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Printed Page Bookshop

Named one of the top three best bookstores in Denver

Seems like old tomes

January 29, 2016 By Dan Danbom

If you want to start an argument among booksellers — and who doesn’t? — mention the word “facsimilie.”  Facsimilies are reproductioins of books (or dust jackets) that are made to look and feel like first editions of collectible, desirable, or valuable books, yet with much lower price tags. Some booksellers see nothing wrong with facsimlies — so long as they are clearly identified as facsimiilies — while others regard them with the same contempt that they have for something they got on the bottom of their shoe.

We’re among the group that thinks there’s nothing wrong with facsimilies. They can be an affordable substitute for a first edition that is beyond your financial reach (like the copies of Tom Sawyer, The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men pictured above), or a dust jacket that is beyond repair, or missing altogether (replaced above on the first edition of The Yearling).   Facsimilies that are created to deceive are another matter:  One story is that the British Museum itself was fooled by a carefully produced facsimilie of The Compleat Angler.   Even experts can be fooled sometimes.  Every ethical bookseller and every ethical publisher will clearly mark a facsimilie as a facsimilie — such as the facsimilies above, which were produced by the First Edition Library, and the dust jacket, which was produced by a vendor in San Francisco.  (We can provide contact information if you want it.)

According to John Carter in “ABC for Book Collectors,” the most common and most deceptive kind of facsimilie is one supplied to make an imperfect book better — maybe a leaf or two or part of a torn page.  If such a step takes the form of the same edition, that’s a good thing, for no one would prefer an imperfect copy of a book.  Many collectors, faced with the choice in a very early or a very rare book, would agree.  The alteration must be disclosed, though — and problems can arise when the book passes from one owner to the next.  In our experience, these kinds of things are few and far between.

But for the bibliophile who can’t afford a first of Gatsby ($70,000?  More?), a facsimilie for $100 might be a good substitute.  And if you spill coffee on the substitute, you’re less likely to have a heart attack.

Filed Under: Book-collecting

Location & Hours

1416 S Broadway
Denver, Colorado 80210

As of July 1, 2020, our hours are:
Tuesday-Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm
and by appointment
We will be wearing facemasks and ask that all visitors do the same.
We look forward to seeing you soon!

Custom Directions

Contact

303-777-7653
theshop@printedpagebookshop.com

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Printed Page Bookshop
Reviewed from Google

4.8 out of 5 stars

Lindsay Atkinson
Lindsay Atkinson

5 out of 5 stars

posted 1 day ago

This is not your typical old, musty-smelling used bookstore full of junk paperbacks. Printed Page is cozy and always staffed with the booksellers themselves - knowledgeable, friendly folks. They are glad to let you browse on your own, suggest your next read or help you find a treasured antique.

Meg Sippel
Meg Sippel

5 out of 5 stars

posted 1 week ago

I met Dan to have him look at an old medical atlas we have. It was not in good enough condition for him to consider having in his store, but he was super nice and gave me ideas for how to get it into the hands of others who may want it. Dan was very honest and kind and I really enjoyed talking with him. Thanks, Dan!

CaffeinatedPrincess
CaffeinatedPrincess

5 out of 5 stars

posted 2 months ago

A beautiful store with so many different books to chose from. They have everything from classic literature to cook books!! Very pleasant environment too with amazingly kind staff. Highly recommend checking this place out!!

Read All 128 Reviews
Printed Page Bookshop 5.0 star rating 26 reviews Yelp logo

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