Third Floor Rare Books
“For me, this has been a long personal journey, one which had its roots 110 years ago, in England. In 1896, my Great Grandfather, William Allum, opened an antique book, print and frame shop that, for the next 24 years, would offer those services to the people of Woking, England.”
My Grandmother would regale me with stories about living above the shop and always having prints, books and framing jobs scattered throughout. I still retain my Great Grandfather’s frame gilding equipment (complete with three boxes of gold foil) as well as many prints and books that have been passed down to me.
After the passing of my Great Grandfather in 1920, according to family legend, Grandmother was forced to sell what was one of the largest miniature book collections in England along with three Turner paintings– just to pay off the bills. A small trunk of books and prints made its way back to Canada where, many years later, they came into my possession. I was hooked, and became an avid print / book collector.
With the creation of Third Floor Rare Books in 2016, my journey comes full circle. My past informs my future, as I journey forward to now when on-line sales are fast becoming the new business model.
Our website brings the collector directly into our studio where each book is carefully and meticulously photographed in high resolution. It does not replace the joy of handling a great book, but we will bring the book to you.
We hope you enjoy the experience as much as we have creating it. We look forward to offering many more books for sale in the years to come. And we would love your feedback and suggestions!
Peter Jones
