Are old letters, scrapbooks, and documents of interest to collectors, librarians, and dealers?
In general, letters, cards, documents, and manuscripts written by or signed by figures who have made significant contributions in their fields are of particular interest to collectors. Letters or diaries of unknown writers are often of interest if they give new information about important historical events, places, or trends. The value of manuscripts, documents, and photographs, like that of printed books, depends on the interest and condition of the individual pieces. More information on such papers can be found in a brochure distributed by the Society of American Archivists, “A Donors’ Guide to the Preservation of Personal and Family Papers and the Records of Organizations.” (Write: Society of American Archivists, 600 S. Federal, Suite 504, Chicago, IL 60605) 12. What is a first edition? In the strictest sense, “first edition” refers to a copy of a book printed from the first setting of type, constituting the first public appearance of the text in that form. Subsequent changes to the
