MOSS GREEN HOLDINGS LTD

What MOSS GREEN HOLDINGS LTD does

MOSS GREEN HOLDINGS LTD is a privately held UK company operating the rare book business Cheltenham Rare Books. The underlying business was established c. 1984 by Mark Skipper as a first edition dealership and is headquartered at 12 Imperial Square, Cheltenham, in the Cotswolds region. The holding entity (Moss Green Holdings Ltd) is dated to 1998 in firmographic records, though the operating trade has run for approximately 40 years. The firm is also described as providing IT advisory services, though no further detail on that line is disclosed in the data.

Cheltenham Rare Books operates a hybrid retail model combining a walk-in physical shop in central Cheltenham with a Shopify-based e-commerce storefront offering multi-currency pricing and international shipping. Inventory is curated across multiple verticals — Children's, Crime, Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Poetry & Plays, Private Press, Non-Fiction, and Illustrated Books — with a stated catalogue of 112+ authors and hundreds of titles per genre. An Art Gallery sub-line features original dustwrapper artwork and Leslie Gerry limited edition prints, extending the product surface beyond books. Revenue is generated through unit-priced book sales (ranging from approximately $14 to over $6,000), gift vouchers, gift wrapping, and paid written valuations, with a monthly 'Recent Acquisitions' email serving as the primary retention channel.

The business is bootstrapped (no funding rounds), holds memberships in the ABA, PBFA, and ILAB trade associations, and markets through organic social, content (The Art of the Book Journal blog), email, and SEO. Customer concentration is dispersed across individual collectors and gift buyers globally; no enterprise or institutional accounts are disclosed. The technology footprint is conventional e-commerce with no AI, API, or proprietary platform differentiation, and the operating team is small with Mark Skipper as the sole named principal.

Name

MOSS GREEN HOLDINGS LTD

Legal name

Cheltenham Rare Books

Website

https://cheltenhamrarebooks.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MOSS GREEN HOLDINGS LTD operates Cheltenham Rare Books, a c. 1984-vintage antiquarian bookshop in Cheltenham, UK, selling rare first editions, signed copies, and private press books through a physical store and Shopify e-commerce site serving global collectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Antiquarian Bookselling

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (4595), Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592)

SIC

Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940)

akta.pro primary industry

Used, Rare & Antiquarian Bookstores (CRALAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Genre Bookstores (e.g., Sci‑Fi, Mystery, Poetry) (CRALAAAJ)

Keywords

• Rare book sales
• Antiquarian bookselling
• First edition books
• Book valuation services
• Signed edition books

Headquarters

HQ city

Cheltenham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Primary revenue from selling rare books, first editions, signed copies, private press books, and antiquarian volumes. Individual transaction-based pricing ranging from approximately $14 to over $6,000 per book depending on rarity, condition, and demand.
2. Valuation Services: Written valuations undertaken for a fee for customers seeking professional assessment of their books.
3. Gift Products: Revenue from gift vouchers and gift wrapping services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MOSS GREEN HOLDINGS LTD trades as Cheltenham Rare Books, a specialist retailer of rare and antiquarian books including first editions, signed copies, private press titles, and original artwork, operating from a physical bookshop at 12 Imperial Square, Cheltenham, UK and an online e-commerce store, with complementary book valuation and IT advisory services.

Product overview

Cheltenham Rare Books operates as a traditional rare and antiquarian bookshop with an e-commerce platform. Founded nearly 40 years ago by Mark Skipper, the business offers a curated collection of first edition books, signed copies, limited editions, and rare books across multiple genres including fiction, children's books, crime/mystery, science fiction/fantasy, poetry, and private press editions. The product portfolio centers on the core book retail offering complemented by an art gallery featuring original dustwrapper artwork and Leslie Gerry limited edition prints. Additional services include gift vouchers, gift wrapping, a monthly recent acquisitions email newsletter, and a book purchasing/valuation service for sellers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rare & Antiquarian Books Curated inventory of rare, antiquarian, first edition, and signed books across genres including fiction, crime, children's literature, science fiction and fantasy, and poetry and plays, sold to individual collectors, readers, and gift buyers.
• Leslie Gerry Limited Edition Artwork Original artwork and limited edition prints by illustrator Leslie Gerry, sold to collectors and customers seeking literary-inspired fine art.
• Gift Vouchers Pre-paid vouchers in set denominations that can be redeemed by recipients against any purchase from Cheltenham Rare Books, intended as gifts for book lovers.
• Book Valuation Service Professional appraisal of rare and antiquarian books for individuals seeking to know the value of their collections, typically for sale, insurance, or estate purposes.
• Book Selling Service Service enabling owners to sell individual rare books or full collections directly to Cheltenham Rare Books, with the bookshop purchasing selected stock from private sellers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-day returns policy demonstrates confidence in book condition and customer satisfaction

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ABA (Antiquarian Booksellers Association)coreOthersProfessional membership organization for antiquarian booksellers. Cheltenham Rare Books is a member, which provides credibility, access to industry networks, and guarantees that books are as described and delivery service meets standards.
• PBFA (Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association)coreOthersProfessional association for booksellers participating in book fairs. Membership indicates professional standards and provides access to book fair events for buying and selling rare books.
• ILAB (International League of Antiquarian Booksellers)coreOthersInternational federation of antiquarian bookseller associations. Membership provides international credibility and networking opportunities within the global rare book trade.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AbeBooks: Amazon-owned online marketplace aggregating rare, used, and antiquarian books from thousands of dealers globally. Not a direct retail competitor but the dominant discovery channel for the category in which Cheltenham Rare Books competes.
• Sotheby's: Global auction house with a major books and manuscripts category. Sets pricing benchmarks for premium rare book material and competes for estate and institutional consignments that would otherwise flow to dealers like Cheltenham Rare Books.
• Heritage Auctions: Major US auction house with a significant rare books and manuscripts department. Competes for high-value consignments and buyers in the upper tier of the same market Cheltenham Rare Books serves.
• Bonhams: Global auction house with books and manuscripts department. Overlaps in the high-end rare book segment, particularly for valuable first editions and private press material.
• Biblio: Online rare and out-of-print book marketplace connecting collectors to independent booksellers. Operates as an aggregator in the same category, competing for buyer attention and dealer listings.

Direct peers

• Bauman Rare Books: Established US rare book dealer with showrooms in New York, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas. Directly comparable as a high-end first edition and signed copy dealer serving collectors and institutions, but at larger scale with multi-location footprint.
• Bernard Quaritch Ltd: One of the oldest antiquarian bookshops in the world, based in London. Comparable as a specialist rare book dealer with academic and institutional clientele, though focused more on scholarly works than modern first editions.
• Peter Harrington: London-based antiquarian bookseller specializing in first editions, signed copies, and rare books across similar genres. Closest direct UK peer operating a comparable model of curated rare book retail with international clientele.
• Shapero Rare Books: London-based rare book and print dealer with global shipping. Comparable in product mix (first editions, private press, illustrated works) and in serving international collectors, but with broader art and print inventory.

Emerging players

• The Strand Bookstore: Iconic New York used and rare bookstore with a notable 'Rare Book Room.' Comparable as a physical rare book destination with strong brand and collector following, though broader inventory mix and US-only footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/explore/locations/1893448674234577
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxnJw8R_rVw0JLXhDj189WA
• Facebookfacebook.com/CheltenhamRareBooks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cheltenham-rare-books
• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/locations/1893448674234577

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MOSS GREEN HOLDINGS LTD