Rare Book Monthly

Articles - January - 2007 Issue

Comparing The Book Finding Sites

Vialibri allows you to see the prices of a seller's copy on different sites.

Vialibri allows you to see the prices of a seller's copy on different sites.


Bookcost does not state who or how many sites it searches, but appears to hit most of the majors and several others, perhaps more tilted toward new books. Single field search. Displays shipping costs. Not good for rare books. Link: www.bookcost.com

FindBookPrices is relatively new. Does not list where it searches. Appears tilted toward new books, but does search Alibris and Abe. Single field search. Displays shipping cost. Did not find very much. Link: findbookprices.com

BestBookBuys (BestWebBuys) searches 25 sites, including Abe, Alibris and other majors with a tilt toward newer books. Searches just one field at a time. Displays shipping cost and time, and unusually, for which states each site collects sales tax. Another one that misses the older books. Link: www.bestwebbuys.com

Any Book International searches 10 sites, with just three listed for old books – Alibris, ElephantBooks, and Half. However, they seem to show only dedicated search boxes for Alibris and Amazon. Not sure what is going on here. Link: www.anybook.com

AnyBook4Less searches 25 sites, including Amazon, Abe, B&N, Half, Wal Mart, Overstock and Chapters. One field search. A search first takes you to a page with details about the edition and customer reviews. A second click brings you to copies offered, including shipping costs and timing. Seems to find mostly new books. Missed a lot. Link: www.anybok4less.com

AKA Book is a relatively recent site searching 42 listings sites, including Abe, Alibris, Choose, B&N, Amazon, Half, eBay and lots of new and textbook sites. Can search either by keywords or author and title. Includes shipping costs. Separates new books from used. Did not find anything old. Link: www.akabook.com

All Discount Books claims 110 sites, but does not specify them. Appears to hit most major sites. One field at a time search. Shows shipping costs and times. Another one not targeted to the antiquarian. Was painfully slow at the time we tried it. Link: www.alldiscountbooks.net

The Cheapest Book claims 40 unstated stores. Amazon, Alibris, Overstock, Powell's and Blackwells are among them. Two search fields. Search first goes to a descriptive page, second click to see matches. Shows shipping. Finds mostly new books. Fast, but said some books were "only available at Amazon" that we knew were available elsewhere. Link: thecheapestbook.com

Get Cheap Books does not say how many sites, but reaches the usual subjects. One search field. First goes to page of data and Amazon reviews, second click to listings. Shows shipping. Not much old material. Link: www.getcheapbooks.com

Rare Book Monthly

  • Sotheby's Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s: Balthus, Emily Brontë. Wuthering Heights, New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1993. 6,600 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Charles Dickens. Complete Works, Philadelphia & London: J.B. Lippincott Company & Chapman & Hall, LD, 1850. Limited Edition set of 30 volumes. 7,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: John Lennon, Yoko Ono. Handwritten Letter from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to their Chauffer. 1971. 32,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Winston Churchill. First edition of War Speeches, Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1941. Set of 7 volumes. 5,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Andy Warhol, Julia Warhola. Holy Cats First Edition, Signed by Andy Warhol. 1954. 30,000 USD.
  • Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 40
    Ramasvami (Kavali Venkata). A Digest of the Different Castes of India, 83 charming hand-coloured lithographed plates, Madras, 1837. £5,000-7,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 50
    Watson (John Forbes) & John William Kaye. The People of India: A Series of Photographic Illustrations...of the Races and Tribes of Hindustan, 8 vol., 480 mounted albumen prints, 1868-75. £4,000-6,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 53
    Afghanistan.- Elphinstone (Hon. Mountstuart). An Account of the Kingdom of Caubul, first edition, hand-coloured aquatint plates, a fine copy, 1815. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 57
    [Album and Treatise on Hinduism], manuscript treatise on Hinduism in French, 31 watercolours of Hindu deities, Pondicherry, 1865. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 62 Allan (Capt. Alexander). Views in the Mysore Country, [1794]. £2,000-3,000
    Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 76
    Bird (James). Historical Researches on the Origin and Principles of the Bauddha and Jaina Religions..., first edition, lithographed plates, Bombay, American Mission Press, 1847. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 100
    Ceylon.- Daniell (Samuel). A Picturesque Illustration of the scenery, animals, and native inhabitants, of the Island of Ceylon: in twelve plates, 1808. £5,000-7,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 123
    D'Oyly (Charles). Behar Amateur Lithographic Scrap Book, lithographed throughout with title and 55 plates mounted on 43 paper leaves, [Patna], [1828]. £3,000-5,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 139
    Gandhi (known as Mahatma Gandhi,) Fine Autograph Letter signed to Jawaharlal Nehru, Sevagram, Wardha, 1942, emphasising the importance of education in rural communities. £10,000-15,000
    Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 140
    Gantz (John). Indian Microcosm, first edition, Madras, John Gantz & Son, 1827. £10,000-15,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 146
    Grierson (Sir George Abraham). Linguistic Survey of India, 11 vol. in 20, folding maps, original cloth, Calcutta, Superintendent Government Printing, 1903-28. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 195
    Madras.- Fort St. George Gazette (The), No.276-331, pp.493-936 and Index to all of 1834 at end, modern half calf, Madras, 2nd July - 31st December 1834. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 205
    Marshall (Sir John) and Alfred Foucher. The Monuments of Sanchi, 3 vol., first edition, 141 plates, most photogravure, [Calcutta], [1940]. £3,000-4,000
  • Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: [Pietro Fabris], 1776, 1779. € 30.000 - 50.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: [MORTIER] - BLAEU, Joannes (1596-1673) - Het Nieuw Stede Boek van Italie. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1704-1705. € 15.000 - 25.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: TULLIO D'ALBISOLA (1899-1971) - Bruno MUNARI (1907-1998) - L'Anguria lirica (lungo poema passionale). Roma e Savona: Edizioni Futuriste di Poesia, senza data [ma 1933?]. € 20.000 - 30.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: IL MANOSCRITTO RITROVATO DI IPPOLITA MARIA SFORZA. TITO LIVIO - Ab Urbe Condita. Prima Decade. Manoscritto miniato su pergamena, metà XV secolo. € 280.000 - 350.000

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