I’m finally getting around to going through boxes and boxes of wine books I’ve kept for many years. I have several books on wine and winemaking from the 19th century and quite a few from the early 1900s. I also have several from the 1950s-1980s, but I assume those have no value.
Does anyone know a resource where I might be able to sell the entire collection? I’m realizing I’m probably going to have to spend some time making a spreadsheet of what I have, but I’d really rather not have to put too much time and energy into this.
No idea Poppy but don’t assume those from the 1950s have no value. I love reading those just to get a sense of what people were thinking and liking in those days. I used to browse used bookstores looking for stuff like that. Never thought about selling - I just put them on my stoop in Brooklyn and they were gone the next day.
Good luck with your efforts and let us know. I’m sure there are others in a similar situation.
And if you do end up putting together a spreadsheet, why not try commerce corner?
Not to hijack this, but you need an awfully lot of deductions to be able to deduct them under the new tax law, something like $24,000 I believe. For the percentage of people on this board below the typical poster, you won’t be able to deduct.
Not exactly. Total itemized deductions (including mortgage interest, state and local taxes, other contributions) need to exceed $24k on a joint return. So the book donation could contribute to getting to that amount n
or $26,600 if over age 65. In other words, you have to be able to itemize in order to claim charitable deductions. Another option is to bunch donations into one year to allow itemizing that year if the contributions and other deductions allow one to itemize. (Maureen is the expert—I just enjoy reading about this stuff.)
Commerce corner is worth a go- I will certainly be interested. I may never need the fire and feather method to open a very old bottle of Bordeaux, but the knowledge is fun, and the insights of how wine was perceived in past times are invaluable. I collect old wine books, among many other kinds of books, and am always willing to pay good money for them since there are so few in circulation. Many get tossed unfortunately.
“WAYWARD TENDRILS – A Wine Book Collector’s Society – was formed in 1990 by, and for, lovers of wine literature. Under the direction of Gail Unzelman, the Society published its Wayward Tendrils Quarterly for 25 years. Our noble journal has provided members a ‘Premier Cru Harvest’ of informative and entertaining articles on all aspects of collecting wine-related books and ephemera – biographical and bibliographical essays on the authors and their books; checklists of author publications, ‘Fine Press’ wine books, miniature wine books and wine fiction; guides to collection development and collection care; book reviews; lists of member ‘wants’ and ‘duplicates,’ news and notes of the wine book world, and much more…”
Ms Gail Unzelman is the top dog at Wayward Tendrils nowadays, and I have derived great pleasure in reading some of the works by her and the late Ernest P. Peninou. A History of the Sonoma Viticultural District. The Grape Growers, the Wine Makers, and the Vineyards is still a regular reference source for my nerdy curiosity.
+1. Realize it’s more of a hassle than just giving in bulk to somewhere but it would be a service to the community since you could be sure that your books would end up in the hands of crazed wine fanatics who would pore over them obsessively
Alas, Wayward Tendrils (a name I created) is no more.
I had my collection of wine books (over 1400 hundred books) appraised and then donated it to the Temecula Public Library on condition it be kept whole. See if you can find a wine region whose public library lacks a wine book collection.
Too bad about Wayward Tendrils, sounded interesting!
Poppy, if you don’t want to go to hassle of selling individual books (probably hard to find someone who wants entire collection), why not find a good bookseller who will take on consignment? As a former auction person, sure you realize worth is usually maximized by having items or lots that make sense together, as opposed to huge collections. The collectible book world is hugely different from 20 years ago. Everything is online. If you go to https://www.abebooks.com maybe you can find a well-rated bookperson near you who would be willing to handle entire collection for a reasonable percentage?
![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}