And now we have new problems to solve with another listing site. ABEbooks has two problems when it comes to the buying and selling of rare books: 1) rampant proliferation of facsimile copies, and 2) apparently in moving to updated versions of their HomeBase 3 software, they added publicly-invisible keywords. Where Matchmaker used to match an entire keyword phrase, now I see matches for "Indian gold rush" matching records only containing one of those three words. The implication is clear: ABE allowing keywords gives sellers the opportunity to fill their listings with unrelated and irrelevant keywords.
I'm not saying all booksellers are guilty of keyword spam. The vast majority is not; but there is a small number that takes advantage of listing sites allowing them. This is why Americana Exchange will never support keywords fields for listing books. If a keyword is merited, then that same content can find itself to the correct field in context: description, comments, provenance, etc. Simply adding "gold rush" to every Native American item because of their general proximity in time or location is irresponsible, and in the end does more harm than good: already I look less at my ABE matches than from any other source.
I firmly believe the future of collecting services lies in the mechanism the Americana Exchange has developed for Matchmaker. Once a member begins using the service, the old way won't make sense to them again. There isn't a more efficient way on the planet to find obscure printed material. People are free to choose inefficient collecting methods and they do every day. But once you've experienced the effectiveness of the service, you won't be keen to give it up. Who doesn't like to save time?
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 26th September 2024
Forum, 26 Sep: Bible, Arabic & Latin. Biblia Sacra Arabica, 3 vol., Rome, Tipografia della Congregazione di Propaganda Fide, 1671. £15,000 to £20,000.
Forum, 26 Sep: Shepard (Ernest). "Wind in the Willows" Toad Escapes from Prison, original pencil drawing with watercolour, 1931. £15,000 to £20,000.
Forum, 26 Sep: Economics.- Smith (Adam). An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, 2 vol., second edition, Printed for W. Strahan; and T. Cadell, 1778. £12,000 to £18,000.
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 26th September 2024
Forum, 26 Sep: Burma.- Burmese School (1870s). Folding manuscript, or parabaik, of festivities and processions, probably from the Court Workshop at the Royal Court at Manadaly, Burma, [c. 1870]. £10,000 to £15,000.
Forum, 26 Sep: More (Sir Thomas). La Description de l'Isle d'Utopie ou est comprins le Miroer des republiques du monde, first French edition, Paris, Charles l'Angelier, 1550. £8,000 to £12,000.
Forum, 26 Sep: Botany.- Dioscorides (Pedanius). De medicinali materia libri sex, hand-coloured throughout, Frankfurt-am-Main, Chr. Egenolff, 1543. £8,000 to £12,000.
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 26th September 2024
Forum, 26 Sep: World.- Blaeu (Johannes). Nova et Accuratissima Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula Auctore Joanne Blaeu, engraved map, [c.1662]. £8,000 to £12,000.
Forum, 26 Sep: Shelley (Mary). Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus, 2 vol., [second edition], Printed for G. and W.B. Whittaker, 1823. £7,000 to £10,000.
Forum, 26 Sep: [Evans (Marian)] 'George Eliot'. A complete set of first editions of her works, uniformly bound in red morocco, 1858-1885 (30). £6,000 to £8,000.
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 26th September 2024
Forum, 26 Sep: Lewis (C.S.) [The Chronicles of Narnia], 7 vol., first editions, 1950-56. £6,000 to £8,000.
Forum, 26 Sep: Albertolli (Ferdinando). Porte di Città e Fortezze...di Michele Sammicheli, Milan, 1815. £4,000 to £6,000.
Forum, 26 Sep: Gregynog Press.- Euripides. The Plays, one of 25 specially-bound copies, this by George Fisher at the Gregynog Bindery, 1931. £4,000 to £6,000.
Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: HAMILTON, Sir William - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: 1779. € 50,000 - 80,000
Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: KIRCHER, Athanasius - Turris Babel. Amsterdam: 1679. € 3,000 - 5,000
Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: EDWARDS, George.London - Gleanings of Natural History. Londra: 1758-1764. € 7,000 - 10,000
Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: HEVELIUS, Johannes - Cometographia. Danzica: 1668. € 20,000 - 30,000
Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: KUPKA, Frantisek - Quatre histoires de blanc et noir. Parigi: 1926. € 10,000 - 15,000
Sotheby’s 10 September 2024 The Shem Tov Bible
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
ABAA 75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
September 25-27 abaa.org/vbf
![<b>Forum, 26 Sep:</b> Burma.- Burmese School (1870s). Folding manuscript, or parabaik, of festivities and processions, probably from the Court Workshop at the Royal Court at Manadaly, Burma, [c. 1870]. £10,000 to £15,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/e0a5c41f-2fd1-4645-8816-32d89dc4e5fb.png "<b>Forum, 26 Sep:</b> Burma.- Burmese School (1870s). Folding manuscript, or parabaik, of festivities and processions, probably from the Court Workshop at the Royal Court at Manadaly, Burma, [c. 1870]. £10,000 to £15,000.")
![<b>Forum, 26 Sep:</b> World.- Blaeu (Johannes). <i>Nova et Accuratissima Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula Auctore Joanne Blaeu,</i> engraved map, [c.1662]. £8,000 to £12,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/58851f55-ad3a-4d3a-8a53-a311900b6f84.png "<b>Forum, 26 Sep:</b> World.- Blaeu (Johannes). <i>Nova et Accuratissima Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula Auctore Joanne Blaeu,</i> engraved map, [c.1662]. £8,000 to £12,000.")
![<b>Forum, 26 Sep:</b> Shelley (Mary). <i>Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus,</i> 2 vol., [second edition], Printed for G. and W.B. Whittaker, 1823. £7,000 to £10,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/18c42c85-f730-43c0-bc2e-c8d799ae4308.png "<b>Forum, 26 Sep:</b> Shelley (Mary). <i>Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus,</i> 2 vol., [second edition], Printed for G. and W.B. Whittaker, 1823. £7,000 to £10,000.")
![<b>Forum, 26 Sep:</b> [Evans (Marian)] 'George Eliot'. A complete set of first editions of her works, uniformly bound in red morocco, 1858-1885 (30). £6,000 to £8,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/ac8ca527-c37b-44d5-b1d8-d369d712b17d.png "<b>Forum, 26 Sep:</b> [Evans (Marian)] 'George Eliot'. A complete set of first editions of her works, uniformly bound in red morocco, 1858-1885 (30). £6,000 to £8,000.")
![<b>Forum, 26 Sep:</b> Lewis (C.S.) <i>[The Chronicles of Narnia],</i> 7 vol., first editions, 1950-56. £6,000 to £8,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/05e185d5-1ef2-48ba-943f-e6541c123bfe.png "<b>Forum, 26 Sep:</b> Lewis (C.S.) <i>[The Chronicles of Narnia],</i> 7 vol., first editions, 1950-56. £6,000 to £8,000.")
