Henry Baggott talks rare books
Running a rare books shop in the heart of the Cotswolds sounds like an idyllic existence, and a dream life for some. For brother and sister partnership, Henry and Lucy Baggott, this picture perfect existence is a reality. In 2001, they took over Wychwood Books, a rare books shop tucked within the picturesque market town of Stow on the Wold. Eight years on, their passion for rare books shows no sign of abating. So, what does being a rare book dealer actually involve? Is it really the dream life? And do the brother and sister team ever come to blows? The GWG caught up with Henry Baggott to find out more....
How did you come to take over Wychwood Books?
Wychwood books had been an established bookshop for 13 years when it was offered for sale in 2001. This gave my sister, Lucy, and I the chance to start trading books in a prominent Cotswold location, and in a shop known by many for its books already. We grew up in Stow on the Wold so it was familiar surroundings and a location we knew had a good draw of both local and passing trade.
Were you always interested in rare books? Why?
My love of books has developed with time. We grew up with our parents, who dealt in antiques, and hence developed an appreciation for fine furniture, objects and books. A bookshop appealed to us as a very interesting market, which was different to the world of antiques we already knew very well.
How do you and your sister divide up the workload?
Being a partnership means that we share a great many of the goings on in the shop. Lucy has the flair for the artistic and creative input and has established our corporate image through the graphic design of our invitations/catalogues/paperwork/website. It is her flair that has developed the interior of Wychwood Books to be the inviting and much enjoyed place that it is. I do the majority of the book buying off the premises, building development management and doing the accounts and technical/IT set up of the business.
Are there any ever sibling clashes?
Lots of people couldn't live with a sibling, let alone live and work with them, but Lucy and I get on very well. That said, tempers can fray at times - family can get away with being more sulky with one another than business partners perhaps - but we are good friends and understand each other very well now.
Where do you find your rare books?
We buy books via single volumes offered to us in the shop or through entire libraries bought privately. I spend a good amount of time attending auctions all over the country in order to obtain specific books of interest for our customers.
What determines the value of a rare book?
The main criteria for the value of a rare book are creator (author/illustrator), edition and condition. Books in the closest condition to the original published format are worth the most - hence a first edition of a title in excellent, original condition commands the highest price. For early books, the originality of the binding is all important, whether it's bound in leather or cloth; for 20th/21st century books, the dust-jacket and its condition is very important. Signatures and dedications by authors, or provenance that the book was once part of a prominent collection can further enhance the value of a book.
What has been your best find and why?
Having bought a box of books at auction I discovered a copy of a 17th century book on the fashion and dress of peoples of the world by Ceseare Vecellio. It was called ‘Habiti Antichi Ouero Raccolta Di Figure' and was published in Venice in 1664. As I had bought the box of books on the merit of the other volumes, it essentially cost me nothing.
How quickly did you sell it on and to whom?
The book took about 12 months to sell, to a private collector, who was very happy to have it for his collection of fashion books.
What sort of customers come into your shop?
The local area has a great number of interested people, both collectors and literary enthusiasts. Stow on the Wold has a large quantity of passing trade due to the pull of the Cotswolds and its central location in England.In addition to this, the internet means that we can trade with customers all over the world, selling collectable books and out of print titles no longer available in print. Old books traditionally attract gentlemen customers, but we are beginning to fuel the enthusiasm of a younger clientele both male and female.
What genres of books do you sell and which are the most popular?
We sell a great number of 20th Century first editions by novelists such as Ian Fleming and Graham Greene; poetry by authors published by Faber and Faber include W. H. Auden, T. S. Eliot and Seamus Heaney; children's books from Alice in Wonderland or Wind in the Willows to Babar; illustrated books by loved illustrators such as Eric Ravilous and Edward Bawden. As well as these, we stock a range from early antiquarian books to modern paperbacks.
It must be quiet working in a book shop. Have there been any unusually dramatic moments?
Working in a bookshop can be quiet at times, but Stow on the Wold is a busy market town and there are a good number of people passing through all year round. The Cotswolds are the residence of a good number of celebrities, some of whom are customers of ours. One of the most flamboyant is Felix Dennis who has been known to come into the shop and recite poetry to us before choosing some new additions for his poetry collection.
