Sell your art, design and photography books in Portland, or from anywhere in the US
A single monograph, a stack of photobooks or a whole shelf: we buy books outright and pay cash. Send a few photos, tell us what you have, and we’ll email an offer within a few days. Meet us in Portland or ship on our label.
In Portland? Pick a time to meet us in the Pearl and get paid on the spot.
What we pay
$1–20per book for secondhand titles, paid in cash
Where a book lands in that range depends on its condition, what it is and how in demand the title is. Tell us about dust jackets, signatures and editions in the form; they all count.
How it works
- Send us photosCovers and spines, the titles and editions, and roughly how many you have.
- We make an offerWe look up what each title is selling for and email you a cash offer, usually within a few days.
- Meet up or ship, get paidIn Portland we meet and pay on the spot. Elsewhere, we send a prepaid label and pay when it arrives.
What we’re looking for
- Art and design monographs: Rizzoli, Taschen, Phaidon, Gestalten
- Photobooks: Steidl, Aperture, Mack, Akio Nagasawa, Japanese photographers
- Fashion and brand books: Rick Owens, Margiela, Comme des Garçons, Yohji, Supreme
- Architecture and interiors
- Japanese books and magazines: Popeye, Brutus, Free & Easy, Casa
- Exhibition catalogues and artist books
- Signed, numbered and first-edition copies
- Fiction and literature in special editions
And more. If it’s special, send it over.
Selling books in Portland: common questions
The short version: we buy outright, we care about condition and editions, and we pay when we meet or when the box arrives.
Where can I sell art and design books in Portland?
Right here. sabi is based in the Pearl District (1314 NW Irving St) and buys art, design, photography, fashion and Japanese books outright. Send photos through the form on this page, we reply with a cash offer, and if you’re in Portland we arrange a quick meet-up. No appointment, no waiting while someone goes through a box.
What kinds of books do you buy?
Mostly visual books: art and design monographs, photobooks, fashion and brand books, architecture and interiors, Japanese books and magazines, exhibition catalogues, and rare, signed or first-edition copies. Publishers like Rizzoli, Taschen, Phaidon, Steidl, Aperture and Akio Nagasawa are a good sign. We also take fiction and literature when the copies are special. We don’t buy textbooks, book-club editions or ex-library copies.
How much will you pay for my books?
Between $1 and $20 per book for secondhand titles, paid in cash. Where a book lands depends on its condition, what it is and how in demand the title is: a clean monograph with its dust jacket is worth more to us than a scuffed reading copy. You don’t need to name a price; if you have a number in mind, add it to the form and we’ll tell you honestly whether we can get there.
Can I sell a whole shelf or collection at once?
Yes, and it’s our favorite kind of submission. Photograph the spines, list the standout titles, pick “a shelf or a whole collection” in the form and give us a rough count. We’ll tell you which books we want and make one combined offer. Anything we pass on stays yours.
Does condition matter?
A lot, for books. Dust jackets, slipcases and clean pages make a real difference, and signed or numbered copies more so. Be honest about writing, foxing or tears in the form; we’d rather know now than when the box arrives.
Do you pay cash, or is this consignment?
We buy outright, so you’re paid once, in full. Cash is our preference for local sellers; we can also pay by Zelle, Venmo or Apple Pay, which is how we usually pay people who ship to us.
Do you buy from people outside Portland?
Yes, from anywhere in the United States. Accept the offer and we email a prepaid shipping label. Wrap the books, pack them flat in a sturdy box, drop it off, and we pay as soon as it arrives and checks out against the photos.