I am looking for any metric that shows the market size for
phototgraphic books (aka coffee table books).  This category of books
is not commonly tracked from publishing sources.  It doesn't have to
be a comprehensive market size, just some facts to complete the
following list:
·	Magazines - By 2002 average readership had increased to 8.1 million.
(http://www.medialifemagazine.com/news2002/aug02/aug26/3_wed/news1wednesday.html)
·	Books – still looking – Publishers Weekly doesn’t break out this
category, nor does the American Association of Publishers
·	Movies – Motion Picture Association reports U.S. movie attendance of
165.9 million in 2002.
(http://www.mpaa.org/useconomicreview/content.htm)
·	Sports – The sports memorabilia market is estimated by Card Trade
magazine to be worth over $2 billion per year.  Pictopia could produce
signed, limited editions.
(http://www.dnatechnologies.com/news/sep_06_2001.shtml)
·	Art Museums - National Endowment for the Arts estimated attendance
at American art museums was 225 million visits a year.
(http://www.iht.com/IHT/SR/102399/sr102399e.html)

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Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 28 Jul 2003 15:06 PDT

Dear amyjean,

I have done my best searching for market data on coffee table books.
However, I found only one (!) estimate of the annual sales in dollars.
Most publishing market data is only available as fee-based, expensive
market research reports.
I am aware of the fact that one single number as an answer might not
be what you are expecting for $50. So I prefer asking you in advance,
in order to avoid dissapointment and dissatisfaction.

Best regards,
Scriptor

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Clarification of Question by amyjean-ga on 28 Jul 2003 15:49 PDT

A single number is more than I've been able to find.  Here are issues
that would make it more useful to me:
- How old is the information?
- Is it from a credible source?  Not perfect, just seems legit.
- Can you also include any paid reports you may kow of?
- Also helps to know your background, have you researched a lot in
this area?
- Can you estimate an average selling price of the type of books
included in the number so I can deduce readership?

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Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 28 Jul 2003 17:31 PDT

Dear amyjean,

- The information dates from January 2002.
- The market size estimate was given by the vice chairman of one of
America's leading publishing houses for coffee table books and
originally published in the New York Times.
- I can try to search fee-based reports. But as further investigation
revealed, most of these reports are published by professional
associations of publishers and booksellers; access is limited to
(paying) members. Also, the content descriptions are often very vague,
so I can't say whether the reports contain specific figures for coffee
table books at all.
- Concerning my background: Though I am not specialized in publishing
market questions, I am an author myself with currently two novels in
the shelves.
- I am sorry to say that there is no indicator for the average coffee
table book price connected with the figure I found or in general,
though I searched extensively.

Regards,
Scriptor

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Clarification of Question by amyjean-ga on 29 Jul 2003 11:46 PDT

Sounds good to me.  I will be able to build an argument about.

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Clarification of Question by amyjean-ga on 29 Jul 2003 15:11 PDT

I'm clarifying my clarification since some of it got cut off.  I'd
like to proceed with the information you have since an industry expert
quoted in the New York Times in 2002 will be credible enough for what
I'm doing.

Dear amyjean,

In 2002, the US market for coffee table books (or illustrated books,
photographic books) had estimated total sales of $500 million,
according to this quotation:

"No one knows the precise size of the illustrated book market in the
United States. Paul Gottlieb, vice chairman of Harry N. Abrams,
estimated the industry's total sales at more than $500 million a year,
or more than 10 percent of consumer book sales."
Source:
YBP Library Services: Academia News Digest, February 2002
http://www.ybp.com/Academia/DigestNewsFeb02.htm
(The article containing Mr. Gottlieb's estimate was originally
published in the New York Times of 7 January 2002)


Additionally, here are several selected links to statistics on the
publishing market in the United Stated; whether they are freely
accessible or fee-based is mentioned in every single case:

Association of American Booksellers: 2002 Industry Statistics Report
(free)
http://www.publishers.org/industry/2002.cfm

British Booksellers Association: An overview over the U.S. Book Market
1999-2002 (free)
http://www.booksellers.org.uk/newlibrary/document_view.cfm?document_id=488

Euromonitor: Books in USA (US-$ 198.00)
http://www.euromonitor.com/Books_in_USA_(mmp)

Book Industry Study Group: Various Statistical Resources on the Book
Market (fee-based)
http://www.bisg.org/

BookWire: U.S. Book Production Statistics 1992-2002 (free)
http://www.bookwire.com/bookwire/bookproduction/decadebookproduction.html


Search terms used (in selection):
"illustrated book market"
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22illustrated+book+market%22&meta=
"coffee table book market"
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22coffee+table+book+market%22&meta=
"coffee table books"  "market size"
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22coffee+table+books%22++%22market+size%22&btnG=Google+Suche&meta=
"illustrated books"  "market size"
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22illustrated+books%22++%22market+size%22&btnG=Google+Suche&meta=
"market for coffee table books"
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22market+for+coffee+table+books%22&meta=
"market for illustrated books"
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22market+for+illustrated+books%22&meta=


Again, I am sorry I could not find more comprehensive information on
the coffee table book market. But I hope that the result of my
research will satisfy your basic needs.
Very best regards,
Scriptor