Age and Imprint

When considering a book’s age and imprint, it’s important to know that there is much variation in when and how a book would be considered rare.

How old is the book? Keep in mind that books do not necessarily have to be hundreds of years old to be considered rare. Some books are no older than 20 years old and are considered rare! (Conserve O Gram, 1993).
Where was the book created? Location combined with the year of publication can reveal a lot about a book’s rarity and value. For example, because the first printing press did not arrive in Canada until 1751, which is around 300 years after the books were being printed in Europe, anything printed in Canada before 1867 is considered rare, and housed in a rare books collection. (Thediscoverblog, 2013).
Is the binding exceptionally high quality or unusual in some way? A book that is bound on good quality paper, has gilded edges, and contains special illustrations would be more valuable than a standard edition (Conserve O Gram, 1993).
When was it published? How long ago was the location of the publisher established? If a book was published early in the history of the place of publication, it is more likely to be rare (Conserve O Gram, 1993).
Was the book produced by particular printers and print shops specializing in certain types of print or methods for printing? For example, the Derrydale Press specialized in limited editions of sporting books (Derrydale, 2022). Their rarity comes from a combination of a very specific topic, high-quality printing, and limited print editions.