In a world of mass-produced paperbacks and digital texts, true rare books remain tangible assets of cultural, historical, and financial significance. At RareBooks.com, we curate only museum-grade, investment-worthy rare books—works that exist in limited numbers, carry provenance, and command long-term collector demand.
Our Rare Books Collection brings together signed editions, limited printings, scholarly monographs, and historically significant multi-volume sets—many of which rarely appear on the open market.
This collection is not for casual readers.
It is for serious collectors, institutions, libraries, and investors.
10 Top-Tier Limited & Signed Editions
1.
Britannica Book of the Year ( 33 Volume Set)
Special and Limited and Numbered Edinburgh Edition, Signed by the Chairman & President of the Board and Chairman of the Board of Editors, and the General Editor
About The Britannica Book of the Year ( 33 Volume Set)
This is a rare, limited-edition, signed set; there are virtually no recent public listings for the complete 16-volume Britannica Edinburgh edition.
Valuation Estimate: This Signed Edition is limited to 100 copies, has high-quality full-leather binding with gilt detailing and raised bands, and is in mint condition.
2. Chinese Ceramics In The Topkapi Saray Museum – 3 Volume Set ( Limited Edition # 744 of 1500 copies)
About The Chinese Ceramics In The Topkapi Saray Museum – 3 Volume Set
A highly regarded and collectible three-volume scholarly monograph documenting the celebrated Chinese ceramics collection of the Topkapi Saray Museum.
This limited edition, published by Sotheby’s in 1986 and numbered 744 of 1500, is sought after by collectors of Chinese art, museum-quality ceramic references, and major academic catalogues. The set is widely regarded as one of the most authoritative catalogues on imperial Chinese ceramics, making it an essential work for serious collectors and institutions.
3. China Diary With 158 Watercolours, Drawings And photographs, 84 In Colour
Signed by the author and artist. Contains An Original.
About The Set
A desirable signed limited-edition art portfolio featuring an original David Hockney lithograph — a significant highlight given Hockney’s stature as one of the most influential living British artists. His signed lithographs routinely command several thousand dollars, and the inclusion of a signed Stephen Spender text, original box, and mint condition elevates this copy to
premium collectible status.
Main Features of this Title :
Limited edition of 1000 copies, #205 Signed by David Hockney, Stephen Spender Original Hockney Lithograph-Red Square and the Forbidden City (1982) 5-colour lithograph on Somerset Satin Issued folded (3 folds), Image size: 54.5 × 49.5 cm (unfolded). Binding & Condition: Full red cloth with gilt title and gilt face motif, Original paper box + original card wrap (rare), Portfolio and lithograph both Mint. The lithograph lies flat (apart from the original folds) with vibrant colours.
4. By Imperial Command An Introduction to Ch’ing Imperial Painted Enamels- 2 Volume Set
About The Set
An uncommon and collectible limited edition art monograph, especially suitable for collectors of Chinese imperial art, enamel, cloisonné, and Asian decorative arts.
There are very few public listings of this 1976 limited edition. It appears occasionally among specialist Asian-art book dealers, but seldom, which indicates rarity in Western markets.
Because public comparables are so limited, most pricing comes from private sale history among dealers, rather than open auction records. As the box, jackets, and plates are all pristine, the price could be slightly higher.
5. The Oxford English Dictionary
– 20 Volume Set
About The Set
Given the superb condition and complete, well-packaged presentation, each book is individually packed in original cardboard boxes with foam support all around and is untouched. This set belongs to the top tier of Oxford English Dictionary sets on the market.
Valuation Estimate: These figures are based on the rarity of such pristine, boxed sets and market interest from serious collectors and libraries. Community discussions among rare‑book buyers have also noted strong interest in complete Oxford English Dictionary sets, which supports the idea that high‑quality sets command premium pricing.
6. Fine Bird Books 1700-1900
(LIMITED, SIGNED & NUMBERED EDITION)
No 239 of total 295 Copies
About The Set
A scarce and specialist limited-edition ornithological work, well-suited for collectors of natural history, mid-20th-century limited printings, and signed/numbered scientific monographs.
A rare bird-book portfolio with beautifully illustrated full-colour and monochrome plates.
