Are Old Encyclopedias Worth Anything?

In 2017, Britannica celebrated 100 years of existence. However, that doesn’t translate to popularity, as encyclopedias have lost their appeal. The introduction of technology gradually phased out the need for physical books and paper trails.

Before Google and Safari, every school student knew that the encyclopedias in the library held the answers to every research question they had. However, today, anyone with access to the internet can easily get that information without leaving the comfort of their homes.

This evolution of technology has generally led to an inevitable phasing out of printed books, including encyclopedias hence the reduced market value. You can purchase an antique encyclopedia for as low as $10 to $50 apiece and no more than $100 for a set.

This guide has detailed information on antique encyclopedias, from the history to the current market value, types, and restoration.

Keep reading for the answers you seek.

A Brief History of Encyclopedias

Prehistoric Empire reports

Prehistoric Empire reports

Encyclopedias history dates back to 338 BC, when Plato’s nephew Speusippus collated his philosophical ideas, including history and mathematics, into one document. Around the same period, Aristotle also contributed with his Lyceum lectures.

Subsequently, each empire had its form of codifying knowledge, from the Greeks’ voice recordings to the Romans’ scrolls such as the (praecepta ad Filium), the Christian encyclopedia, and the Compendium Philosophiae after the fall of the empires.

By c.1300, encyclopedias leaned more into scientific reporting and inquiries targeting young audiences with the facts’ illustrative pictures.

Modern Development of Encyclopedias

It wasn’t until the late 17th century and early 18th century that the modern encyclopedia first saw the light of day. Francis Bacon categorized each knowledge under groups and sub-groups for easy access to information.

According to Britannica, Bacon drew inspiration from Matthias Martini’s work Idea Methodica, written in 1606. By 1674, the first alphabetically ordered book, the “Grand Historical Dictionary,” further arranged Bacon’s sub-grouping.

Then, the 1697 Dictionnaire Historique et Critique, French’s 1864 Dictionary of Art and Sciences, 1704 Lexicon Technicum, and Chamber’s Cyclopedia of 1728 cemented the style as the most favored knowledge documentation.

In 1751, the Encyclopédie became the first high-standard written document, but it lacked certain objectivity expected of knowledgeable documents hence the formation of the Encyclopædia Britannica 17 years later. 

The 20th Century Development

At the dawn of the 20th century, the Russians had produced their edition of Brockhaus and later the Great Soviet Encyclopedia. Not long after, other regions from Asia (China, Japan) and Europe wrote their adaptations and subsequently improved on them.

Types of Encyclopedias

Here we would discuss the different types of encyclopedias you’d probably come across

Categorizing Antique Encyclopedias By Region

Britannica (Britain)

Britannica (Britain)
(Source: British Library)

Britannica is the first English General information encyclopedia, with its first publication in 1768. Then, it was called Encyclopædia in the old English-language writing. Then in the 20th century, England collaborated with France to write the Encyclopédie Universal.

Today, Britannica has the widest range of encyclopedias and was the first to go digital with the age of technology in the 21st century.

Americana (America)

Americana (America)
(Source: Book Depository)

The Encyclopedia Americana gained traction in the late 1900s when salesmen worked their magic tongues and got almost every home in the country to buy a copy. It drew inspiration first from the adaptation of the 7th ed. Brockhaus.

Unlike its British counterpart, the Encyclopedia Americana in print is still valuable. Of course, it helps that American schools still stock up on printed copies in their libraries.     

Encyclopédie (French)

Encyclopédie (French)
(Source: ODD SALON)

France released the first French Encyclopedia (Encyclopédie Française) in 1935. It has 21 volumes, with each one focusing on a different topic. In the late 20th century, the French and English writers co-wrote the Encyclopédie Universalis in dual language.

Since then, more variations have emerged from the French region.

Brockhaus (German)

Brockhaus (German)
(Source: Wikipedia)

The German Brockhaus is one of the oldest editions ever written, with its history dating back to the 18th century and early 19th century. It started as the Konversationslexikon by Friedrich Arnold Brockhaus (hence the name) before evolving into the modern-day Brockhaus Enzyklopädie.

Enciclopedia (Italian)

Enciclopedia (Italian)
(Source: Treccani Emporium)

The Italians wrote a revised Italian language edition of the world book in the early 20th century called the Encyclopedia Italiana.

