Rare Books
AbeBooks offers a huge selection of rare, collectable, and vintage books for sale from booksellers. You will find antiquarian books, out-of-print books, first editions, signed and inscribed copies, incunabula, limited editions, photography books, leather-bound books, and old books from the past. There are also illustrated books, small and fine press books, artist's books, and fine bindings. From books of high value to antique books of interest, we have something for every collection.
Rare Book Search
Cosway bindings are beautiful rare books with miniature paintings inset into fine leather bindings. They are named after miniaturist portrait painter Richard Cosway. London bookselling firm Sotheran's invented the concept with Miss C.B. Currie providing the art. To learn more, we interviewed antiquarian bookseller David Brass.
Prolific and imaginative, Isaac Asimov helped to shape the science fiction genre. Discover first editions and limited editions of Asimov’s most famous books, including the Foundation Series and the Robot Series.
A spectacular, 1,200 year old manuscript, iconic works by Oscar Wilde, T. S. Eliot, Aldous Huxley, and George Orwell, and more fantastic books sold by expert sellers.
AbeBooks is proud to work closely with a number of bookseller associations around the world who are dedicated to upholding high professional bookselling standards.
AbeBooks offers an immense selection of first edition books for sale, including some of the most famous books ever published. Find a first edition - from Agatha Christie to Émile Zola - of your favourite book to add to your collection.
Books are great but signed books are better. Find a signed, or inscribed, book from your favourite author and add it to your collection. Our sellers offer signed copies from thousands of authors ranging from Stephen King to Ellery Queen.
Our articles about authors and influential books will inform and inspire you. We also have book lists and collecting guides. We investigate the stories behind famous writers and classic novels to help you find your next read or rare book.
Rare & collectable books
Books of Hours were medieval bestsellers. These devotional manuscripts, containing a daily routine of prayers, reached a huge audience.
Famous for its vibrant covers, this series began in 1945 with Butterflies by E.B. Ford. More than 100 titles, all limited editions, have been published.
Loved by book collectors, Arthur Rackham was a noted illustrator and his work includes Aesop's Fables, Rip Van Winkle and Gulliver's Travels.
These rare books range from 1917 to 1969. Discover abstract designs and detailed illustrations for authors like Rex Stout and Evelyn Waugh.
Our book collecting guide covers the basic elements of book collecting, from what to collect, to caring for your collection. We explain rare book terminology, and provide a guide to book sizes, formats, and bindings, and also offer useful information relating to old books.
Celebrate 100 years of service and sacrifice with these beautiful special editions produced by Extraordinary Editions in association with the RAF Museum. A donation from sales will be made to the RAF100 Appeal. These brand new books feature fine bindings, and include more than 650 pages of documents, orders, reports, maps, diaries, letters, and ephemera from RAF life.