Rare Occult Book

What is a Rare Occult Book?

As with any other book, a rare occult book is one that is difficult to find. Often these books are rare because they are old or simply out of print. Of course being rare does not automatically make a book valuable, but many rare occult books actually are quite valuable to collectors.

The more difficult part of the definition is what exactly makes a book an occult book. Many people might automatically think of witches and pagans when they think of the occult, but that is not the end of the story. Occult books are sometimes called "esoteric" as well. They might have to do with magic, ancient religions, or secret societies that aren't well understood.

For instance, at one online bookstore for occult books, Eye of Thoth, categories include:

• Magic
• Tarot
• Astrology
• Occult philosophy
• History
• Freemasonry

You might also find books about voodoo, ghosts, mediums, people with unexplained powers and even UFOs classified under "occult."

Finding Rare Occult Books

It is relatively easy to find rare occult books online, as many websites are set up to sell occult books or have these books as part of their inventory. Here are a few good places to start your search:

• Caduceus Books
• Little Wonder Books
• Magus Books and Herbs
• Harrington Books
• Philadelphia Rare Books

Of course the general used book stores like Powell's, Alibris and AbeBooks are all good choice for looking for rare occult books. These websites all have rare book "rooms" that feature older books as well as first editions and leather-bound volumes.

A final place online you might want to look is eBay. You never know what you're going to find on the giant auction site, and you just might find the perfect rare book you've been looking for.

In the offline world, search your local rare book store or used book store, if you have one. Make friends with the owner or buyer and let them know what you are looking for. If they don't have books to suit your taste, odds are they will start buying some when they see them and even holding them for you.

Other places to look for a rare occult book include antique stores, estate sales and garage sales. You're less likely to find exactly what you want one of these places, but if you ever get word that there's an auction or estate sale involving lots of old books, it might be worth a visit just in case there's something you can't live without.

Occult Book Values

It can be difficult to discern the true market value of rare occult books because it is such a niche market, but if you can find an expert who is willing to look at your collection, you should be able to get a good estimate of what your books are worth.

If you are trying to decide if a book you want to buy is worth the money, try to find other copies of the book, if any are available, to compare prices. Of course the condition of different rare books, particularly old ones, can vary widely, so don't go for the bargain-priced book unless you're only buying the book for the information inside and don't care if the spine is broken or the pages are falling out.

When you go to sell any rare occult books you have accumulated, heading to the Internet or your local used book store is again a good idea. Compare prices on your particular title if you can find it, or on other occult books from the same era. Knock out the highest and lowest prices and take an average of the rest. That will give you a good idea of a fair price for your book.