rare book
Bibliophile's prized find
A rare book is one valued by collectors for its scarcity, age, condition, or significance—first editions, books with limited print runs, historically important texts, or volumes with unusual provenance.
The term implies both monetary worth and cultural importance: The library's rare book collection includes a Gutenberg Bible.
Rare book dealers and collectors form a specialized market where condition and authenticity matter greatly.
- antiquarianScholar of old artifacts
- first editionOriginal published version
- limited editionSmall intentional production run
- dust jacketRemovable paper book cover
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
collector · dusty · yellowed · pages · bookshop · vellum · spine · foxing · provenance · gilt · auction · estate sale · library · shelf · treasure · inscribed · signed · scarce
- booksnovel, textbooks, study guides, paperback, hardcover
- antiquesantiques, antique furniture, antique, antique coins, Greek vases
- book termsfolio, quarto, octavo, duodecimo, page
- rarityscarce, uncommon, infrequent, scant, few
- book collectingbibliophiles, first editions, first edition, antiquarian, bookplates
- editionsedition, reprint, first pressing, second edition, limited edition
rare, rarer, rarest, rarely, rareness, rarity, rarefied, rarefy, rarefaction