Livres anciens à Paris

La notion de collection pour les livres anciens

Un livre ancien gagne en valeur dès lors qu’il appartient à une collection d’ouvrages plus large. C’est pourquoi dans l’optique d’une vente de livres anciens, il est plus intéressant de garder une bibliothèque déjà constituée en un seul lot, plutôt que de vendre chaque livre rare de façon séparée. En ne dispersant pas vos livres précieux, vous augmentez les chances d’attirer l’attention des collectionneurs - et donc de tirer un meilleur prix de l’ensemble.

Passer par le courtage

Le courtage est une spécialité de notre librairie. C’est une solution privilégiée pour les livres exceptionnels à très forte valeur, dès lors que vos échéances de vente vous permettent d’attendre - la vente par courtage pouvant prendre plus d’un an.

Nous donnons pour estimation au vendeur un prix net avant la fiscalité afférente à la vente d’objets d’art dans son pays. Notre rémunération se situe au-dessus de ce prix - en d’autres termes, et à la différence des ventes aux enchères, nous ne sommes payés que d’un côté.
Nous publions un descriptif détaillé de l’ouvrage pour le mettre en valeur auprès des bibliophiles, et nous pouvons le présenter au salon du livre, ou aux grandes foires internationales auxquelles nous participons pour trouver des acheteurs potentiels : Paris, New-York, Londres, etc.

La vente aux enchères

Si vos beaux-livres correspondent aux tendances du marché, nous pouvons également vous aider à passer par une vente aux enchères. Selon l’état du marché et la qualité et le nombre des lots à vendre, cette procédure peut être plus ou moins longue. Le choix du prestataire se fait d’un commun accord, sans aucune exclusive, quoique certains d’entre eux aient nos préférences.

La librairie de Proyart travaille en collaboration avec des organismes de ventes aux enchères et des commissaires-priseurs pour vous permettre de tirer le meilleur prix possible de votre vente de livres rares et anciens.

N’hésitez pas à consulter nos catalogues de livres anciens et modernes, que ce soit dans l’optique d’une vente, d’un achat ou d’une expertise. Nous pouvons nous déplacer à domicile pour procéder à l’évaluation de bibliothèques d’ouvrages anciens, y compris à l’international. Notre estimation est gratuite, et menée par des experts reconnus sur les salons du livre.

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If you have inherited a library that you would like to have appraised, or if you would like to sell some books that you don't know what to do with, or if you are looking for rare books to add to your collection, Jean Baptiste de Proyart's antique bookshop is the place to go. Jean Baptiste de Proyart's antique bookshop is at your disposal.

Proyart’s has been specialising in antiquarian books in Paris for over 30 years. Whether you're looking for an appraisal, a purchase, a resale or a restoration, we can offer you our world-renowned experience. Our knowledge of the antiquarian book market is constantly enriched by our participation in international book fairs and our presence at major foreign auctions.

What do we mean by an antiquarian book ?

The definition of what constitutes an antiquarian book can vary from country to country. According to UNESCO, any work printed more than a hundred years ago can be considered an antiquarian book, but the most commonly used criterion is the type of press used. A book printed on a hand press will generally be considered old - in France, this means that the last old books date back to the revolutionary period, or at least to the 19th century.

However, our bookshop is not so rigid in its approach. Any document or manuscript that is not in the catalogue of a classic bookshop is likely to be considered a rare and precious book. We are particularly interested in European literature and culturally significant texts.

What will you find in our antiquarian book catalogue ?

Our bookshop offers a wide range of antiquarian books. Among the precious works you are likely to find in our catalogue, you can distinguish :

• Classic literature
  
• Travel books
• Treatises on history, science and the fine arts
• Books on the art of living
• Illustrated books

Of course, other factors may also be of interest to us : first editions, autographs, etc. Don't hesitate to consult our full catalogue to get an idea of the type of antiquarian books we are likely to be interested in.

How can I tell if an antiquarian book is valuable ?

When estimating the value of a collector's book, a number of very different factors need to be taken into account. A precious book will be valued by the expert according to several criteria.

• The most obvious is age. However, although the date of printing is generally a reliable factor in estimating the market value of an old book, it is not always the most decisive criterion.
• How the book was made. A book with a sewn binding is generally a guarantee of quality compared with a book whose spine is simply glued. The binding will also be more valuable if it is made of leather or vellum than paper or cardboard.
• The quality of the paper. If the motifs are transparent on the paper, good news ! You are probably dealing with watermarked paper, which is a guarantee of quality and differs from factory paper. Beautiful bindings are also essential for bibliophiles, and drawings, engravings or lithographs can add real interest to an old book.
• Publishing. As the saying goes, what's rare is expensive.This is certainly true in the field of bibliophily, and knowing whether your work is part of a limited edition will be an important factor in determining its value. The state of preservation is also decisive, as older editions will on average contain fewer volumes in good condition, making those that have been properly preserved all the more valuable.
• The author.It may seem obvious, but the book of an illustrious writer will be more sought-after than that of an author who has sunk into oblivion.
• A book signed directly by its author also becomes a collector's item - as long as the autograph remains rare.

The notion of a collection for antiquarian books

An antiquarian book increases in value when it is part of a larger collection. That's why, when selling antiquarian books, it's better to keep a library that has already been assembled into a single lot, rather than selling each rare book separately. By keeping your precious books together, you increase the chances of attracting the attention of collectors - and therefore of getting a better price for them as a whole.

Reselling old books

If you want to make money by reselling old books and manuscripts, Proyart's offers you three different methods : brokerage, auction or direct purchase.

Selling us your antiquarian books in Paris

If your book is of interest to us, we are likely to offer you a price. Our team of 4 people has 30 years' experience, and can carry out an encyclopaedic analysis of the work, ranging from its physical description (binding, cover, state of preservation) to the value of its contents according to its literary importance. You are then free to accept our offer.

Brokerage

Brokerage is a speciality of our bookshop. It is the preferred solution for exceptional books of very high value, as long as your sales deadlines allow you to wait - a sale by brokerage can take more than a year.

We give the seller an estimate of the net price before the tax applicable to the sale of works of art in his country. We are paid above this price - in other words, unlike at auction, we are only paid on one side.

We publish a detailed description of the work to promote it to bibliophiles, and we can present it at book fairs, or at the major international fairs we attend to find potential buyers : Paris, New York, London, etc.

Auctions

If your fine books are in line with market trends, we can also help you sell them at auction. Depending on the state of the market and the quality and number of lots to be sold, this procedure can take varying amounts of time. The choice of service provider is made by mutual agreement, without any exclusivity, although some of them have our preferences.

Proyart's bookshop works in collaboration with auction houses and auctioneers to help you get the best possible price for your sale of rare and antiquarian books.

Don't hesitate to consult our catalogues of antiquarian and modern books, whether for sale, purchase or appraisal.

We can come to your home to appraise libraries of antiquarian books, including those from other countries. Our valuations are free of charge, and are carried out by experts who are recognised at book fairs.