PurkeysPaperbacks is taking a short break
Reviews
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Mayte on Aug 29, 2020
5 out of 5 starsI did have some problems with alerting me about the purchase. Such as, I never got an email about shipment and the purchase stayed at paid. HOWEVER, one of the best packaging I've ever had in Etsy. Great condition. **Will buy again from this person**
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David on Jun 14, 2020
5 out of 5 starsRead this a long time ago lost the original one I had was glad to find another one to replace it going to reread it. Fun read clever story enjoyed the prose
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ghostinthecity on Jan 28, 2020
5 out of 5 starsVery happy with my purchase, it arrived really quickly and was just as described. Thank you!
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About PurkeysPaperbacks
Etsy automatically translates most text on the site to your preferred language.
See in original language
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Sex sold paperbacks. Still does.
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It's the thrill of the hunt.
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Moisture, sun, and insects - the bane of book collections.
A Word on Paperback Collecting...
Paperback book collecting does not have a set pattern. Yes, there are numbered books, first editions, mint conditions and series that dictate market rates, but one can be a paperback collector without having to adhere to a purity standard.
A collection may be as unique as its owner. A collector may be interested in a particular cover artist, whose work may span numerous publishing companies and genres. He or she may also follow a specific author and want both author editions and editions published under pseudonyms. Some collectors focus on minor label publishing companies, while others go for straight run collections of major publishing houses, past and present.
Most collectors that seek completion will sacrifice condition in order to boast having a complete run. This type of collector is always on the lookout to upgrade to better quality versions. These collectors’ downgraded copes are often the basis for many a starting collection for someone new to paperback collecting.
Some collectors of other mediums will enjoy having collectible paperbacks in their trove. A race car enthusiast may appreciate a copy of Carl Henry Rathjen’s Wild Wheels, with its introduction by Stirling Moss. A World War II buff may appreciate the number of books written by veterans in the aftermath of the war as a valuable source of first-hand accounts that may not have ever made it to the Internet.
Some books may be given as sentimental, fun gifts for those loved ones who don’t need another teapot or tie, but enjoy a good conversation piece. A hipster cousin may love a copy of Harlan Ellison’s Rockabilly. A friend that loves classic Hollywood may enjoy having a point of reference with Leonard Maltin’s guide to Hollywood’s great character actors.
No matter what type of paperback a person collects, there is one thing that remains certain: these books are the last of their kind. When a last copy of a book disintegrates from age or damage, there will never be another one printed. Paperbacks are art, history, and sociology all bound into one fragile package.
To own and preserve a paperback book is to preserve one little piece of human history.
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Shop members
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Larry Purkey
Owner
Shop policies
Books are listed Publisher first, then Author, and title/edition last. This isn't the easiest to search for those looking for a specific author or title, but it is a standard we thought we'd best keep, for the sake of our most intense fellow paperback collectors.
If you are looking for something specific, please use the Etsy Search In This Shop function.
We played around with the Etsy Search In This Shop, and were pleased to see that it picks up on our tags, in addition to titles/authors/genres. (Put in GGA, and you get what you asked for, for example!)
If you don't see it, send us a message. If we have it, we'll evaluate it for posting and let you know when it goes up on Etsy.
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