Book collecting is the collecting of books, including seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing. Click on the books title to see first edition identification points for a particular book. Includes identification information and estimated prices for over 20, 000 collected books in. The book collector is a publication of 192pp printed four times a year and includes unlimited access to. There was one particular auction in the late 20s at which the values of the. A rare book can sell for a substantial amount of money but few novice collators know how to tell the difference between a nice old. Firsts the book collectors magazine excels in popular bibliography. These books were usually limp covers in a sturdy orange fabric. The dust jacket is both the most decorative part of a book, and the most delicate. June, 1999, volume 9, number 6 paperback by firsts magazine, incorporated signed by the author. Firsts, the magazine specializing in the book collecting, has a very good description of collectors terms for collectible books. Caribbean writers by smiley, kathryn and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Rare books, outofprint books online half price books. Baseball card price guide prices from actual card sales. The book has a tendency to fox more than the other james bond ian fleming titles, so premiums are paid if the pages are still clean and without foxing. They get them, put them on clean white blank envelopes, and send them away for a firstdayofissue cancellation. Second is that a specialist company is likely to be familiar with the fluid nature of book collections, which change with some regularity. Emphasis on the how, not the why, of book collecting. The aim is to provide factual information from the marketplace to help collectors. Firsts magazine has been the premier publication in its field for more than 20 years. As long as people have been collecting, printed guides to popular items have been produced by a variety of sources, from. This article gives a good overview of the first editions books and points out numerous reasons for collecting first editions books or those close to the first editions. Since theyre so plentiful, supply will remain high, and the prices will likely remain low. For modern first editions published since the turn of the twentieth century, the most important element in pricing is the condition of the dust jacket.
Still, there are ways to estimate values for most collectable books in the marketplace. Obsessive book collecting is apparently the only hobby to have a disease named after it. The international league of antiquarian booksellers resources including library of articles, glossary of terms in several languages. The most important single factor in the valuation of a first edition is condition. As long as people have been collecting, printed guides to popular items have been produced by a variety of sources, from major publishers to individual enthusiasts, detailing a particular subjects history and common pricing. Warren, whose price guide books have been the authority on collectibles values since 1985. Buying or selling without iguide could be hazardous to your wealth.
The checklist gives first and important editions, points, notes and related values. Good is the lowest grade given to a collectable copy. There are broad interpretations of these grades, and because much curious collecting is done through dealer catalogs, magazine advertising, and by means of the internet, firsts. Collecting, identifying, and valuing first edition. This new emphasis was nourished by the flood of old books onto the market. We invite you to visit book collecting by the year. An introduction to collecting modern first editions also known as modern firsts. Collecting book club editions book collectors librarything. If youre an avid reader, you may at one point find yourself with quite a collection of books. The hardcover first editions of his first two novels, published by ballantine, are among the most difficult challenges for any book collector. Book collector has more than 1,200 firstedition novels. Online auctions and the beginning collector by barry schoenborn, pf1087 click here to download this article as a pdf file. Collecting james bond first editions meier and sons.
Most hard cover books published since the early 20th century were sold with a dust jacket. She is the editor of writers houses, a website dedicated to literary pilgrimage and writers houses around the world. These are called firstday covers fdc and, traditionally, have been all the rage in the stamp collecting business. Devers work has appeared in laphams quarterly, salon, slate, tin house, and other publications. Predicting the value of collectible books fiction prediction. A bibliographical biography scenario by trevor blake is a featured cover story in firsts the book collectors magazine volume 27 number 9. A first edition is the first printing of a book, why collect them. Infography about book collecting a book collectors choice of the best books, articles, and online resources.
It is important to understand, however, that the reliability of price guides vary with the knowledge of the compiler. If not, the fact that its a first edition doesnt matter. Some books are published in such huge quantities that first editions are very common. For hardcover books published from the 20th century onwards, the presence of a dust jacket and its condition also greatly affect value. The book has been used and abused, but it is whole. Searchable appraisal guide to current market values for old magazines. Minor shelf and handling wear, overall a clean solid copy with minimal signs of use. Firsts provides an entry into the entertaining and enlightening world of book collecting. However, for a first edition to have value, there must be a demand for it.
Some are firsts, others have printing errors and others are simply rare and oldall factors that make these the most soughtafter u. Book collectors tend to be fussy about such things and will pay a premium for a copy that looks like it just left the printing press. There are many ways to build a collection of horatio alger books, and the online auction has many advantages. It has been nearly five years since firsts published its book collectors glossary, in. In most cases, we are posting photographs of the books first edition identification points. The book collectors magazine a fine reference work.
