Tom Ayling's rare books
An antiquarian bookseller turns pages of old books and manuscripts on camera and explains what makes each copy special.
What it is
Tom Ayling is an English antiquarian bookseller who deals in rare books and manuscripts. His profile lists "Rare Books, Manuscripts" and Howbery Park in Oxfordshire, and more than 400,000 people follow him on TikTok. It is probably the cosiest way to spend time with old books without walking into an auction house.
The format is simple. Tom picks up a copy and tells you what makes it interesting. Recent videos include a side-by-side of a 100-year-old and a 400-year-old Bible, three books with fore-edge paintings (hidden pictures that appear when you fan the pages), a book-hunting trip, a confession that he bought too many books, and a clip for Hobbit Day.
Why we picked it
Most book content online is about the text: did you like it or not. Here the book is an object with a life story. Who bound it, whose notes are in the margins, why so few copies were printed, how the spine got that wear. Tom explains it calmly and with obvious pleasure, never snobby and never lecturing.
We also like that the videos train your eye. After a couple dozen clips you start noticing endpapers, bindings and bookplates in any library you walk into. It is a real trade, shown from the inside.
Where to start
- The fore-edge painting video, which is the neatest book magic trick you will see this week.
- The two Bibles compared, a quick lesson in how paper, type and binding changed over three centuries.
- The book-hunting clip, to see where copies like these actually come from.
- After that, just keep scrolling. The videos are short and need no background.
Who it's for
Anyone who loves physical books, secondhand bookshops and the history of objects. Literature and history students. Collectors who are curious about the trade but not ready to spend money yet. People who simply enjoy a calm British voice talking about something he knows well.
Quick answers
Is he selling books? Yes, Tom is a working bookseller, but the videos are about the copies and their stories.
Do I need to know anything about rare books? No. He explains the terms as he goes.
Where else can I find him? His website links to his TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
