Let the Buyer Beware:

In the world of collecting, one challenge is authenticity. Is the item what it purports to be?

Caveat emptor is a Latin phrase that translates to “let the buyer beware.” It means that an individual buys at their own risk. Potential buyers are warned by the phrase to do their research and ask pointed questions of the seller. The seller isn’t responsible for problems that the buyer encounters with the product after the sale. Yet, should not the seller have some responsibility for what they sell?

The issue of provenance is an important one in collecting manuscripts and autographs. This is also true when it comes to books. We share an interesting article on the Independent Online Booksellers’ Association in FineBooks Magazine. It provides food for thought!

https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/issue/caveat-emptor-or-some-thoughts-ethics-and-online-book-buying