Cookbooks Make Profitable Collectables

Cookbooks Make Profitable Collectables FARM HOME Food Favorite old cookbooks have always been treasured by their owners but some of those books in your kitchen cabinet may be worth more than you d think That s because television food networks and websites have raised interest in cookbooks as collectibles     Booksellers Patricia Eddie Edwards and her husband Peter Peckham recognized the increasing interest in cookbooks and started to specialize in them Their internet store www oldcookbooks com debuted in 2003 More recently they opened a store in Reno Nevada with more than 15 000 out-of-print vintage cookbooks and recipe booklets In 2008 they published Antique Trader Collectible Cookbooks Price Guide which lists approximate cookbook values     Setting value is difficult Edwards says Condition rarity and demand all play a part Many of their books sell for $20 or less but rare mint condition books can go for hundreds of dollars She recalls how a New York Times article mentioned the book Pillsbury Best 1 000 Recipes A burst of demand made copies hard to find and prices skyrocketed     While Oldcookbooks com has scouts buying rare and unusual books throughout the U S and overseas the day-to-day business is often about selling books with sentimental value      Every year around the holidays one lady contacts me asking for a cookbook with a particular recipe Edwards says It s a time of year when people s memories of food are forefront     Many customers want to replace books lost in natural disasters or through divorce or inheritance battles The booksellers never know what will be in demand      Everything from our most popular old cookbook Woman s Home Companion Cook Book to inexpensive old budget cookbooks like the Sunset Ground Beef Cookbook can have runs of popularity Edwards says     Edwards a graphic artist who admits that she isn t much of a cook was attracted to cookbooks because of their graphic designs and also because she likes to read them My mom liked to read cookbooks like novels Edwards says Some of the oldest books offer historical insights to the times      For example æA Year s Cookery shows the life of a woman in the late 1880 s she explains It lists what they had to do the day before like scrape hair from pig s feet It s a good look at how complex food preparation was     OldCookbooks com carries everything from wartime Victory Meal booklets to the odd The Vampire Cookbook to beloved classics from Betty Crocker Pillsbury and Good Housekeeping The store also carries regional and charity cookbooks put together by church groups and organizations which often have favorite recipes people want     Edwards says they do not buy books from individuals long distance but people interested in selling books should go to local used booksellers and antique dealers or the Internet     Do some research she suggests to find out what interests collectors The OldCookbooks com site may be helpful in finding out retail prices     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Eddie Edwards Antiques & Treasure Bldg 151 N Sierra St Reno Nevada 89501 ph 866 282-2144; www oldcookbooks com

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