Karakter Books

About Karakter Books

Karakter Books is a specialist bookshop located on Carlton Gore Road in Newmarket, Auckland. The shop curates a distinctive collection focusing on visual arts, architecture, culture, and specialty nonfiction, offering both contemporary titles and hard-to-find vintage or collectable editions.

Alongside its art and design volumes, Karakter Books carries an extensive range of subjects spanning photography, Maori and Pasifika history, biographies, natural history, craft, and literature. With in-store browsing, click and collect services, and nationwide postage, it serves as a destination for collectors, creatives, and casual readers seeking thoughtful, high-quality books.

Browsing Art, Design, and Collectable Rarities at Karakter Books in Newmarket

Tucked along Carlton Gore Road in Newmarket, Karakter Books offers a thoughtfully curated haven for bibliophiles, collectors, and design lovers. Rather than filling shelves with standard bestsellers, the shop places its focus squarely on visually rich, culturally significant, and rare print volumes that reward slow, deliberate discovery.

A Specialist Eye for Visual Culture

At the core of Karakter Books is a deep appreciation for the visual arts and design. Shelves feature dedicated selections in photography, typography, mid-century modernism, interiors, fashion, and industrial design. Visitors browsing the collection can find lavish monographs, such as *Slim Aarons: The Essential Collection*, alongside specialist titles detailing twentieth-century design movements, antique glassware, and collector ceramics.

For those interested in local heritage and domestic craft, the shop maintains a prominent focus on New Zealand and Pasifika art. Offerings range from comprehensive monographs like *Don Binney - Flight Path* and anthologies of New Zealand painting to specialist volumes documenting local fibre artists and historical Aotearoa storytelling.

Rare Finds and Thoughtful Nonfiction

Beyond art and architecture, the catalog spans a wide array of categories including rare and collectable titles, history, culture, nature, science, transport, and biography. The stock includes both fresh copies and carefully handled second-hand editions, each cataloged with condition details to ensure transparency for collectors.

Karakter Books also operates as part of the wider cultural ecosystem, accepting book donations and partnering with community initiatives such as KidsCan. This community focus pairs naturally with services like gift card availability and click-and-collect ordering for Auckland locals.

The In-Store and Online Experience

The physical shop in Newmarket operates on a focused weekly schedule, welcoming in-person visitors on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. Customers can spend an afternoon browsing the physical stacks or arrange to collect orders placed directly through the store's website. For collectors outside Auckland, the store provides domestic postage options to deliver volumes safely across New Zealand.

Signature items

• Slim Aarons: The Essential Collection
• Don Binney - Flight Path
• Tiki Modern
• A Century of Design
• Fabrications

Menu

Art

• 10.98 Seconds of Wellington Artists — Spotlight publication documenting the work of contemporary Wellington visual artists.
• 100 Amazing Tales from Aotearoa — Collection of stories, history, and cultural heritage from across New Zealand.
• 100 Drawings from the Collection of the Museum of Modern Art New York — Curated catalog of significant modern works on paper from MoMA's archive.
• 100 Favorite Old Master Paintings from the Louvre Museum Paris — Selected reproductions and essays on classic masterpieces from the Louvre.
• 100 Great Paintings - Duccio to Picasso — Art history survey covering landmark Western paintings across centuries.
• 100 Masterpieces of Australian Painting — Major retrospective compilation of landmark Australian visual art.
• 100 New Zealand Paintings — Overview volume surveying iconic paintings from New Zealand art history.
• 100 New Zealand Paintings by 100 New Zealand Artists — Anthology displaying one representative work each from a hundred New Zealand artists.
• 100 Popular Pictures 1910 — Facsimile colour reproductions of famous historical artworks from global galleries.
• 100 Popular Pictures 1911 — Second volume of early twentieth-century art reproductions from world galleries.
• 100 of the Most Beautiful Women in Painting — Art publication exploring female portraits across classical and modern art.

Design

• Antiques Source book 2001-2002 — Reference guide covering antique items, decor, and collectables.
• The Charlton Standard Catalogue of Royal Doulton Bunnykins — Detailed reference guide for collectors of Royal Doulton Bunnykins figurines.
• Copenhagen Style Guide: Eat Sleep Shop — Curated design-focused travel and lifestyle guide to Copenhagen.
• Interiors — Illustrated photographic book exploring curated interior architecture and decor.
• Secrets Of Silk, the: from Textiles To Fashion — Survey of silk production, history, and its evolution in fashion design.
• Fashion Now — Overview of contemporary fashion designers and global runway trends.
• Kitchenware — Collector's overview of vintage and functional kitchen tools and objects.
• Jugs - A Collector's Guide — Specialist reference guide focusing on ceramic and decorative jugs.
• Fabrications - Works by 40 New Zealand Fibre Artists — Showcase of contemporary fibre art and textile works by forty New Zealand artists.
• Soft Furnishings — Guidebook dedicated to fabric crafts, upholstery, and home textile furnishings.
• Fabrics — Exploration of textile history, weaves, materials, and fabric applications.
• Country Decorating with Fabric — Practical home project guide for country-style textile crafts and decor.
• A Century of Design - Design Pioneers of the 20th Century — Comprehensive history covering defining designers of twentieth-century modernism.
• Carter's Collecting Australiana — Illustrated identification and price reference for vintage Australian collectables.
• An Illustrated Dictionary of Glass — Reference dictionary defining historic styles, makers, and terminology in glassware.

Featured

• Slim Aarons: The Essential Collection — Comprehensive collection featuring the iconic photography of Slim Aarons.
• I am Dandy Return of the Elegant Gentleman — Exploration of modern elegance, bespoke style, and gentlemen's fashion.
• Tiki Modern — Cult classic volume on mid-century Polynesian-pop design and tiki style.
• Don Binney - Flight Path — Monograph detailing the life and iconic bird-in-flight works of New Zealand artist Don Binney.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Karakter Books located?

Karakter Books is located at 118 Carlton Gore Road in Newmarket, Auckland.

What days and hours is the shop open for browsing?

The Newmarket shop is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. It is closed on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Can I purchase books online and pick them up in store?

Yes, Karakter Books offers a Click & Collect option through their website for orders picked up at the Newmarket store.

What types of books does Karakter Books specialise in?

The shop specialises in visual arts, design, photography, Maori and Pasifika subjects, architecture, fashion, rare and collectable editions, and curated nonfiction.

Does Karakter Books accept book donations?

Yes, the business accepts book donations and supports initiatives including KidsCan.

Can I buy gift cards?

Yes, gift cards are available for purchase directly through their website and shop.

Tips

• {"body":"The physical shop is open four days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday) from 10am to 4pm, and closed on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays.","title":"Plan around the opening days"}
• {"body":"Because many vintage and collectable titles have only a single copy in stock, reserve your item online with Click & Collect before heading to Newmarket.","title":"Use Click & Collect for rare titles"}
• {"body":"Subscribe to the Karakter Books newsletter on their website to stay updated on new arrivals, catalog updates, and featured acquisitions.","title":"Sign up for the newsletter"}