How It Works 

We buy collections of antiquarian, used and rare books in all fields. We work with estate sales planners, families, private individuals, lawyers, trustees, libraries, and more.

By far the worst ways to sell books are through yard sales, estate sales and online auctions.  Online auctions are a poor way to sell books because, at any given auction, it is very unlikely that there will be enough serious bidders to generate a good price for a book.   Rare books in online auctions very often go completely unnoticed and sell for a fraction of their real value.  Selling rare books takes time. We buy books with the expectation of holding them for at least 3-5 years and we always pay more than the fire-sale prices found at estate sales and online.  

Some General Tips on How to Sell Your Books To Us

  • If you have anything that might be rare, signed or otherwise unique, please take a picture of it, send it to us here or call us at +1 (760) 904-4091. That allows us to ensure we can give your books the prompt attention and careful evaluation they need.
    • It's helpful to have the following information handy when you call: your name, telephone number and location; the title, publisher and publication date of the book(s) in question and when you can best be reached if we need to do some research about your book before we get back to you.
    • Please NOTE: We respond more promptly to inquiries that have photos attached due to the volume of requests we receive. To ensure that your inquiry is handled as quickly as possible and we can make the best offer to buy your books, please make sure to take good quality photos. (Learn more here about how to describe and photograph your books). 
  • We travel to purchase book collections directly on site at your home, office, estate, library or other location at your convenience. We work with you to find the best day and time to come to your site, which can be particularly helpful if there are multiple parties or family members involved in dismantling an estate.
    • Please note that priority for scheduling site visits is given to large estates or collections due to logistical issues and to ensure we can remove books promptly and efficiently.  
  • If we are interested in purchasing your collection or book, we may ask to see your government-issued identification to ensure proper ownership.
     

  • While we buy most types of antiquarian and rare books, here are some types of books we don't buy. Please read this short list carefully before sending us images of your books.

  • Ready to get started?  Click here for a step-by-step guide and to learn more about how to send us images of your books.

 

Note: We welcome emailed lists, inventories, photographs, emails and videos to help us assess your collection at info@blueskyrarebooks.com.