Ask any question about any book Part II

[satnrose]

Ask

[oldbookshopnj]

On any site that you use frequently for searching, read the "HELP" or "SEARCH HINTS." Not only that, go back and re-read them once in a while because there is undoubtedly something you have forgotten, or something that has changed. Search is not constant , it is fluid.

On abe, if you want to use "or" or "not" searches, you have to enable Boolean searching, but you can set that as a preference that is constant. One thing abe doesn't say (or didn't the last time I checked) is that you cannot use a "not" search in a field without putting a positive term in the field first. That is why I had "Lear" in my example "not" search for the keyword field.

From Worldcat, Roberts published several 19th century editions, and none of them have very many library holdings. However, this is quite normal for children's picture books. They were not purchased by libraries and are only found there now as part of a children's collection that has been assembled more recently.

The scarcity of the particular edition is nice, but in trying to sell it, the key point is going to be attractiveness.

The cover looks handcolored to me. Try asking this as a separate question thread, and, if you can, put up an enlarged image of the "L" in "Lear"

[thereader]

Well, I guess this one is less than attractive because it's pretty worn on the corners and spine.

Here's an enlargement:

http://home.comcast.net/~tiggerdog/lears-mag.jpg

The pictures inside the book have the same hand-colored look.

I really appreciate the thorough instructions for searching. I've been pretty frustrated trying to find comparables, so this should be a big help.

[oldbookshopnj]

It absolutely looks handcolored to me, although that is unusal for a cover.

[thereader]

I surprised they could afford to hand color a book. There's no mention on cover or title page of this being an unusual edition. But I have to admit, the coloring is not very skillfully done.

Here's a pic from one of the stories:

http://home.comcast.net/~tiggerdog/lears-mag2.jpg

Oh well, too bad it's so worn...

[oldbookshopnj]

It looks like hand coloring done by 5-year olds working for 10¢/day, but it is hand coloring.

[thereader]

I just made a successful search, thanks to your advice, and found that at least one of Lear's Nonsense books was partly or entirely hand-colored. There are several references to his use of hand-colored lithographs or hand-colored photoengravings. The implication seems to be that he did them himself. So I guess this isn't a matter of coloring one picture at a time after all, but I think it's still better than the modern photo or offset printing (or whatever is the correct name).

Before doing the children's books, Lear published the book "The Family of Psitticidae" for the London Zoological Society, starting it at age 19.

[thereader]

New Jersey, I got a good laugh at your comment about the five-year olds paid 10 cents a day, but I sure do agree with you. It's really sloppy. It just can't be Lear's work, other than the basic drawings. I looked at some of his serious bird illustrations and they're impressive.

[hollowayd]

I do think it was standard practice to pay very young adults and/or children to hand color books for some publishers....I've seen many very sloppy hand coloring jobs.

[thereader]

Of course there were no child labor laws then but I imagine the children felt honored, not taken advantage of. It must have helped build the resume, too. "Did hand-coloring of illustrations for famous author."

How terribly boring and monotonous that must have been.

[oldnndway]

Need some advice on this one.

GUNSMOKE IN THE REDLANDS
by Joe Combs
1st Edition HC/DJ
Signed by author.

I find several comps but none say they are signed.
How much of a premium should the autograph add ?

[jeanpaulbooks]

On ABEBOOKS, Legends of the Pineys sells for $30 unsigned and $50 signed.

[oldnndway]

Thanks jeanpaulbooks, good idea to check the difference on a comparable book.

[sea-flowers]

I found this old cookbook (along with a few others) at an estate sale on Jupiter Island in Fl. (A very very upscale community...was so excited to visit a sale there!)

It looks to be an early 1900's cookbook from a church in Pennsylvania. (Book is called Old Pottstown Recipes) It is stapled together but the cover has fallen off. Other than that, all of the other pages are very tight. It is FULL of old ad's on anything from refrigerators to stoves to the local dairy. It also has some interesting recipes from the woman's guild of the church.

Is this worth anything? I am wondering if I should sell or keep.

I am including some pics.

Thanks!

[oldbookshopnj]

In that condition it has negligible value.

[oldnndway]

I disagree.

I would bet a collector (of the town, Church or church cookbooks) would snap it up.

Might not be a huge dollar book but I would think there wouldn't be a lot of those laying around.