It could work this way: the dealer charges a premium for the authentication he provides. All written description, provided by the seller to secure the sale, then passes with the particular book to the particular buyer. With each resale, the accumulating information passes on with the book. This information will increasingly be maintained online although the form the records take will vary. Old time collectors will have all or part of their records simply as enclosures with their books. They and/or their spouses or heirs will enter these records to ensure that the collection is a monument and not a folly. In time books will be matched with their descriptions electronically and easily checked online: “This is the such and such copy.” Thus a particular book’s entire history will be available, simply, easily, and without question.

Soon we at AE will introduce software that will allow the collector to maintain clear, coherent, and inheritable records about all of the books in his or her collection. It will work this way: there will be a check box that reads ( ) The seller agrees that all written information provided to induce me to purchase this book is an integral part of this particular copy and that I have permission to use this material when I or anyone else selling this book wishes so long as the original source dealer or firm is credited. I further understand that this information may not be used to describe any other copies of this book, only this one.

A collector may still pay a substantial premium for a book; but if no further description is required, the collector will be able to obtain a good or better price when he or she sells. The new AE software will facilitate the capture of book descriptions, encourage the collector to understand the important relationship between description and price and make it possible for the collector or his or her heirs to always be prepared to resell with a minimum of effort for better prices than have been possible. I look forward to that day.

The end