Which is your favourite rare book and why?
My current favourite rare book we have in stock is ‘Live and Let Die' by Ian Fleming, a first edition published in 1954. I believe it is the best novel written by Fleming and one where Bond shows true emotion and style. It is the second of the 14 books he wrote, an increasingly rare book and one that will be a great investment for the future. The world wide appeal of James Bond and the ongoing production of books and films keeps the interest of the Bond phenomenon alive, hence these early books continue to increase in value.
What's the best way to keep a rare book?
Any book should be cared for, but valuable books in particular should be kept upright on a bookshelf, away from damp and direct sunlight.
How do people get into rare book collecting?
Collecting books is fuelled by an interest for books, be it a favourite author from childhood, a great love of literature or any specific genre of interest - there are collectable books in all fields. Old books were produced with love and appreciation for the art of book design, type setting and many with beautiful illustrations of the like we no longer see today. People start collecting books for their unique content, an appreciation of an author or the book design and investment. With interest rates as they are and the stock market uneasy, putting money into books can be a much more appealing proposition.
What is the most satisfying thing about working in a rare book shop?
I love the knowledgeable people and the fine rare items which I get to deal in, some of them produced in very small numbers of only a few hundred. Few things today are produced with such thought and consideration for the final product.
Are you living the dream life?
Dealing in books and living in the Cotswolds is a fantastic way of life, the country ideal perhaps. That said, I don't get to sit in the shop reading a book with a cup of tea all day. I never get to do that; long days and hard work are essential to survive in this profession. With rolling countryside all around I miss being able to be outdoors more often and a six day week makes for short weekends.
Where do you see the business going?
The future holds a more cohesive stock of exciting and collectable items for lovers of books, collectors and investors. We have just published our first book called "Open Wide". It is a collection of 18th & 19th Century caricatures depicting the world of dentistry before the use of anesthesia. It is on sale now, priced at £16.95. We hope that this will be the beginning of Wychwood Books as a publisher and that there will be more to follow.
Interview by Emily Jenkinson
CONTACT
Henry or Lucy Baggott
Wychwood Books
Sheep Street,
Stow on the Wold,
Gloucestershire,
GL54 1AA
Tel: 01451 831 880
www.wychwoodbooks.com
27th August 09
How did you come to take over Wychwood Books?
Wychwood books had been an established bookshop for 13 years when it was offered for sale in 2001. This gave my sister, Lucy, and I the chance to start trading books in a prominent Cotswold location, and in a shop known by many for its books already. We grew up in Stow on the Wold so it was familiar surroundings and a location we knew had a good draw of both local and passing trade.
Were you always interested in rare books? Why?
My love of books has developed with time. We grew up with our parents, who dealt in antiques, and hence developed an appreciation for fine furniture, objects and books. A bookshop appealed to us as a very interesting market, which was different to the world of antiques we already knew very well.
How do you and your sister divide up the workload?Being a partnership means that we share a great many of the goings on in the shop. Lucy has the flair for the artistic and creative input and has established our corporate image through the graphic design of our invitations/catalogues/paperwork/website. It is her flair that has developed the interior of Wychwood Books to be the inviting and much enjoyed place that it is. I do the majority of the book buying off the premises, building development management and doing the accounts and technical/IT set up of the business.
Are there any ever sibling clashes?
Lots of people couldn't live with a sibling, let alone live and work with them, but Lucy and I get on very well. That said, tempers can fray at times - family can get away with being more sulky with one another than business partners perhaps - but we are good friends and understand each other very well now.
Where do you find your rare books?
We buy books via single volumes offered to us in the shop or through entire libraries bought privately. I spend a good amount of time attending auctions all over the country in order to obtain specific books of interest for our customers.
What determines the value of a rare book?
The main criteria for the value of a rare book are creator (author/illustrator), edition and condition. Books in the closest condition to the original published format are worth the most - hence a first edition of a title in excellent, original condition commands the highest price. For early books, the originality of the binding is all important, whether it's bound in leather or cloth; for 20th/21st century books, the dust-jacket and its condition is very important. Signatures and dedications by authors, or provenance that the book was once part of a prominent collection can further enhance the value of a book.
