In the 1800s, there were a range of prices for secular books. But not all prices were equally popular. In fact, some were rarely used. The price of a book was often based on its trade price. Some of the most common prices were 2s6d, 3s, 5s, 6s, and 7s6d. Despite the wide range of prices, the lowest priced books only accounted for about 3% of titles.
Paperback books
Paperback books were expensive in the 1800s for two reasons. First, books were not necessary for most readers, so they were purchased with discretionary income. Most nineteenth century families only had two or three shillings a week, so book buyers had to be price sensitive. Second, paperback books were not as durable as they are today. Third, the industrial revolution was impacting the book market and changed the price profile.
Paperback books were expensive in the 1800s, but they were made more affordable by improvements in printing technology. By 1800, cast iron presses could produce 480 pages per hour, and steam presses could print one thousand pages per hour. By the 1880s, steam-powered presses began to be made more affordable, and penny daily newspapers emerged.
Hardback books
Hardback books were not cheap in the 1800s, but as demand for them grew, the cost of hardback books decreased and they became more affordable for the average person. The US achieved the highest literacy rate in 1861, and nine out of ten citizens could read by the turn of the 20th century. Literacy is nearly universal in the United States today. A series of innovations helped improve the printing process and make books more affordable, including the invention of the typewriter and photographic plates.
Hardback books in the 1800s were priced according to their popularity. Although most people could afford to buy them, most people didn’t have a great deal of disposable income. Most nineteenth century families lived on two or three shillings a week, making them price-sensitive. As a result, the price profile of the book market changed along with the industrial revolution.
Photo-illustrated books
The idea of using light to illustrate a book was not new. Eighteenth-century artists made use of a camera obscura, a darkened room or box that projected an accurate image of the outside world. William Cheselden used one of these camera obscuras to illustrate a book about human skeletons in 1713. A 1750 edition of the book includes a portrait of the artist and the camera.
Photo-illustrated books, as they are known today, were very expensive. The process of photographically illuminating a book was a costly one, and they were also produced in small quantities. Consequently, photo-illustrated books today are very rare. However, they offer a unique glimpse into the evolution of photography and the evolution of the book itself.
First editions
In the 1800s, first editions were expensive. For instance, the Chapman and Hall edition of A Christmas Carol, published in 1844, was worth $45,000. It was signed by the author and by the brother of W. J. Linton, who contributed four wood-engraved illustrations to the book. It was also the first edition to be published in the United States. Carey and Hart of Philadelphia also published the book in 1844.
First editions of books were costly in the 1800s, and publishers didn’t want to lose their money by selling early copies. They were often re-printed several times. They also changed the binding cloth or the layout of the title on the front cover. The price of a first edition was determined by its rarity, condition, and historical and cultural significance. However, it is still possible to find affordable first editions by doing your research.
