th century or 19th century. Also antiquarian or rare pamphlets, booklets, bound volumes of pamphlets, and  trade catalogs.

• For historical manuscripts, we purchase autograph letters signed, especially those with unique content. Additionally, we acquire antique diaries, handwritten journals, personal journals, commonplace books, written correspondence, both literary and non-fiction manuscripts. This encompasses handmade stories, illustrated manuscripts, homemade publications, as well as daybooks, ledgers, journals, waste books, and cash books from the 18th or 19th century. Typically, our interest lies in items that are handwritten or created during the 18th or 19th century.

• We also buy en bloc historical business and company archives from all time periods, especially pre-1950. Family and business archives—of all subjects and sizes—letters, invoices, correspondence, company literature, promotional material.

• Historical ephemera, posters, broadsides, handbills, and unusual collections on numerous facets of American history. Posters, circulars, trade cards, flyers, handbills, scrapbooks.

• Original artwork, watercolors, pencil drawings. Early photography, photo albums, cased images, etc.


manuscript letters

Letters between Quaker sisters during the American Revolution, discussing the British navy's approach to Philadelphia and related events during the American Revolution.

rare broadside

A stunning broadside announcing Abraham Lincoln's death by the Secretary of War, Edward M. Stanton. The ghost-like letters seen in reverse are from ink transfer.

Single rare books and entire libraries of rare books are purchased

rare book

The 1848 Newburyport, Massachusetts edition of A Pickle for the Knowing Ones by the Lord Timothy Dexter, a self-made man and eccentric.

rare books

A very pretty example in contemporary calf and marbled boards of the “American Monthly Review” (Boston and Cambridge: 1832–1833).


I Have Rare Books or Manuscripts To Sell
Let us know what you have to sell. We will respond to your query within 24-48 hours if we think that what you have will interest our customers.

Then What Happens?
We need to physically examine and evaluate your rare books or manuscripts. Upon accepting our purchase offer, we will FedEx your check within 24 hours, with additional details communicated via phone or email.

Can I Send My List of Rare Books?
Yes. We will review your list and contact you if we identify any rare books or manuscripts that align with our customer's interests.

Do You Appraise Rare Books?
We no longer offer appraisal services for tax or insurance purposes.

Do You Buy Rare Book Libraries?
Yes. We travel, widely, to consider large rare book collections belonging to collectors or their families, universities, colleges, and historical societies. Contact us now.