Bookends have practical uses. If you read books or have a collection of books in your home or your office, you probably have some bookends. Bookends ensure that your books are stored neatly in an upright position. They usually come in pairs; one on each end of the standing books. They allow you to store your books upright in places other than a bookshelf like the on mantle place or a dresser top. This storage method protects your book's spine and pages and also lengthens the life of your book.

The books stored between bookends have their covers closed and their spine facing outwards. This allows for the books to be easily identified as the title and author information is exposed. Bookends have an aesthetic value and are considered collectables. They are decorative and ornate. These types of book ends can be a valuable asset to the décor your room.

Collecting bookends can be a practical and interesting hobby. Bookends have been around for a while and can be found in many different shapes and sizes. They can be made of many different materials like polyresin, brass, acrylic, marble, porcelain, plastics, stone, wood, metal and many other materials that can be molded.

Your bookend collection can be categorized by the many themes available like animals, sports, children, globes, tropical, people among others. You can also classify your collection by collecting one of the specific finishings used like bronze, gold, copper, multicolor, silver etc. You could also collect the specific bookends that were made for advertising purposes too.

As with any other collectable item, pay attention to the detail of the bookends and make sure they are good quality. When choosing a bookend look for fractures in metal or cracks in the wood that may diminish their value. Setting a theme for your collection may help in narrowing the search. Collectable bookends are artistic expressions of their designers and also representative of the period they were designed in.

To introduce yourself into the world of collecting bookends, there are some books about book ends. Try "Bookend Revue" by Robert Seecof , Donna Lee Seecof, and Louis Kuritzky. This book offers an interesting study on bookends. It discusses their history and how they have developed over the centuries. It contains 600 illustrations of many different bookends.

Other books to read are "A Collector's Guide to Cast Metal Bookends" by Gerald McBride and "The Collector's Encyclopedia of Bookends" by Louis Kuritzky & Charles De Costa. Both these books give interesting insight into the fascinating world of bookend collectors. A good starting place would be on the internet.

Many websites offer a variety of bookends for sale. You can search by theme, price or finish. If you find a book end and have any questions about its value, contact a certified appraiser who may be able to help determine the value of your find or answer any questions you may have.

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