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What would be the best way to sell a vintage cookbook collection?

I inherited my mom's cookbook collection. There are over 100 and most date from the 1950s to 1990s. In addition to the books, that are many pamphlets, magazines and clippings. I thought if I advertised them on Facebook, Marketplace and Craig's List they'd be spoken for before I hit the SEND button, but so far not one inquiry. None are priced over $5 (and that's for really old and large books) and most are in the $1 to $2 range. I also offered a package deal - all for $100 (that's less than $1 each). Doesn't anyone cook anymore?

8 Answers

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  • 3 months ago
    Favorite Answer

    I have an eight or nine foot collection of cookbooks, some dating back to the 18th century, but they are boxed up and in storage because I never use them (well, maybe a couple, but not most of them). The internet pretty much killed the value of cookbooks the way Craigslist killed classified ad revenue. Why pay for a hard copy of a book from which you might use a half dozen recipes, when you can look up several recipes for free with a search engine?

    Curate your collection and look for Fanny Farmer, James Beard, The Joy of Cooking, Julia Child and Georges-Auguste Escoffier. Put them on Etsy, with a healthy asking price. Mark Bittman should sell but may not. For pricing guidance check Amazon.  Good luck!

  • 3 months ago

    Put them on eBay.

  • 3 months ago

    They are a niche market and not everyone wants that much bulk taking up space. Probably the best thing you could do would be to have an auction house or an antique dealer assess them so you can get a dollar amount, and then go on sites like eBay and try again. 

  • 3 months ago

    The market is GLUTTED with cookbooks.  Supply and demand. And there are literally tens of thousands of recipes available at the click of a computer mouse. I do a lot of cooking. I've got a drawer full of cookbooks from the 1970s, early 1980s.  Haven't opened one in 20+ years.

  • Anonymous
    3 months ago

    Recipes are online. I can go through 10 or 12 and choose the one I think will be the best.

    I think I would pick up some at a yard sale or second-hand shop, but buying over the Internet may be too much trouble.

  • Anton
    Lv 6
    3 months ago

    I inherited my mom's cookbook collection... want to sell ...  Doesn't anyone cook anymore?

    YOU don't want the books.  Why?  Do you not cook?  Or are you like everyone else and simply find whatever they want, for free, on the Internet?

    Basically, anyone that wants dead tree books already have them. 

  • kswck2
    Lv 7
    3 months ago

    Just make all the recipes, photograph them and rebrand it as Your cookbook. 

  • ?
    Lv 7
    3 months ago

    No. And the few that do use those horrid prepared delivered things. 

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