Do you buy magic books?

 

Yes, we’re always on the lookout to buy used, vintage and antique magic books, preferably whole collections or libraries. We also sometimes purchase collections of magic props where they accompany a library.

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If you have some books you’re thinking of selling either send us a list of titles or a few photographs showing the spines of the books and we can go from there. We also require an asking price up front to establish your expectations and assess if it's worth our time to price up your books. The best way to do this is on our email: info@collectingmagicbooks.com.

 

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I’m interested in a book on your site, what condition is it in?

 

Unlike many other booksellers and magic dealers we accurately photograph every single used book we sell. The photographs on each book’s listing are of that specific copy, not just a generic photograph of the title. We also have accurate condition notes on every used book. If the condition of the book says “New” that means it’s really a new copy, rather than a used copy in as-new condition.

 

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Will my books get to me safely?

 

Yes. We package our books extremely well, regardless of the value of the order. We don’t use jiffy bags or plastic bag mailers, we use the very best quality corrugated card protection within sturdy boxes or card book wraps. We also pack the books with great care, giving them the respect they deserve.

 

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I’ve had bad experiences with other magic shops being slow to dispatch or cancelling part of my order. How long will it take for you to dispatch my order and can I be sure I’ll get the books I’ve ordered?

 

You won’t experience those problems from us. Unlike many magic shops, we only sell stock we physically have. Some other shops wait for an order to come in before they order that stock from their wholesalers. When shops do this it can appear that they have a huge range of stock but it can mean lengthy delays for their customers or even cancellations when stock is not available from wholesalers.

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We don’t do this. If a book is shown as in stock on the site we really have it here in our stockroom ready to dispatch.

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Orders made before midday on working days are dispatched on the same day. Orders made after midday are often dispatched on the same day but may be dispatched on the next working day. For full details on dispatch and delivery times see our Shipping Page.  

 

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I’m looking for a specific old book and it’s not on your site, do you have it?

 

We’re continually sorting through and listing used stock, so it’s possible we may have what you’re looking for. If we don’t, we’re always happy to make a note and contact you when we find one. To enquire just contact us.

 

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There’s a new book I want that you don’t have in stock, can I order it?

 

Usually, yes. We have relationships with a wide variety of magic and book wholesalers and order from them regularly. If the book is in print and not exclusive to a supplier we should be able to order one in. For very expensive books we may require a deposit before ordering. To enquire, send us an email or use the contact form on the Contact Us page.

 

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I’ve got an enquiry about your book vouchers, where can I find information on them?

 

We have a dedicated page about our book vouchers here.

 

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How can I stay up to date with book releases and other news about the shop?

 

The best way to stay up to date is to sign up to our weekly newsletter here. We have a YouTube channel too where we post videos about our books, you can subscribe to that here. You can also follow us on social media on Instagram and Facebook.

 

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What postal service do your use and is it reliable?

 

We exclusively use Royal Mail. This is the most reliable postal service available in the UK. While no parcel service is perfect, they have the lowest lost parcel rate of any delivery company in the UK and they have a full range of international postage options.

 

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My order hasn’t come, where is it?

 

Sadly, on rare occasions, parcels get delayed. We will always help resolve delays as best we can. If you have selected an untracked service we won’t be able to provide any live information, but we can act if the parcel does not arrive by the lost parcel deadline set by Royal Mail. This deadline is 10 working days after the parcel’s due delivery date for UK parcels and 20 working days after for international deliveries.

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It is very rare that a parcel doesn’t arrive by this time, but we will always work our hardest to find a satisfactory solution if this occurs.

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I’m outside the UK, will I get customs charges on my parcel?

 

This varies from country to country. It’s worth checking your local laws to see if they charge taxes on importing books, many do not. We’re always very careful to fill out our customs forms correctly, so if your country does not charge tax on books they should enter smoothly. We send all parcels "DDU" (Delivered Duties Unpaid) and collect no tax from buyers as books are tax-exempt in the UK.

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I've published my own magic book, will you stock it?

 

We’re always happy to consider stocking good quality privately published magic and magic history books. To discuss your book contact us.

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I live near you, can I collect my order?

 

At the moment we don't allow collection but it is something we're hoping to add in the future.

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I can't find a phone number, can I call you?

 

We conduct all communications by email and don't use a phone. Please contact us here.

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I don’t understand a word or phrase you’ve used in the condition assessment, can you tell me what it means?

 

We use many book-related terms and phrases in our condition assessments, some of which may not be well-known to all customers. For clarity, here’s an alphabetical list of terms with their intended meaning:

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Annotations: Notes made in pencil or ink by a previous owner on pages of the book.

Binding is loose/tight: see text block.

Boards: The front and back covers of a hardback book.

Book cloth: The fabric that covers the boards and the spine of the book.

Bookplate: A label attached, typically to the front endpaper, by a previous owner of the book showing its ownership.

Browning: A discolouration to pages, common particularly with pages near the endpapers.

Bumped: Usually referring to the corners of the boards, or the top or bottom of the spine, this is where an extremity of the book is bent inwards likely due to being dropped.

Cocked spine: This is where the spine of the book is slanted, meaning the boards do not align perfectly when the book is laid down.

Dust jacket: A printed sheet of paper which wraps around the boards and spine protecting the book cloth from dust and wear.

Endpaper: These are the paper sheets that are glued to the inside of each cover and the text block. Sometimes these are “split”, meaning they have torn along the hinge where the board attaches to the text block.

Ex-library: A book previously in a library, these will usually have stamps and stickers, or wear or tear where these have been removed.

Fading: Sun damage, sometimes affecting dust jackets, book cloth or spines, creating a paler coloured area.

Foxing: Small brown spots caused by impurities in the paper, common in old books.

Inscription: Typically found on the front endpaper or title page this simply refers to writing added by a previous owner gifting the book to someone.

Inside front/back cover: The half of the front or back endpaper which is glued to the front or back board.

Knocked: See bumped.

Loose binding: see text block.

Loss: A section of dust jacket, a portion of a page or an area of book cloth that has been torn or worn away and is no longer present.

Rebound: A book where the text block has been removed from its original covers and new ones have been applied.

Retailer’s stamp: A stamp applied to the front endpaper or title page by a past retailer of the book.

Retailer’s sticker: A sticker, or piece of pasted paper, applied by a retailer, often to obscure the original publisher of the book on the title page.

Shelf wear: Wear to the bottom edge of the book, usually affecting the book cloth on the lower edges of the boards and the bottom of the spine.

Spine: The portion of the book the boards attach to which faces outwards when on a bookshelf. These are sometimes worn at the bottom due to shelf wear or worn at the top due to being removed from a bookshelf through pulling the top edge of the book.

Text block: If you imagine removing the boards and spine of a book, leaving only the pages woven or glued together along one edge, this is the text block. These can be “tight”, meaning the pages are still well bound together, or “loose”, meaning the pages are coming apart where they attach to each other.

Tight binding: see text block.

Title page: The page which typically comes immediately after the front endpaper and displays the title and author of the book. These may have inscriptions or retailer’s stickers or stamps.

Warping: A curve to the pages and boards of the book, commonly caused by the book being damp in the past or through poor storage.

Wear: A area of book cloth which has been rubbed, sometimes to the extent that the cardboard of the boards has become exposed or worn.

Yellowing: A discolouration to pages, common particularly with pages near the endpapers and the edges of pages.

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If the term you’re looking for is not listed please let us know and we’ll add it.

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My question is not listed here, where can I find help?

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Contact us via the Contact Page and we’ll be in touch very soon.

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