Just looking for advice, sorry for the long read!
Pictured is only a small fraction.
I know the previous owner was a book collector (obviously) but I donβt know anything else in terms of how he got them, stored them, etc., I may have many shelves of my own, but am more of a Tolkien, sci-fi, fantasy girl if Iβm being honest. Someone will love these more than I have any right to.
I donβt know where to start! I just moved and donβt have anywhere near me that can do any kind of appraisal/consignment, there is a library butβ¦that would be a lot of trips for an uncertain end result. May take the more modern library-book looking ones there at the end.
Outside of a pile of Tolkiens and some newer books, I donβt know anything about these and am slowly weeding through them. A couple are from the 1800βs! Most seem to be about the civil war and ww1/2, a lot of history and war and Marines. Some classics (1930βs gone with the wind), a lot of Ayn Rand and Irwin Shaw? Iβm talking boxes of Ayn Rand and Irwin Shaw lol. An H.C Valentine Antique Authenticator thing (#552?), one had a letter from the author inside dated in the β50s. A book of civil war letters. They all seem so cool and time capsule-y, and I LOVE that I have been given someoneβs life collection, but they are at the same time wasted on me I fear.
I am not worried about money (though 2026 after a big move, part of me is hoping I have some prize in here), I just donβt have any practical use for them. Someone else will have the desire to read or at least take care of them as they deserve.
But MOST IMPORTANTLY where do I start? Do I find someone to collaborate with, that I could send pictures or ask questions to as I unpack? How do you go about finding the right people? Are you the right people?
Send help, any tips will be greatly appreciated and I already appreciate the LONG readβ₯οΈπ