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Investing in photobooks


Coffee table photobooks, if done well, are the epitome of cool in that they simultaneously reveal the owners refined sense of taste and knowledge about certain things that other equally informed people appreciate.

Now though, depending on what people have in their private collections, photobooks are fast becoming worthwhile collectible object in terms of yielding high financial returns and being rare and desired artefacts.

In last few years the market for these collectable photobooks has seen something of a boom and with it prices have risen exponentially. Like fine wine, the attraction of photobooks as an alternative investment that is unaffected by normal market fluctuations is, from a business point of view, a very savvy move.

One of the reasons that photobooks go for such a high value is that, even in today's high-tech world where decent quality books can swiftly be published en masse, the production process for these sumptuous books remains expensive because of the quality of craftsmanship and use of materials that goes into their production.

This means that a decent supply of them can be put onto the market but at a number where, eventually, they become a rare product, and as such, makes a commodity worth having in a collection.

Furthermore, coffee table photobooks remain a niche hobby, meaning few people rarely ever purchase them in quantities similar to that of everyday paperbacks and hardbacks. The reasons vary from person to person, but a keen reader of novels isn't, for example, going to have as big an interest in photography, and equally, because the retail price of many photobooks remains expensive, the average consumer will rarely, if ever, buy one on a whim. There has to be a real sense of want.

It's a market that is very accessible yet equally complex. One needs to be slightly informed, especially about the history of photography, the movers and shakers of the past, the big names - unknown names - that made a mark on the medium and so on. So too is prescience a good quality, the ability to make an informed decision about a current photobook that currently retails at £40 but will, in a short period of time, see its value grown by five times that.

More so, it's having the self-assurance of an investor who is willing to play that holds people in good stead. After all, £40 is not cheap by anyone's standards, so, a gamble so to speak of buying three titles will see people's pockets £120 empty with no guarantee that they will make much more on that. But, as with anything to do with investments, it's always a risky game. The only confidence people have is that photobooks kept in mint condition will hold their value. They're not likely to depreciate.

Hence, it's often good practice to trade cash with specialists, legitimate dealers - building up rapport and networking is key here - and even deal directly with publishers. These sources are much more trustworthy and will exude a quality of care that most of the big retailers might potentially be lacking in because of the very nature of their fast-moving business. It's always good to feel and see the object hands on as any scratches, dents or blemishes can give what would have been an altogether worthy investment a right thumping in price and decrease its value massively.

The great thing about this market is its accessibility. A twice-a-year modest splurge of two-three high-quality photobooks is very achievable, and with an inkling that they will increase in value, your coffee table will never have looked so good.
 

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