By 1929, an updated version with finer illustrations and more information called Enciclopedia Italiana di Scienze, Lettere, Ed. Arti became a world favorite.

Enciclopedia (Spanish)

Enciclopedia (Spanish)
(Source: Biblio)

In Spain, the Enciclopedia Universal Ilustrada Europeo-Americana adapted the world encyclopedia into its native Spanish language in 1905.

Lèishū and Bǎikē (Chinese)

Lèishū and Bǎikē (Chinese)
(Source: Wikipedia)

Like many things in the Asian country, the Chinese encyclopedia highlights its culture and history – the Leishu – giving preference to Chinese topics. The Bǎikē is subject-specific, while the Lèishū is a general information reference book.

According to Chinese legend, its encyclopedia pre-dates the first known documentation of a modern encyclopedia. It was published in 1981 as a 10-volume reference document to fulfill a degree at the Chinese Culture University in Taiwan.

Like its Western counterpart, though, its print media is now desolate giving way to digital supremacy.

Types of Encyclopedias according to the content

By its description, an encyclopedia is a reference article that compiles human knowledge and then compartmentalizes it into specialties. There are different types of encyclopedias based on the content and purpose.

General Information Encyclopedia

Arguably the most common type, the general information encyclopedia offers the widest range of information. The categories are so vast, but it arranges them alphabetically, making it easy for the reader to navigate.

General information encyclopedias contain literature anthologies on relevant topics, starting in the 16th century.

Subject-Specific Encyclopedia

With this encyclopedia, you will get every information possible on a specific subject. It dives in-depth even further than a general encyclopedia since that only covers the surface.

Subject-Specific encyclopedias typically include bibliographies and indexes referencing other connected encyclopedias.

These topics range from Religion, Philosophy, Disciplines, and Concepts. There are also specific topics within the chosen category that get further in-depth research written, such as The Encyclopedia of Christianity which is five volumes vast.

Children Encyclopedia

Children Encyclopedia
(Source: Bookshop)

In the late 17th century, Johann Wagenseil wrote the first children’s encyclopedia, and in 1957, it got a modern facelift called the French Encyclopédie Larousse des Enfant. A prime example of this is the Britannica Junior, written in 1960.

In 1918, The World Book Encyclopedia for children entered the market. This book is similar to the general information encyclopedia but with more colorful illustrations and less complicated grammar.

Britannica also has an encyclopedia for toddlers – The Young Children’s Encyclopedia – written in 1970. There’s also the Oxford Junior Encyclopedia written for pre-adolescent children and teenagers.

Braille Edition

Braille Edition
(Source: Britannica)

The need for representation birthed the formation of the Braille language, and in 1961, 145 editions were transcribed into Braille. Although it lacks the rich illustrations of its alphabetically written original, the Braille edition retained the graphs and diagrams.

It added another extra 30 copies to the collection for partially blind readers three years later.

Which Encyclopedia Is The Most Popular?

Despite the adaptation of the Encyclopedia and World Books into multiple languages with focuses on different regions, the English Britannica remains the most popular iteration, particularly the 11th edition.

Which Encyclopedia Is The Most Popular
(Source: Biblio)

Its popularity arose because it’s a pre-WW1 edition with many prehistoric facts and the last edition before the Great War. Countries focused resources on arms and ammunition, placing other ventures like book publishing (except for propaganda magazines) on the back burner.

Thus, the few pieces salvaged from that era have since become rare collectibles. So, by the de facto law of antiquing, the 11th edition Britannica Encyclopedia published between 1910 – 1911 is the most coveted.

Are Old Encyclopedias worth anything?

Unless you’re preparing to survive a post-apocalyptic world where the internet is extinct, old Encyclopedias aren’t worth jack squat. Yes, you read that right.

With the evolution of technology leading up to auto-updates on the cloud and internet space, there’s little to no need for encyclopedias anymore.

Just as family photo albums slowly faded away with the invention of smartphones, tablets, and computers, so did the preservation of history in encyclopedias dwindle. Now, the only values old encyclopedias hold are sentimental and aesthetic.

Sentimental Value of Antique Encyclopedias

Luckily, the invention of technology didn’t completely rid everyone of their interest in hardback books, so this value is purely preferential. There are book enthusiasts who’d rather read a physical copy than a digital one, and sometimes, they have no choice.

