Mr. Stuart, author of Contemporary Issues in Rare Book & Manuscript Collecting: A Handbook for Collectors and the Trade has been widely endorsed.
Book collectors are known to read books and a few write them. Spencer Stuart is one of the writers and enjoys a wide following among both experienced collectors as well as the nascent generation that is skateboarding into their collecting futures.
What they say:
Educators, Appraisers, Librarians and Collectors agree
Once in a long while a book comes along that causes all parts of the bibliophilic worlds to agree on its value and impact. In fact, they see it to be so useful and informative that they wished they could have had it at their disposal years before. Contemporary Issues in Rare Book and Manuscript Collecting (Contemporary Issues) may be one of these books: https://spencerwstuart.myshopify.com/products/contemporary-issues-in-rare-book-manuscript-collection-a-handbook-for-collectors-and-the-trade
Below, four early readers of Contemporary Issues share their views on this first book by Collections Advisor, Author and Public Speaker Spencer W Stuart. www.spencerwstuart.ca
A Bookseller
Johan Kugelberg, Owner & Curator of Boo-Hooray, and a Rare Book School Faculty said, “This is an excellent and most useful book: in my capacity as faculty at Rare Book School, I find the work of Spencer Stuart a dream: a student that takes the content of our course and expands on it in a manner perpetually useful: student outdoes teacher and all that.”
An Appraiser
From the Appraisal Business Courtney Ahlstrom Christy, Ahlstrom Appraisals LLC had this to say: "Contemporary Issues is thought-provoking and should be read by those in the book trade who wish to adapt to ongoing changes in the industry deftly." Courtney is a Valuer of Fine Art, Rare Books & Material Culture Certified Member, International Society of Appraisers and Accredited Member, Appraisers Association of America.
A Librarian
Gary E. Strong, UCLA University Librarian Emeritus and collector commented as follows, "Contemporary Issues in Rare Book & Manuscript Collecting is a welcome read. While I have been collecting for many years, I wish this handbook had been available when I started to build my collections. I particularly like the down-to-earth writing style and clear and reasoned approach to the issues. I continue to learn about aspects of the book trade that are relevant to my own situation."
A Collector
Larry Rafferty, 1st edition book collector and founder of hit & run press summed up wide spread feelings about the just released book extremely well: "As I read Contemporary Issues, every few pages I came across some information or an insight that I had spent years sorting out. How I wish I had this book fifty years ago when I was starting out as a collector!"
To order Contemporary Issues for you or a collecting friend go to https://spencerwstuart.myshopify.com/products/contemporary-issues-in-rare-book-manuscript-collection-a-handbook-for-collectors-and-the-trade or contact Spencer: spencerwstuart@gmail.com
Spencer will be delivering an in-person talk Thursday, February 16th at 6pm hosted by Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum
If unable to attend, another talk for the Manuscript Society is available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0O1adhsjCI