There may be one major flaw, like dampstaining or a cracked hinge, that keeps it from a higher grade, or there may be an accumulation of minor problems. Catalogue 38american fiction of the 1960sbrought a whole new generation of writers in front of a whole new book buying and collecting audience. Currently one of only several major print publications dedicated exclusively to book collecting, but with this kind of quality and firsts has it in spades who needs more. The following is a list of links to websites related to collecting books, and in some instances, to collecting first edition childrens books. Free online baseball card price guide baseball card. This issue includes a checklist of fowles first editions with values and identifiers, along with more than 20. If it has flaws, it will usually be worth significantly less than a copy in excellent fine condition.
Author was proprietor of the phoenix book shop, new york city. A first edition signed by the author will have even greater value. This is a magazine thats so rich in content youll both read when it first arrives and consult. Some people go so far as to say it is the only factor. A missing dust jacket, or a dust jacket that is in poor condition, can cut a collectible books value more than 50%, and make it harder to find a buyer. Is this trend in collecting a sign of the dumbingdown of the book market. Many people like collecting older books from flea markets and antique shops but it can be hard to tell which books in your collection really have value.
Modern firsts an ongoing project where we choose the most collectible. According to firsts, the book collectors magazine published in tuscon, arizona, firstprint runs can range from as few as 100 or so books to. A signed, first edition of a recently released title can accrue value over time, but consider the scarcity factor. The catalogue was so thorough and so interesting and engaging that it didnt have to argue for the collectibility of this new field. The searchable database consists of detailed reports on a evergrowing list of items. As you might imagine, the prices for all these items especially if theyre signed make collecting rare king a rather expensive endeavor, albeit a potentially good investment as well. The book collectors magazine resource for book collecting, first editions, rare, antiquarian books.
Whether youre just starting out or a collector of many years standing, youll find something of interest in every issue. Most valuable playboy magazine issues of all time therichest. Any publication meant to serve as a resource for those interested in learning about or collecting a specific type of item is considered a collectors book. The link is to the blog post on collecting childrens books, where we are posting first edition points for key childrens books at the rate of 2 or 3 per week. For years, i collected many inexpensive first editions that are not worth much today.
Perspectives and strategies for the bookhunter in the 21st century holt, 2002. Collecting modern first editions fine books and collections. Firsts on collecting buckminster fuller one of the common values amongst satanists is a love for books, so firsts is a magazine for those devoted to collecting them. Six superlative sources ahearn, allen, and patricia ahearn. Price new from used from paperback, may 1, 2002 please retry. First edition softcover monthly magazine in the twostaple format published as a resource to collecting modern first editions. According to firsts magazine, in the 1970s firstprinting dustwrappers of some mystery titles were issued without a price on the flap, making them appear to be bookclub editions. Another important factor in the value of a first edition or any collectible book is condition.
In 2007, i wondered how i might predict which books would be the most valuable. To quote one of our favorite booksellers, good aint good. In late 1976, added a number row to most titles occasionally deleting the row from subsequent printings and replacing it with a later printing statement. Cards trading card database has prices achieved from actual card sales, not estimates. You can consult the records of previous asking prices and sales, compiled in various guides and in the price ranges in firsts checklists. Collectors books and price guides collectors weekly. They go on to say that hundreds, if not thousands, sell for more than that today. Dean koontz, with an informal check list and values 1993 of his principle works. The book collectors magazine began in their february issue a series of in depth guides to grading books. First editions are soughtafter by book collectors and a first edition is usually more valuable than a later printing. Firsts has established itself as the premier publication in its field. Greenlight bookstore reaches out to collectors of hypermodern firsts by a.
The guide to identification and values, 4th edition. A beatenup old book that is falling apart will have little value. Stamp collecting is a popular hobby all over the globe, and collectors enjoy everything from the aesthetic design aspects of the stamp to its rich history. They advise that you check bookseller databasestry abebooks, a book. Firsts magazine, september, 1991 volume 1, number 9 collecting edward abbey. Now published bimonthly, it is an invaluable resource for book collectors. The guide to identification and values, 4th edition allen ahearn, patricia ahearn on. We get a lot of questions about how to make a book last and maintain its value over the years, so we put together some book care tips to. The number of dealer ads and listings in this magazine dwarfs the number in the. And the collecting of modern high spots has its parallels to the traditional approach to book collecting that took place in england and america prior to the great depression and is still prevalent in large segments of the antiquarian book trade. How to find the value of a stamp with pictures wikihow. There were only 70,000 of the first edition printed, because as i previously noted, heff didnt think his magazine would take off. Trends in modern book collecting ken lopez bookseller.
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