Because there’ll always be a need for physical copies (especially in brick-and-mortar libraries), old encyclopedias will always be relevant, albeit less valuable.

Aesthetic Value of Antique Encyclopedias

Old encyclopedias are great additions to home décor as they serve as mantelpieces and bookshelf collections. Also, if you find an extremely rare copy, you can earn top dollar, but that’s not guaranteed.

Old Encyclopedias for Sale

Every old encyclopedia you can find in bookstores and online retail stores is for sale. Most owners are looking to dispose of their copies because print encyclopedias are becoming a liability than an asset.

Old Encyclopedia Values

Generally, old encyclopedia values range between $1 to $100, significantly less than the $400 – $500 range of the mid-seventies. Regular encyclopedias retail from single to small double-digits, while sets cost more.

There are always outliers, though, like extremely rare editions which sell for thousands of dollars, but no encyclopedia in recent times has ever sold for more than $10,000.

That shows that it’s not very valuable amongst collectors because the most expensive books ever sold reach millions of dollars. In 1994, Bill Gates bought the Codex Leicester for $30.8 million (now valued at $54.4 million).  

John James Audubon’s Birds of America, currently valued at $13.8 million, is the closest book to an encyclopedia sold for millions. Otherwise, it wouldn’t tear your pockets to own one.

Finding the Value of Old Encyclopedia Sets

Certain factors determine the price value of an antique encyclopedia, from its quality to its content. Here’s a compilation of some of those factors;

How accessible is the encyclopedia? (Rarity)

Because encyclopedias deal with information, rarity is the most important and influential factor affecting their value. How does that work? With the abundance of information online readily available for anyone willing to research, only rare encyclopedias hold value.

From First editions to extinct editions, what matters the most is exclusivity. So, a fifth edition might cost more than a first edition if the latter is available everywhere.

Also, you need to know that content collectors aren’t concerned with aesthetics, so they’re likely to restore damaged bindings. However, aesthetic collectors consider antique encyclopedias devalued if you restore the binding or before selling.

Can it Add to your Aesthetic Value?

Another reason an antique encyclopedia may have an increased price is the aesthetic value. If the original binding is still intact, it will increase its market value, but if not, it can significantly devalue the item.

Damages come in stages, so minimal wear and tear like dogged or loose pages, faded covers, and yellowing pages are easily restorable.

However, extensive damages like torn and missing pages or faded letters aren’t as easy to repair, and they can ruin the value completely.

What to do with Old Encyclopedias

If you’re confused about what to do with your old encyclopedia, there are a few options you can pick from. You can sell it to collectors on secondary retail sites like eBay, Etsy, or Biblio.

Biblio is specifically for rare books, so once an appraiser evaluates your encyclopedia, you can make some money off it. If you’re not looking to profit off it, you can add it to your library or turn it into home décor.

Choosing the last option (turning the encyclopedia into a décor) requires it to be in good condition. If not, what’s the point?

What to do with Old Encyclopedias
(Source: Pinterest)

However, if the book is restorable, there’s no harm in giving it a facelift. You’ve probably seen Joe Goldberg on Netflix’s You restore, one of such books when he’s not killing somebody with a smack on the head. Anyway, back to the matter at hand.

How to Restore an Old Encyclopedia

Things you Need

● Book-Repair Knife

● Pencil

● Archival Pen (0.08-micron)

● Ruler

● Glue

● Sanding Block

● Japanese Tissue

● Hot water (wait till the steam has completely evaporated)

Step One: Separate the Cover from the Pages

Professionals call the bound pages a text block. So, separate the text block from the cover with a book repair knife. Still using your repair knife, clean out the stuck paper.

N.B: You should gently pry the stuck bits rather than jab to avoid adding any more damage.

Step Two: Mark the Joints

Place your ruler on the joint points and mark it with your pencil. Then, clean the board edges with the sanding block. You want a neat edge when you’re replacing the cover.

Step Three: Soak the Pages in Hot Water

Ensure the steam has completely evaporated before placing your paper inside the hot water. Once the paper is in the water, be careful not to rip it apart because it becomes really weak. Leave to soak for about 3 – 5 minutes, then gently take it out of the water.  

Airdry the pages before moving onto the next step. It’s best to leave this to a professional.

