Book Mark

However,all this knowledge pool is just by the way and Sawant’s true passion lies in collecting and selling rare books,something he has been doing for 20 years now from his 1BHK residence in Vashi which stacks over 9,000 books — a combination of the rare,interesting and the unusual.

So if you are looking for a rare edition or a book that is no longer available in the market,chances are you will find it in his vast collection. And if not,Sawant will comb the city to acquire it for you,though the search may at times take him months and to places such as second-hand bookstores and regular visits to scrapdealers.

“Old books are like antiques and most people don’t realise that a rare edition can be an investment. I once bought three rare embossed,hand cut copies of Shakespeare’s complete works for a menial amount by repeatedly visiting a small scrapdealer in Tardeo. Photographer

Gautam Rajadhyakshya bought one of those three books from me some time ago,” explains Sawant.

His strength indeed lies in his knack of sifting out these rare editions from a pile of scrap. Much of it,he says,comes from experience. But there is a technique to it too. Judging by the subject is the basic step. “If there is a book on chess in Sanskrit from 1880,it is naturally unique,” he smiles,adding,“Some knowledge of printing and books is also important. The number of editions a book has had helps guess the popularity of the book,and the production quality talks about its true character—factors like the paper,spacing,cover,design and printing help gauge the value.”

Sawant says he isn’t a salesman; he refers to himself as a book consultant and rightly so. Often,his list of regular clientele,which also includes illustrious names like Ashok Salian,Akbar Padamsee,Prabhakar Kolte and Sanjay Chhel,will provide him with a brief about the topic and nature of the book they need and he has to hunt down the best for them.

On other occasions,gauging their nature,he suggests to people what they should read. Sawant recounts how his friend,a science student,was on the verge on giving up the subject because she could not understand her textbooks. He suggested to her a few other books on the subject,which helped her regain her interest. “Your interest in a subject is often decided by the books you read,” Sawant muses,“Guidance is important so it does not put you off the subject and instead nurtures it.”

Also,unlike a salesman whom a buyer chooses,Sawant chooses his clientele. “Just because I have a rare book does not mean I will sell it,” he quips. And selling to the highest bidder is out of the question too; in fact,he goes out of his way to slash his price for those who either need a book for research or who may not be able to afford one.

Though he is usually just a phone call away,Sawant,is not comfortable with people walking in and out of his house every day. He is now setting up a small book shop near Grant Road station where he intends to stock close to 2,000 of his books. “Though it will be a retail outlet,I will still retain the rights to refuse a book to a customer,” he points out. “And if it’s a Chetan Bhagat or the likes you’re looking for,you will be wasting your time at my store.”

You can contact Shashikant Sawant on 9821785618