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(Derek Lyons) nattered on
:

> (The Bibliographer) wrote:
>
>>In article >,
>>Bob Pastorio > wrote:
>>>I got this on a mailing list I subscribe to. It was forwarded by one
>>>of the subscribers. Looks like an, um, interesting read. And only
>>>$200. <kof>
>>>Dr. Doran, "TABLE TRAITS, WITH SOMETHING ON THEM"
>>>New York; W.J. Widdleton, Publisher: 1865.
>>>Hardcover. 5.5"x8.25", 489 pages; publisher's brown ribbed cloth;
>>>covers with some soil and rubbing, tips bumped; endpapers creased;
>>>some internal soil; 1" stain on rear endpapers extending slightly into
>>>the last few pages of text. [04922] $200.00
>>
>>In other words, a fairly ratty copy.
>
> The importance of condition varies with the purpose for which you buy
> the book.

For $200.00 it had better be in pretty damned good condition, no matter
why I bought it. If research or reference is my goal, that is what
interlibrary loan is for.

>>or university library. You can then photocopy the entire work, if you
>>like, since copyright considerations no longer apply. At least thirteen
>>publicly-accessible collections in the United States have this
particular
>>imprint:
>
> A damm good way to destroy the book by damaging the spine.

I would agree with you. However, in this day and age one can get useful
reproductions of very old works without doing any more damage than what
would be required by reading. Don't put the book on a platen, bring the
photocopier to the book. They're called "digital cameras".