What has been your best find and why?Having bought a box of books at auction I discovered a copy of a 17th century book on the fashion and dress of peoples of the world by Ceseare Vecellio. It was called ‘Habiti Antichi Ouero Raccolta Di Figure' and was published in Venice in 1664. As I had bought the box of books on the merit of the other volumes, it essentially cost me nothing.
How quickly did you sell it on and to whom?
The book took about 12 months to sell, to a private collector, who was very happy to have it for his collection of fashion books.
What sort of customers come into your shop?
The local area has a great number of interested people, both collectors and literary enthusiasts. Stow on the Wold has a large quantity of passing trade due to the pull of the Cotswolds and its central location in England.In addition to this, the internet means that we can trade with customers all over the world, selling collectable books and out of print titles no longer available in print. Old books traditionally attract gentlemen customers, but we are beginning to fuel the enthusiasm of a younger clientele both male and female.
What genres of books do you sell and which are the most popular?
We sell a great number of 20th Century first editions by novelists such as Ian Fleming and Graham Greene; poetry by authors published by Faber and Faber include W. H. Auden, T. S. Eliot and Seamus Heaney; children's books from Alice in Wonderland or Wind in the Willows to Babar; illustrated books by loved illustrators such as Eric Ravilous and Edward Bawden. As well as these, we stock a range from early antiquarian books to modern paperbacks.
It must be quiet working in a book shop. Have there been any unusually dramatic moments?
Working in a bookshop can be quiet at times, but Stow on the Wold is a busy market town and there are a good number of people passing through all year round. The Cotswolds are the residence of a good number of celebrities, some of whom are customers of ours. One of the most flamboyant is Felix Dennis who has been known to come into the shop and recite poetry to us before choosing some new additions for his poetry collection.
Which is your favourite rare book and why?My current favourite rare book we have in stock is ‘Live and Let Die' by Ian Fleming, a first edition published in 1954. I believe it is the best novel written by Fleming and one where Bond shows true emotion and style. It is the second of the 14 books he wrote, an increasingly rare book and one that will be a great investment for the future. The world wide appeal of James Bond and the ongoing production of books and films keeps the interest of the Bond phenomenon alive, hence these early books continue to increase in value.
What's the best way to keep a rare book?
Any book should be cared for, but valuable books in particular should be kept upright on a bookshelf, away from damp and direct sunlight.
How do people get into rare book collecting?
Collecting books is fuelled by an interest for books, be it a favourite author from childhood, a great love of literature or any specific genre of interest - there are collectable books in all fields. Old books were produced with love and appreciation for the art of book design, type setting and many with beautiful illustrations of the like we no longer see today. People start collecting books for their unique content, an appreciation of an author or the book design and investment. With interest rates as they are and the stock market uneasy, putting money into books can be a much more appealing proposition.
What is the most satisfying thing about working in a rare book shop?
I love the knowledgeable people and the fine rare items which I get to deal in, some of them produced in very small numbers of only a few hundred. Few things today are produced with such thought and consideration for the final product.
Are you living the dream life?
Dealing in books and living in the Cotswolds is a fantastic way of life, the country ideal perhaps. That said, I don't get to sit in the shop reading a book with a cup of tea all day. I never get to do that; long days and hard work are essential to survive in this profession. With rolling countryside all around I miss being able to be outdoors more often and a six day week makes for short weekends.
Where do you see the business going?
The future holds a more cohesive stock of exciting and collectable items for lovers of books, collectors and investors. We have just published our first book called "Open Wide". It is a collection of 18th & 19th Century caricatures depicting the world of dentistry before the use of anesthesia. It is on sale now, priced at £16.95. We hope that this will be the beginning of Wychwood Books as a publisher and that there will be more to follow.
Interview by Emily Jenkinson
CONTACT
Henry or Lucy Baggott
Wychwood Books
Sheep Street,
Stow on the Wold,
Gloucestershire,
GL54 1AA
Tel: 01451 831 880
www.wychwoodbooks.com
27th August 09
COMMENTS
login to add a comment...Dream existence? The GWG finds out what it's really like to run a rare books shop in Stow on the Wold.
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