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Why did collectors in earlier centuries often prefer newer editions over older ones?

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In earlier centuries, collectors typically prioritized contemporary works over older ones because they valued books that were finely produced, beautifully illustrated, or luxuriously bound, and these qualities were most readily found in new publications.1

During this period, old books were generally disdained by bibliophiles. It was common practice for collectors, such as the 17th-century diarist Samuel Pepys, to routinely discard older editions of books from their libraries in favor of newer ones. This trend persisted well into the 18th century, as the antiquarian appreciation for older manuscripts and early printed books had not yet become fashionable among the broader collecting community.1

This preference for the contemporary began to shift toward the end of the 18th century, following the death of the French collector Louis César de la Baume Le Blanc, duc de La Vallière, whose library sale signaled a growing fascination with the past. This change was further fueled by the Romantic movement and the influx of historical materials into the market following the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.1