Gilt-edged Jane Austen set among rare books at UQ auction and fair

Ms West said the story of the books’ previous owners remained a mystery but she would investigate the rarity of each item that intrigued her and the two other book convenors.

“Nine times out of 10 they’re donated without any inscription or story but the joy of the hunt behind figuring out whether an item is rare or not brings us joy,” she said.

Ms West said they had to sift through hundreds of books before researching the rarity of the item, which could take 10 minutes to an hour of research.

“It’s been a very steep learning curve and none of us claim to be experts but volunteering and working around books is an absolute treat,” she said.

“Like a lot of people, I grew up reading anything and everything … it was my…