Interesting does not Necessarily Mean Auctionable

There is something special about inheriting an old leather-bound book. The curled pages and worn leather are testimony to loving use from multiple generations. Sometimes we may never know the travels a book has taken, while in other cases, the path may be very clear. Either way, the legacy does not always ensure the value. From a monetary perspective, the charm of ragged struggle through the battle of use is, many times, only depreciation.

This book, sent in from a reader who inherited it from a Priest in his family, is a great example.

The Roman Catholic missal contains the prayers said by the priest at the altar as well as all that is officially read or sung in connection with mass throughout the ecclesiastical year. This missal would differ slightly from the Catholic missal used today in churches where the Latin Rite prevails. It is based upon the revisions made to the order of the mass and selection of the prayers made by Popes Clement VIII in 1604 and Urban VIII  in 1634. The last revision to the Catholic missal was made in 1884, under Pope Leo XIII.

Similar 18th century Latin missals sell at auction for between $400-600, depending on their condition and the quality of the binding. This particular missal clearly had a functional value apart from its aesthetic beauty. Unfortunately, the condition will affect the value. Given the loss to the leather straps, the wormholing (holes made by insects to the binding), and the slight shift in the text block, which has caused some of the page to begin detaching from the backstrip, we estimate this book to sell between $200-400 at auction.

Unfortunately, the market for similar items at auction is not very strong, so if the intent is definitely to sell, we recommend rare book dealers.