Step Four: Restore the Cover

Use shell gold to restore faded gold embossments. Clean paperbacks with a clean dry cloth and hardbacks with clean clothes dabs in lukewarm water.

Step Five: Restore the Pages

Use Japanese tissue paste to restore mild tears on the dried paper. Once that is dried, use your archival Pen to correct the faded letters.

Step Six: Bind the Book

Use the thread to hold the pages together on the marked spot. Then, glue the end sheet back on the cover and place the bound pages in the cover on the correct joints (as marked in step one).

Watch the below video for detailed instructions on how to restore antique books.

If you’re unsure of your prowess, you can reach out to a professional for help. All you need to do is Google search Book restoration near me for the best option.

Damaged antique encyclopedias don’t have to be useless. There are many effective ways to restore them if the damage is minimal or recycle them if the damage is extensive.

You should however know that serious water damage is the only time you should consider throwing away your antique encyclopedia.

Watch the video to get a visual on how to reuse old encyclopedias.


Restoring books is, however, not a one-way street. The extent of the damage determines the restoration method.

Recycling old encyclopedias

Transform your antique encyclopedia into art

You can preserve the pages of your encyclopedia in a picture frame. Neatly cut out the pictures and paste them into a scrapbook or immortalize them in artistic pieces. Artist Brian Dettmer specializes in this type of artistic expression.

Repurpose the Book

You can turn them into display books on a shelf or desk but first clean the back. One art and crafts enthusiast turned his volumes into a wall rack connecting each book with a sturdy rope.

Another DIYer stacked the books on either side of her bench and placed a tray on it, turning the encyclopedia set to a side table. Your options are endless to the extent of your imagination.

Where Can I Buy an Antique Encyclopedia?

Antique encyclopedias are available in bookstores and online retail stores, especially secondary sellers. They’re mostly sold in sets (multiple volumes), but you can also get a single copy.

Biblio online is the best secondary retailer for used and rare antique books, including encyclopedias. The most expensive one available now is a few dollars shy of $82,000, but you can get a volume or two for as low as $150.  

Other options include Etsy and eBay, which have the most expensive listings, no more than $10,000. They’re also popular websites with functioning support systems to verify purchases and lodge complaints in case of fraud.

While Estate sales aren’t always reliable due to their private nature, they’re another good source of buying and selling antique encyclopedias.

Pro Tip: Always appraise the product (in this case, the antique encyclopedia) before payment.

Unfortunately, there are fraudsters out there ready to cheat hobbyists and collectors by passing off non-antique encyclopedias as such.

Parting Note

Antique encyclopedias are surely going extinct but that doesn’t mean you can’t repurpose your books or sell rare copies to interested collectors. Follow the steps in this guide if you’re confused about what to do with your old encyclopedias. Here’s a quick reminder for you;

  • Turn it into a bookshelf décor.
  • Make it a Wall hanger.
  • Stack multiple volumes and top them with a fancy tray as a side table.

FAQs

Q: What’s the Difference between an encyclopedia and a dictionary?

A: Whereas dictionaries focus on etymology and linguistic information, giving the reader only basic information, encyclopedias are more factual and broader. So, if you want to confirm the spelling, meaning, or pronunciation of a word, the dictionary is your answer.

However, suppose you’re interested in more in-depth research like background-origin of said concept, its evolution through the years, how it affects society, and other relevant information. In that case, you should consult an encyclopedia.

Sometimes, though, specialized dictionaries like Black’s Law Dictionary (for lawyers) fall under Subject-Specific encyclopedias.

Q: Do Digital Encyclopedias exist?

A: Yes. With the phasing out of print media for digital alternatives, all encyclopedia publishing houses have switched to online services. Today, the largest e-encyclopedia is a mass-generated service – Wikipedia – that updates information every minute.

Then, notable publications like Britannica and Americana have also gone the digital route, with the former claiming to update its website every 20 minutes. Other digital encyclopedias include Encarta and Encarta Kids, which have videos and games to make the website more interactive and fun for children.

Q: Can I distinguish an antique encyclopedia from a fake?

A: The telling signs are always there, although some people can fake it when they know what you’ll look for. Some ways to distinguish an antique encyclopedia from a replica include comparing authenticated copies with intended ones, inspection for wear and tear, and studying the language and writing.

It takes a while to perfect the art of appraisal, but with dedication and practice, you can do it too.

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