Ask any question about any book Part II

[satnrose]

Ask

[pipilo02]

I have a First Edition (H-X) hardcover of The Able McLaughlins...alas no dust jacket but worse it has damage on the front cover (insect type I think)......prices are all over the place for this book on some of the websites although I don't think they are all the true first edition...how much % discount would be a rule of thumb for lack of dust jacket and the damage on the cover? It's not a library copy but does have a gift inscription dated Dec. 1923 for a person's private library. I'm thinking I have overpriced the book?

[oldbookshopnj]

A dust jacket on a collectible first edition of this period will multiply the value ten or more times. As an example, auction prices for a nice "Gatsby" without a jacket might be $4,000, but with a jacket $150,000.

The cover damage of course will drop the price substantially down from the price of an undamaged copy.

I'm not sure how much demand there actually is for "Able McLaughlins"--Wilson is pretty much known just because her first book won a Pulitzer, and there are no auction records on any of her books. The asking prices may represent a hope that someone is collecting Pulitzer prize winners rather than reality.

The first edition of "Able" states "first edition" as well as having the H-X code letters.

[lludwig]

oldbookshopnj Thanks! Appreciate the time and effort your spend on this thread as well as elsewhere.

[pipilo02]

Thank you oldbookshopnj for your good information and your time and effort. The book does state First Edition along with the H-X codes and does have 263 pages (262 numbered with the last page no number)... it meets all the First Edition points I've found on the internet; I've had two serious inquiries about it who appear to be collectors of Pulitzer Prize books.....but I think either the damage on the front or my price leads them away, especially since its only desirability is that it is Pulitzer Prize and not necessarily a popular book anyway. Sounds like I need to try to find the original dust jacket (good luck hah).

[j.g.horton]

Hi – I am looking for price info or "is it worth listing" advice on this paperback book, by T. F. Hanson, self-published in 1987. I found the subject interesting after reading some of the book and author links. The book doesn’t look like much but I believe it’s a first edition, first printing as no other dates are given. I wonder if it is “rare” as can't find any for sale, as all listings are “currently unavailable” so no comp. I did find a second edition of this title listed for $45.00.

This book has 117 pages but many of the page tips are turned down. (Would a warm iron press to open the corners help the price?) The green front cover has top to bottom crease marks and some small marks where the green paper is worn.

There isn’t any ISBN code but on the back cover there is a label with bar codes and numbers: Under the first bar code: 2818440036187 – Over the second bar code the number is 9000. (Would these be UPC numbers?)

Not much information for the description other than listing the contents and doing a biography for Thomas F. Hanson, B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering.

http://tiny.cc/pvxy5

http://tiny.cc/1risp

http://tiny.cc/1risp

Thank you for any help any info!

[j.g.horton]

Sorry -- the name of the book is Engineering Creativity by Thomas F. Hanson

[oldbookshopnj]

Self-published books are normally first editions, first printings--the author gives away most of the copies to his friends and relatives and never pays for a second printing.

In order to sell this, you need to find out something about the author that would make someone want the book, or you need to find something in the contents that you can use as a keyword that someone would search for (Einstein, Edison, radio, transistor, etc.)

[bugler1998]

Speaking of self published books, I am trying to look up:

Remarkable Incidents in the Life of Reverend J.H. Fairchild Pastor of Payson Church South Boston.

It is self published, the 1855 edition, printed by Allen & Farnham. I see at least 2 later printings in 1856 and 1857, and of course a bunch of recent print on demand.

I have misplaced my link to the libraries. The later editions are listed at around $10-$15. Any reason this 1855 edition should be higher priced? It is a solid Good condition, pages firmly attached but some foxing on pages.

[oldbookshopnj]

There is an 1855 edition listed on abe for $10:
Fairchild.

The 1855, 1856 & 1857 editions should be of comparable value, but the basic question is whether anyone actually wants any of them.

[bugler1998]

oldbookshop:

Thanks, I checked Abe but somehow missed the 1855 edition. Unlike many folks on this board I rarely have pre civil war books in decent shape.

[j.g.horton]

oldbookshopnj Thank you for your help!!

[lludwig]

oldbookshopnj re: 1860 receipts book. Did what I should not have done. Listed it with a BIN and overnight it had been snapped up by someone in Australia. *sigh* I let the Poor condition influence me too much in pricing it. Should have let it roll as an auction and used my BIN price as the starting bid. Oh well...

Lesson learned again...

Listed another book last night as an auction and it already has bid. Underpriced at $100.00 so am hoping that the watcher that was on it within minutes of it being listed will turn into a bidder.

[bodeebooks]

Before me I have a non-paginated book in pink, no jacket, with The Obelisk on its front. Title appears to be "Rose's Folly," though WorldCat notes a book titled "The week that was" which corresponds exactly to my copy. No publisher, no date, but there is an inscription on the ffep by "Rose Saul Zalles," whose name appears frequently throughout. This appears to be a genealogical reckoning of the Zalles family, and their love affair with Eire. Self-published? Vanity press? Any thoughts on value appreciated.

[jpeachbooks]

I have an undated copy of "The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore" published by Gall & Inglis. The title page states that there are 4 steel engravings. The book which is in very nice condition has no engravings and no sign that any were present at any time.

Is it likely a case that this was a reprint and they just didn't bother to adjust the statement on the title page? The binding is very nicely decorated - but this is quite a flaw.

[oldbookshopnj]

barubin:

This is the entry from the Georgetown University catalog--it's somewhat clearer than the way it ended up in Worldcat:

Author Zalles, Rose Saul
Title [The week that was / Rose Saul Zalles]
Publication Information [Washington, D.C. : The Author, 1971]

Description [48] p. : ill. (some col., some mounted), map, ports. ; 20 cm
Summary: An account of a visit to Ireland in 1970

Author Zalles, Rose Saul
Subject Mcguire family
Zalles, Rose Saul
Saul, Sharon Rose
Fermanagh (Northern Ireland) -- Genealogy


Both the title and the author's name are in brackets, which means that they were not stated on a title page, but inferred from other information. This is a self-published book, not a vanity press production. A vanity press at least puts in a title page.

It sounds to me like a travelogue with genealogical information written by an amateur. The sales point is the genealogy; try to work as many family names as possible into your description. Even if you do this, it may not find much interest.