Antique Bookends

Paper Peddler No comments

I really enjoy looking around the eBay listings for what the popular collectibles are from time to time. I have made many estate sale purchases over the years and I often find myself with antique books on hand. As I was doing some research, I was surprised to see that vintage and antique bookends are incredibly popular as collectibles. Older bookends for sale online seem to do very well if they are priced reasonably enough.

I don't know why this should surprise me. Collectible books are a well known favorite. It only makes sense that such treasured old items should be properly displayed.

It is a bit of a shame that today's advances in technology seem to be leaving behind some really wonderful traditions. It used to be that books were treasured by their owners. Decorative bookends were an ornate finishing touch used to display collections which were built up with pride over time and generations. They were certainly functional, but their ornate designs fashioned from a variety of materials including bronze and cast iron, added a touch of class to any study or home library.

I always try to take a look at the items I write about from the perspective of both the seller and the buyer. Often times, the seller has no idea what kind of treasure (or sometimes junk) he or she actually has put up for auction. I think that these older bookends are a good example of something that might pleasantly surprise some sellers. One thing I've noticed in my visits to hundreds of estate sales, is that there are usually a LOT of books. Older folks often took very good care of the books in their possession. I am not an expert on collecting bookends, but I would hazard a guess that they probably took some pride in their collections, no matter how small. Purchasing bookends of decent quality would only make sense. Over time, these have become collectible and often they show very little wear.

Prices for vintage bookends on eBay are highly variable. Some of the more sought after sets can go over a thousand dollars. More typically, the best sets end up in the low to mid-hundreds. Of course there are also plenty that end up selling for less than that. There are many different types of styles and designs, but one of the most popular looks right now is art deco. The choice of this glamorous style may be a reaction to the recent difficult economic times... or maybe people just think they look nice!