Forum Topic

Vintage Bookstore - Recommendations

Can anyone recommend any good vintage bookstores perhaps with a good online portal? Im after a specific title and unfortunately Foster Books do not have what I am looking for.

Matthew Swain ● 2174d19 Comments

Abe Books is a good place to start. Also give ebay a try - sometimes there's a bargain to be had!

Bruce Hammal ● 2174d

Yep, used them https://www.abebooks.co.uk/books/rarebooks/

Russell Pearson ● 2174d

Agree, I have used Abe Books and would certainly recommend them.

Elizabeth Ross ● 2174d

Abe is basically just a marketplace for booksellers. Many of them list their stock elsewhere, including ebay, and quite a few also have their own websites. It's certainly a good place to at least get an idea of how available a book might be and  what sort of price you should expect to pay.I would say again that it's worth a quick check on ebay; I recently bought a book there for about half the best price quoted on Abe.

Bruce Hammal ● 2174d

Appreciate the recommendation thank you,  looking at some alternatives for Foster as well, as I wanted to buy local.Real shame we can't even walk in right now and get help due to the lockdown!

Matthew Swain ● 2174d

Fairly local is the Osterley Bookshop in Thornbury Road Osterley, which is housed in a defunct Piccadilly tube station.  Don't know whether it has a website though.

Micki Hawkes ● 2174d

I did once visit the Osterley shop. It's a quirky place, in what was once Osterley Park and Spring Grove Station which closed in 1934 when the new Osterley station opened. They don't just sell books but all sorts of curios and bits and bobs. It's very much a place for browsing and chance discoveries rather than specific shopping. They don't seem to have a website and I assume the shop is currently closed.

Bruce Hammal ● 2174d

Lloyd's of Kew ,just over Kew bridge. They've got a website

Tina Gallacher ● 2174d

Why dont you ask Stephen Foster to track the book you are looking for? Most booksellers can do this without any obligation. Perhaps Stephen does'nt do this and nor do i. Otherwise If you let me know what it is you are seeking i am happy to put a posting on the PBFA website {for free ]which is read by c 430 antiquarian and secondhand booksellers members. I am on its Committee.

John Martin ● 2174d

If you find the book you are looking for on Abe Books you can usually identify the location of the bookseller - some, but not all, also have retail premises. I found something I was looking for the other day on Abe Books and went to the shop concerned to check it was the specific edition I was looking for, and while there bought some other items as well. You sometimes find the same bookseller putting a book up on both Abe Books and E-bay, not always at the same price, so worth checking both before you buy.

Richard Greenhough ● 2174d

Might be a bit out of your way but there is a fantastic old bookshop tucked away on Thornbury Rd at the Osterley Park end. Thornbury Rd intersects the A4 on the shop is on the northern section of the road.I haven't been there for a couple of years and I can't remember what it's called I'm afraid.I bought a fine and quite old copy of an anthology of John Clare's poetry last time I was there.Sells retro clothing and curios as well.

Keith Iddon ● 2173d

It's called the Osterley Bookshop 020 8560 6206

Keith Iddon ● 2173d

We did that one seven  posts back!

Bruce Hammal ● 2173d

Oxfam has an online bookshop that's worth checking. https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk

Lucy Chambers ● 2173d

Yes.

Keith Iddon ● 2173d

John,Thanks for the kind offer, as it was a gift I decided to go for a title that Stephen had and have settled everything and really pleased as I wanted to buy local.

Matthew Swain ● 2173d

Thank you to everyone for the recommendations. In the end I decided I really wanted to buy local so opted for a title at Stephen Fosters shop where I got brilliant service despite the shop being physically closed. Really appreciate the alternatives for consideration in the future.

Matthew Swain ● 2173d

Out of curiosity, Matthew, did you know Stephen was involved with ReDesign CS9?

David Lesniak ● 2172d

Have you tried eBay. It’s always my last resource and I always find it on this platform.

Katja Urban ● 2172d