Nils Dickmann of Ballard Books on Teenage Book Scouting and Peter Rainier's Harbor Log

Our Bright Young Booksellers series continues today with Nils Dickmann proprietor of Ballard Books in Seattle:

How did you get started in rare books?

I became interested in rare books when I was around the age of 10. My parents had a few of what I would now describe as 'Antiquarian Books' on the top shelf of one of the bookcases in the family den. The feeling of the ancient in these books fascinated me. When my parents let me handle these books for the first time, I was in awe and immediately developed an appreciation of literally placing my hands on the past.

Our family moved to Germany and I became introduced to antiquarian bookstores. By the time I was a teen, I had begun forging connections in the book world and was learning about book scouting by spending much of my free time in bookstores and at flea markets. At 13, I sold my first book to still close friends Gottwalt and Lucie of Pabel Antiquarian books in Hamburg. It was a Napoleon related scrap album I had found at a flea market and I can still vividly remember the contemporary broadsides and ephemera it contained. I was getting a sense that I could dig up an interesting book and make money with it. 

We moved back to the US in time for me to go to High School and I began working for book credit at Shorey's Bookstore.  Shorey's at the time was the largest used bookstore in our area. In that week between Christmas and New Years, Shorey's had a 50% off sale every year and I would without fail use all of my credit at this event. Even though Shorey's has been gone for decades now, an early victim of the internet, I still briefly get excited about going to this sale.

What is your role at Ballard Books?

I wear many hats at Ballard Books (currently I'm wearing my Gutenberg hat from the musical in New York!). Foremostly, I have been getting a real-life lesson in understanding the facets and quirks of having an open-door brick and mortar bookstore. Slowly, I have found myself in the process of growing the business from a one-man-show into a larger and more stable business. Although I have some help now, I am still very much engaged in the role of a jack of all trades running the store's daily activities, helping customers find books, cataloging rare books and managing the store's inventory. 

When I am able to get away from the everyday necessities of running the store, I focus on marketing, managing events and gaining a better understanding of the software programs we use. A critical and ongoing role is researching and procuring inventory; fortunately this is also my favorite activity.

What do you love about the book trade?

As a book lover, every day I bask in the amazing books I get to surround myself with and my eyes are opened to materials, authors and subjects I was not familiar with. The books I am entitled to work with are often the reward that makes up for the financial shortcoming that comes with selling antiquated, non-digital media in the 21st century. Another aspect of the trade I have grown fond of has been meeting amazing people, both colleagues and customers.

Describe a typical day for you:

A normal day for me would be processing new inventory and helping customers find titles all the while working on cataloging during free moments. We receive a number of phone calls and emails daily from customers inquiring for books and addressing these is a constant task. Often these calls and emails lead to house calls which can be a disruption to the everyday flow of business, but which often result in the discovery of amazing treasures. 

A constant goal for the bookstore is to advance the business one step at a time. To make progress in this sense I make lists every day and work to check items off while keeping an eye on the delicate balance of dealing with daily activities and chipping away at bigger objectives.

Favorite rare book (or ephemera) that you’ve handled?

Of course my favorite book will always be the newest and most exciting rare book to enter the shop. But a few weeks ago a book came into the shop that I am sure I will never see again. Ballard Books being located in the Pacific Northwest and our recorded regional history being relatively short, it does not take long to look back and arrive at the era of Captain George Vancouver and his discovery of Puget Sound in 1792. Perched on the large partners desk in the rare book room in the back of our store sat the original, autographed, holographic harbor log of, at the time Rear-Admiral, Peter Rainier who was in England performing his duty as captain of the HMS Monarch when at the same moment half-way around the world, Captain George Vancouver named our area's greatest Peak, Mount Rainier, after his friend. This was an incredible experience.

What do you personally collect?

My strongest personal interests include travel, interesting bindings and, as I studied German Literature, scarce books, ephemera and manuscripts in German, especially if they have a link to America.

What do you like to do outside of work?

For fun, I enjoy the outdoors, performing arts, reading and travel. We have three kids at home who are all in school, so there are always a lot of activities surrounding them as well.

Thoughts on the present state and/or future of the rare book trade?

The majority of customers at our store are younger patrons, which we take as a good omen for the future. Also after a decade of everyone shedding material possessions, it seems the trend might have reversed and the younger generation is seeing the value of nice books on their shelves at home.

Any upcoming fairs or catalogs?

We will be exhibiting at the Rose City Book and Paper fair June 14-15 in Portland, Oregon, as well as at the Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair October 18-19 in Seattle, Washington.