What we value

People

The rare book world has a long history as the exclusive purview of the wealthy (white) elite. No doubt like yourself, we work to ensure that today’s rare materials ecosystem—booksellers, collectors, librarians, and scholars—is inclusive and supportive of all backgrounds and identities. We put both time and money into this effort. Feel free to ask how we help. And please feel free to suggest other ways we can help.

If you’re new to collecting and wondering if it’s right for you, the answer is yes. Of course it is. Book collecting is for everyone. If you have any questions about our items, or about books and collecting generally, please don’t hesitate to reach out. If you’re under the impression that we’re some kind of omniscient brokers of cultural heritage, please see the references cited in our descriptions. We depend heavily on the expertise of others—which includes many of you.

Ethics

We hope this goes without saying: All of our inventory is legally and ethically sourced. Most of it comes from Europe, and we’re sticklers for applicable export licenses. If you have any questions about the provenance of our items, please ask. If you would like copies of any relevant export documentation, or simply proof of our own acquisition, please ask. We sometimes go to great lengths to obtain proper documentation—the longest we’ve waited for an export license is 14 months—so we really don’t mind sharing the fruit of that effort.

As proud members, we adhere to the code of ethics of the ABAA, IOBA, and ILAB.

Sustainability

We make a concerted effort to reduce our impact on the environment, doing what we can to mitigate the carbon-producing effects of an international mail-order business. Our monthly donation to Atmosfair, one of the world’s most highly rated carbon offset programs, offsets the entire carbon footprint of an average American. On top of this, our electricity is offset entirely by Renewable Energy Certificates: 70% from New England hydro power, 30% from New England Class I wind power. And our commute to the home office generates zero emissions.

We also spend what feels like an inordinate amount of time sorting packaging material for reuse. With the exception of tape and the occasional protective polyester L-sleeve, any plastic or polystyrene used in our shipments came to us second-hand, including bubble wrap and packing peanuts. We also re-use boxes that come to us in suitable condition. We use real plates and flatware at lunch. We drink coffee and tea from ceramic mugs, sometimes while working (jealous, librarians?). Even our toilet paper comes in plastic-free packaging.

Expertise

While we consider ourselves honest, upstanding, and at least halfway competent, we don’t necessarily expect you to take us at our word. However we might spin it, we’re essentially in sales. So when describing our items, we make every effort to show our work. We make ample use of available research, doing our best to cite authoritative sources both to provide historical context and to support any claims. And when we hire outside experts to assist us in this effort, we always pay a fair living wage for their work.

Use

We’re always thrilled to see our items destined for use, whether in the classroom or the reading room. In that spirit, we’re happy to share images of our inventory to support your work. It’s also our pleasure to assist with others’ research whenever possible. Should something in our inventory be able to support your work, please send us a note. While we lack the staff to field in-depth requests, we are happy to respond to simple inquiries and we welcome the opportunity to make items available to researchers who find themselves in the neighborhood.