Public market data for this 1953 limited edition is extremely limited. The book appears only occasionally in older specialist or library catalogues, typically without listed prices. Many entries are offered on a “price on request” basis, which is characteristic of niche collector markets rather than general resale channels.
7. The Arab Islamic Art L’ArtArabeD’ApresLes Monuments Du Kaire
About The Set
A distinguished and uncommon multi-volume facsimile set produced by Khayat Book & Publishing Co. (Beirut), reproducing two important works of Islamic art and early Eastern travel literature. These editions, issued in small numbers between the 1950s and 1970s, are admired for their craftsmanship, large-format plates, and high production quality, and are housed in their original presentation cases, accompanied by the original custom wooden trolley designed for this set.
Condition: Mint — crisp pages, clean plates, minimal wear.
Why This Set Commands Strong Value Elephant-folio scale increases desirability. Islamic art and early travel literature remain highly collected categories. Khayat’s limited-run facsimiles are now sought after in the Middle East, Europe, and North America. The original wooden trolley marks this as a luxury presentation edition and dramatically enhances rarity and display appeal. Excellent / near-mint condition significantly elevates the market value.
8. THE BOMBAY EDITION OF THE WORKS OF RUDYARD KIPLING
24 Volume Set (Limited & Signed Edition of 1050 Copies)
About The Set
A historically significant limited edition of The Bombay Edition of the Works of Rudyard Kipling, issued by MacMillan & Co. (London) for Indian distribution between 1913–1917. Limited to 1050 copies, this 24-volume set is in the original cloth-backed paper boards and includes the highly desirable feature of Rudyard Kipling’s signature in Volume I.
Edition & Physical Features
24 volumes (Bombay Edition)
Original cloth-backed paper boards with printed spine labels
Only Volume XVI (Just So Stories) is illustrated
Volume I, signed by Kipling, greatly enhances value
Market Context
The Bombay Edition was produced for the colonial Indian
market and is less commonly found in Western collections.
Signed copies — especially within a multi-volume set — are
strongly sought after.
A clean Kipling signature can push the price higher.
9. ORIENTAL FIELD SPORTS (WILD SPORTS OF THE EAST) (TWO VOLUMES IN ONE BINDING),
Capt. Thomas Williamson, Drawings by Samuel Howitt
A distinguished early 19th-century sporting classic, Oriental Field Sports remains one of the most celebrated illustrated works on Anglo-Indian hunting and natural history. The 1807 second edition is strongly collected, especially for its superb hand-coloured plates by Samuel Howitt, regarded as masterpieces of early British-Indian sporting
art.
Collector Interest
This title remains in steady demand among
collectors of: India, hunting, and colonial-era history
Natural history and zoological illustration
Coloured-plate books
Early British sporting literature
10. Constitutional Relations Between Britain & India
The Transfer Of Power – 12 Volume Set (SIGNED EDITION)
About The Set
This exceptional twelve-volume signed edition is the definitive documentary history of the political, diplomatic, and constitutional negotiations that led to India’s independence. Commissioned by the British government and edited by leading scholars, the series remains the most authoritative source on the final years of the
British Raj.
These volumes present meticulously curated archival materials— formerly confidential state documents—offering unparalleled insight into the decisions and debates that shaped the end of colonial rule. The set reproduces essential primary documents, including Cabinet papers, Viceroy and Governor-General correspondence, Telegrams, memoranda, and political intelligence reports, Communications between Churchill, Attlee, Mountbatten, Nehru, and Jinnah, Early drafts and proposals that influenced Partition and the creation of the
Two Dominions.
Copies signed by Mansergh and Moon are highly desirable, representing a superior collector’s version of this cornerstone reference work.
The presence of the original publisher’s protective boxes is unusual and extremely attractive to collectors. Most surviving sets show significant use; this set is distinguished by its preservation and archival integrity. The 12-volume signed, mint, boxed set is a standout example of a modern documentary classic — a cornerstone for any serious collection of India’s constitutional or colonial history.
Once these editions enter private collections or institutions, they effectively leave the market. If you are building a serious rare-book portfolio, waiting is often the most expensive decision.
