My name is William Alexander, and I have been a book collector for about five years now.  Thanks for visiting my bio page.  Each month, I will post between 10-20 rare and unusual titles for your bidding.  My prices are calculated through www.bookfinder.com and the American Book Exchange ("ABE").  I tend to average, affordable prices.  I do not offer ex-library books or book club books unless they are of unusual interest, which is rare.  And although I am not a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America, I admire their grading system and code of ethics and have adopted a simpler form of their grading for my own use.  I encourage you to visit their website and their dealers for those incredibly rare books you are unlikely to find anywhere else! 

On any listing, I will sometimes set a recommended maximum bid.  This is just my suggestion if you are buying.  But remember - if you love a particular book or genre, you may be willing to pay much more.  And that's part of book collecting.  The fun part! 

If a book is signed or inscribed, I usually try to compare the signature against another signed copy of the author's work or find a copy of the author's holo on the web.  www.tomfoilo.com is a good basic resource for this.  Most small bookshops like Bolerium in San Francisco or Five Points Bookshop in Columbia, SC all have great reputations, as do ABAA booksellers.  This alone inspires confidence in authenticity.  If I cannot find a copy for verification, I check to see if signed copies or inscriptions are common, or if the signature looks authentic based on its coloration or penmanship.  Any reservations I might have about authenticity or my relative confidence in authenticity will be disclosed up front.  If I suspect "autopen," I will also state this up front.     

If you win, you must contact me to make payment arrangements OR tender payment within seven days of bidding.  At the close of seven days, I will make a second chance offer.  I do have a seven day return policy, but will not accept return of an item if a positive feedback is  received.  Any returns must be in the condition in which they were mailed.  I only accept PayPal.  I will ALWAYS work with winning bidders in terms of payment time! 

Although I am not a fan of it, to keep costs low, all books are sent media mail.  It's slow. 

If you are an independent or small book dealer or a "scout" for an independent dealer with a verificaiton phone number, I am pleased to offer the customary 10 percent dealer discount.   

My grading system for both books and dustjackets is as follows:  MINT - I bought it myself from a bookshop or dealer in pristine condition and placed it in my collection.  NEAR MINT - Never read, showing no signs of wear with the exception of noted tiny flaws from storage or shelf wear.  FINE - Clearly read only once or twice, near pristine to excellent condition with only one or two noted flaws of a minor character (for example, one "dog ear" perhaps, or a closed small tear to the DJ).  VERY GOOD - Book shows some use, all minor flaws noted, possibly one major flaw of some type disclosed up front.  Remains highly collectible.  GOOD - Book is obviously used with noted flaws, perhaps of a major type, but may remain collectible (for example, staining not related to age or foxing, a page tear or one missing page, light damage).  FAIR - Book has seen better days with a catalogue of flaws, generally.  Remains collectible only because of another feature like desirability or noteworthiness.  POOR - Only offered if there is something collectible about the book, but otherwise in an unacceptable condition.

Both book and DJ will have separate evaluations in my listings under this rubric.  If the book was published without DJ, this will be mentioned, as will a missing DJ.    

Standards do take age into account.  A "fine" antique book, for example, may be in much worse relative condition than a "good" modern first edition.  For example, a very age-stained first edition of Graves' "Goodbye to All That" even without a dust jacket would be considerably more than a pristine general release first edition of King's "Cell."  A 1929 copy of the Hardy Boys "The Tower Treasure" in "poor" condition is worth more than a mint perfect first edition of any Danielle Steele, even if inscribed. 

All my books will be described COMPLETELY and ACCURATELY.  If a buyer has a specific question, please feel free to ask!  I only request you allow 12-24 hours for a reply. 

I do not appraise, but if you have a book that you want to "check out," I can direct you to some internet resources that might be of assistance.  I also suggest Molly Mackey's "Expert Village"  YOUTUBE series on the basics of book collecting and knowing the right questions and vocabulary.  For blogs, I recommend "Bookslut."  In spite of its rather funny title, it is a serious resource that you should check regularly.  The EBay articles listed here on EBay are also of great use, especially ones on number lines and how to spot "firsts."     

Again, thanks for checking me and my books out! 

Happy reading!