Rare Bookseller in manchester

about manchester rare books

After many years of working in the trade, Josh decided to start his own Antiquarian Bookshop in Manchester. He is a specialist in First Editions, Rare, Fine Collectible and Signed Books.

Josh has a deep love for books and can offer you expert guidance on selling, buying and appraising books, maps and ephemera.

At Manchester Rare Books we strongly believe in the cultural importance of books and works on paper and aim to conserve them whilst also allowing more people to enjoy these titles.

Josh’s passion for books started early…

As the son of a bookseller, he was regularly taken to book fairs, and from the moment he was able to carry boxes of first-edition books, he has been immersed in antiquarian books. It was when he moved away to study in Manchester that he began to realise how integral books are to who he is. During a dinner at the Harrogate Book Fair, surrounded by book dealers, he realised that this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Since then, he has been operating full-time, buying books and selling books.

Josh is particularly drawn to Modern First Editions, Science Fiction and Detective Fiction. However, he also increasingly likes anything weird and wonderful, such as Music Memorabilia and Counter Culture Zines. He also stocks and buys Folio Society Books.

Operating in South Manchester, Josh is a regular fixture at the Makers Markets and PBFA book fairs. However, he frequently travels to other cities for bookshops and book fairs. No distance is too far for good books.

With plans to open an antiquarian bookshop in Manchester in 2025, watch this space for more!

For more information and updates about Manchester Rare Books, please check out the ‘Blog' for a sneak peek into the life of a secondhand bookseller. Or find Manchester Rare Books on Instagram, where Josh regularly posts books of all kinds!

One of the coolest zines ever done, one of the reasons I started being interested in zines and counterculture material.
Finally unpacking from York and getting on with working out what’s next, lovely seeing everyone and anyway this is a really interesting exhibition catalogue Crash A Homage to JG Ballard. Gagosian Library 2010, London First Edition, illustrati
Last post probably before York of some highlights I have in at the moment, scarce collection of Ballard stories here In a nice jacket, I’ve been putting off moving boxes into my car for about 3 days now so might actually have to do that
Few more days left till York, sat in my garage trying not to stress, a really nice scarce signed us first edition murakami here, few more signed/limited edition murakami bits coming to the fair,
Going through a few boxes I’ve picked up on house calls and have been in ‘I’ll deal with it later area’ for a while, and now the week of York Bookfair I actually have to do some work, this is a really nice copy first UK editio
Picked up a set of 1731 Don Quixote today on a call, rather enjoying not just focusing on Modern Firsts and having to sit down and collate/research which isn’t something I thought would happen, anyway next fair is York @pbfabooks which I cannot
First edition Goldfinger in a nice dust jacket, my favourite movie of the bond films, rewatched it the other week and still so good. #modernfirst #fleming #books #firstedition
Got this the other day for a friend of mine, later edition but still an iconic title,
Currently in Dublin airport having a pint before heading out to @bookseminars, and trying to catch up with some work, bought a whole load of Christie’s last week, will have some listed soon!
Been far too busy recently but here’s a lovely signed David Attenborough I picked up the other day, am currently in the midst of stress preparing for CABS next week, will hopefully be picking up lots of cool things when i’m out there.
Another highlight from todays cataloguing, #books #firsteditionbooks #booksbooksbooks #rarebooks
Working on a Saturday hangover free and I even had a salad for lunch, unsure what’s going on, but here’s an exceptionally clean unprice clipped copy of short sorties, gone through about 35 W.E Johns books today with some really nice copie
Back in Manchester for about 10 minutes, been working through some calls, got this today. First English edition, and complete. First Polar Travel book I’ve bought so that’s something,
The buying trip concluded with picking this up, been mostly the ‘easy’ titles this trip which i’m all for, and everything else less known is to be catalogued when i’m back in Manchester, but reckon stuff like this will look go
The buying trip continues with more, nice first here, always love picking up Christie’s, also nabbed a few other classics I’ll be sure to post soon. Went into one shop today asking for ‘shiny modern firsts, Flemings Christie’s
Impromptu buying trip has got off to a good start, lovely le carré here, had a few in before just think it looks really cool and obviosuly it’s a classic, find myself increasingly drawn to gollancz dust jackets. Did a pub quiz a few week

the ethos behind manchester rare books…

At Manchester Rare Books, Josh aims to always offer a pleasurable, efficient, and fair service, whether that’s selling or buying books. He strives to offer fair and reasonable prices for any book he buys and takes the time and care to research and describe them to a high standard.

It can be hard to accurately value a book, but with years of experience, Josh knows how to tell the difference between a first-edition, and a later impression and can accurately value antiquarian titles. Josh is also happy to authenticate signatures of signed books and materials.

Josh deals with books of all subjects and price ranges, dedicating the time and care to deliver the same great experience for a first-edition Jane Austen or Agatha Christie as he would a box of general second-hand titles.