Advertisement

One Very Rare Book

17:22
Download Audio
Resume
Title page of Bay Psalm Book in the Library of Congress. (Wikipedia)
Title page of Bay Psalm Book in the Library of Congress. (Wikipedia)

Heading to the airport this afternoon? You can pick up a paperback there for a few bucks. Order a used book from Amazon, it's even cheaper.

So, why would someone pay more than 14 million dollars for a used book?

Call it a bibliophile's Holy Grail. It's called the Bay Psalms Book, the first book printed in Boston, long before it became part of the United States.

There are only 11 known copies of the book and it sold yesterday for 14.2 million dollars at an auction in New York.

Guest

Ken Gloss, owner of the Brattle Bookshop, he's appraises books for Antiques Roadshow and is the past president of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America's New England Chapter.

This segment aired on November 27, 2013.

Advertisement

More from Radio Boston

Listen Live
Close