Dh120,000 for ‘James Bond’ original? Dubai’s luxury market sees rising demand for rare books

From a signed copy of James Bond by Ian Fleming priced at Dh120,000 to a centuries-old Quranic manuscript from China, rare books are gaining quiet traction in Dubai’s expanding luxury market.

As the city seeks to cement its status as a global cultural destination, one bookstore is banking on collectors and serious readers to seek out some of the world’s most sought-after literary treasures.

Three years ago, UK-born Alex Warren opened Zerzura Rare Books as a physical store in Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue, believing that rare books needed to be seen, touched, and experienced in person. “I wanted to do something that was like a physical space,” Warren explains from his shop, surrounded by volumes spanning centuries. “Normally, you would do something online first and then maybe do a physical shop. I wanted to do something that was a bit strange.”

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Warren’s background in literature and languages provided the foundation, but it was Dubai’s unique demographic that presented the opportunity. “It’s a business that’s sort of mainstream and normal in lots of countries around the world,” he told KT LUXE. “But no one was doing it here in the UAE. And I thought that, you know, it’s a growing market here, and the kind of people that are here is maybe a little bit different than it was.”

Today, Zerzura operates not just as a brick-and-mortar store but also sells online, participates in book fairs, sources specific titles for customers, and ships internationally, extending its reach far beyond the UAE’s borders.

Diverse collectors

Dubai’s rare book market reflects the city’s cosmopolitan character, with Warren describing his clientele as “a really big mix of nationalities” with equally diverse interests. The customer base spans from nostalgia-driven buyers seeking childhood favourites to serious collectors hunting for investment-grade first editions.

“A really big part of the market is gifts,” Warren says, adding that certain nationalities have particularly strong gifting cultures around books. “Especially for Russians. There have been a lot of Russians moving here in the past few years and they’re quite an important market. They really love books.”

Local Emirati customers form another significant segment, particularly gravitating towards books about the UAE and Arabia.

The store also attracts tourists and collectors from neighbouring countries, with visitors from destinations like Saudi Arabia popping in to explore Alserkal Avenue’s cultural offerings.

Warren’s inventory strategy reflects this diversity, maintaining stock that ranges from mainstream authors like JRR Tolkien (Lord of the Rings) and JK Rowling (Harry Potter series) to Arabic language first editions by 20th century writers from Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt.

Classic titles about the UAE, including Arabian Sands, alongside works by Jane Austen and Roald Dahl ensure broad appeal across different cultural backgrounds.

The trend towards physical books resonates across Dubai’s broader literary marketplace.

Grace Chaoul Karim, co-founder of UAE-based Bookends, an online and physical marketplace for used books, observes a similar shift in reading habits. “We have a lot of people who left their electronics and got back to a physical book simply because they love the charm that a physical book gives, and they enjoy sitting in a cozy corner and having some me time,” she told KT LUXE.

Karim’s platform, while focused on preloved rather than luxury collectibles, occasionally handles rare finds that demonstrate the emotional value books hold for readers.

“We do receive, occasionally, collectibles, and we have a few touching stories to share,” she says, recounting instances where customers have paid premium shipping costs to Australia for a sentimental cookbook or discovered childhood photos of themselves in vintage books found on Dubai shelves.

“This is really rewarding when you see the excitement people are having, and it connects those readers together as well,” says Karim.

Price tags

The pricing spectrum at Zerzura illustrates the democratic nature of book collecting, with items ranging from accessible Dh100 to the crown jewel: a signed James Bond novel by Fleming commanding Dh120,000. Among the current high-value inventory sits a 1763 chapter of the Quran from China, priced at Dh40,000.

“(But) you don’t have to be a millionaire to come in and buy this stuff,” Warren said. “You can start collecting books with very [little investment]; you can start with just things that you’re interested in, that you like.”

Warren sources his inventory globally, with the UK serving as a primary supplier due to its extensive network of specialist book dealers.

However, the hunt for rare volumes spans continents, with acquisitions coming from the US, Japan, Australia, and across Europe, depending on specific customer requests and market opportunities.

The entrepreneur is careful to distinguish between rarity and value, noting that age doesn’t automatically translate to worth. “There’s no relation between how valuable something is and how old something is,” he explains. “You can have really modern books that are quite valuable as well.

Warren’s venture arrives at a time when Dubai is actively expanding its cultural offerings, particularly for tourists seeking experiences beyond shopping and dining. The city’s recent visa reforms have also attracted a more diverse resident population, including creatives and remote workers who represent potential new customers for specialised retailers.

“Since they made the visas a bit more flexible, I think there has been a more diverse range of people living here than there was before,” Warren says. This demographic shift, combined with a broader global trend towards physical, tangible experiences, has created favourable conditions for his business.

The entrepreneur also notes a generational shift in book appreciation, citing the influence of “BookTok” on TikTok and a renewed interest in physical bookshops. “People want to go more offline, real life,” he says. “You can come and touch something and look at something that’s 150 years old, and especially in a place like Dubai, where you’re surrounded by everything that’s new, it’s quite refreshing.”

Warren plans to continue participating in regional book fairs, including the annual Abu Dhabi Book Fair and potentially, the Sharjah International Book Fair in November.

As Dubai’s only dedicated rare book specialist, Zerzura stands in a unique position to shape and benefit from the emirate’s evolving cultural landscape.

“Dubai is trying to make an effort to have a bit more of a cultural offering for tourists than it used to,” Warren says. “We get visitors and tourists who might be here for a week, and they’ll have a day where they’ll come and do something cultural when they’ll come to Alserkal and have a look around.”

Whether hunting for a leather-bound first edition of Pride and Prejudice or a centuries-old mathematical treatise by Euclid, Dubai’s rare book enthusiasts now have a destination that caters to both scholarly pursuits and luxury collecting — proof that even in a city known for its futuristic vision, there remains an appreciation for the timeless appeal of the written word.