Does anyone collect antique or rare chess books?

I think this is a dying hobby as the Millennium group reads many e books and really do not care about physical books.

Was curious if the same people that buy many different chess sets also buy rare/antique/or just hard to find chess books. 

I agree Mike, the internet access now has created a wealth of information where books might be a dying breed in some ways except obviously to those folks who enjoy reading a actual book or collect them as a hobby as well. To be straight up I've never been much of a reader that way and play chess by the seat of my pants. My moves most of the time are certainly not the norm as written in any book. I've always believed personally that playing the game is the best way of study. I think some may over anaylize that way through to many book openings etc, but I never follow a pattern that way. Just the way I like it... :)

Yes, but I know only one out of say a hundred members of three chess clubs collecting old chess books ( e.g. the Bilguer ).

Most old books are expensive... but still available, in case you yourself are interested, see www.schaakboek.nl for antique, old and reprints.

I know of two libraries, one general and one in a chess club, that stopped with chess books, everybody finds everything on the internet.

By the way, buying and having more chess sets is ( in my opinion ) quite something else and has nothing to do with playing chess.

What is the reason of your asking ? Can we exchange more info, if so, let us know your interests !

I was curious because I did collect some books throughout the years but mostly found them in used book stores around the USA for bargain prices. I didn't see any topics on this. I did bid on a few through eBay many years ago. 

I collect mainly old math books. Boole, Russel, Whitehead. I could easily see myself picking up a few chess ones!

I have to admit, that I still collect rare and fine chess books. To me curling up in my easy chair with a cup of coffee and holding and reading a chess book treasure is very satisfying.

I do use the internet a lot, I play in the ICCF tournaments, so online databases are inportant. And the training I am getting through Chess.com is extremely important.

But alot of internet 'facts' are sometimes full of errors and do not allow you to trace what is being written back to the original source. So beware!

Cheers,

               Glenn

The only rare chess book I own is a copy of "Mastering the King's Indian Defense" by Bellin & Ponzetto.  Definitely one of the best KID books. There are many others I'd like to find someday when I'm stable. 

That book is a keeper.

I have a few old books but don't pursue acquisitions in the manner of a collector. I have perhaps 100 chess books in descriptive notation.

A friend of mine has every MCO except the third edition. He is a collector.

I just picked up in the past month what is considered the first book of the MCO series. Is called Ancient & Modern Openings. Great book and can be had is good condition from $10-$25 + shipping.  You don't have to pay a fortune to get a book from the 1890's...125 years old  and in good condition, no loose pages, and a tight binding, no visable damage and no foxing. I paid $19 for my copy a bit more than I saw a couple for sale but the condition was very nice.  Some will list a book like this for $100 but if you search all resources you will get it for much less. 

Best book I found over the years was Marshall's Swindles, used book store for $7 in great condition, sweet book.  Marshall signed many of his books but unfortunately this was one he didn't. 

I have 566 chess books, but none of them I would consider antique or  rare.

I have a few that are old but I don't know if they are antique:

My System (HC) 1st printing

My 60 Memorable Games (HC) 2nd printing

Weltgeschichte des Schachs: Botvinnik, Capablanca, Tal, Petrosian, Spassky

Selected Games (Nezhmetdinov; Russian Ed.) 1956(?)

Turns out my Ancient & Modern Openings came with a signature and paper articles from when he was on the Stanford Chess Team.  Edward K. Strong Jr. signed 5-13-09. He is in Wikipedia  in his field of Psychology. He developed the Strong Interst Inventory. It was very interesting to find out I could chase the signature to a real person with history, maybe not in chess but still it is interesting.

I am happy I could preserve this book as well as the original owner.   Maybe someday someone from the Edward Kellog Strong family would want this history to preserve. 

This weekend there is an online auction of many very rare chess sets and books, with prices to match.

See http://www.klittich-pfankuch.de/

Thanks.  I've been collecting and buying books for more than 40 years now.  I first started during the summer of '72, when Fischer was making headlines with his match against Spassky.

MrEdCollins, I am sure you are asked this all the time, and please excuse me for asking, but what chess writer had the biggest influence on you as a scholar of chess? I am sure of all the writers whose works you have read, one easily comes to mind without any second thoughts.

That's easy.  Fred Reinfeld.

I have no less than 26 books by Fred Reinfeld.  Most of these books I acquired when I was a kid in the 1970s, first learning the game. 

The Complete Chess Player was one of the books I remember studying from cover to cover.  Also, 1001 Brilliant Ways to Checkmate and 1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices in Chess were two of his books I would take with me on car trips and vacations, etc.  I also remember getting a lot of mileage out of How To Play Chess Like A Champion and Attack and Counterattack in Chess.

And yes, these books can be considered "beginner's books" but I believe anyone under 1600 can benefit from them.

After Reinfeld, I think Andrew Soltis is a good author... I have a bunch of books by him.  I.A. Horowitz, of course, has written lots of good books, as has Reuben Fine and Larry Evans.  Finally, I will add Irving Chernev to the list of prolific authors who write books that are not only entertaining, but instructive.

And no, you're probably the first person to ask me that question. 

Thanks, MrEdCollins. With so many books out there to choose from, an opinion from one who's well read can be a load of help.