DO YOU HAVE A BOOK QUESTION?

[manor_house_books]

Hi all, pippy_oak here, posting under my brand new user name. Hopefully, Richard will pin this thread, as it seems a nice tidy place to pose specific questions about a book (Is it a 1st edition, what's it worth, where to find it etc. etc.) Don't just come here with a question. If you think you have the answer, then let's hear it.

Or we could just mooch around and learn a few things.

Cheers

Paul

[iainsdad]

OOOwwwww I love a good mooch, especially under the tables at auctions, some brick a brack boxes will also have hidden books at the bottom. 🙂

Hi Paul / Pippy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is a fine line between fishing and just standing in the river looking like an idiot!
I, alas, fall into the latter.

[manor_house_books]

I hate under tables at auctions. Why do they always put the books there? My arthritic knees won't let me get back up.

[manor_house_books]

Does anybody have an idea where I could pick up a copy of

Ernest Gimson, his Life and Work (1924)

at reasonable cost? I don't care if it's a reprint, anything will do, as I believe there was one made in the 1970's. The originals are as elusive as rocking horse effluent.

[romanni_cat]

Hi all 🙂 I have a suggestion as to where would be a very likey place to get hold any book you are looking for, and if by any remote chance you can't find it, it can be tracked down for you...
Thing is, I'm not sure if eBay ettiquette will allow me to post it here on this forum, as in doing so would probably upset our regular eBay book sellers?

I don't like upetting people! :-x

[manor_house_books]

Do tell me. I've tried Addall, Bookfinder and ABE. All the usual sources.

[romanni_cat]

Sorry for keeping you waiting Manor_House, had to go out this evening! I later posted this as a separate thread - thought it more appropriate!

Well it's not on - line, and you probably already know about it, - just a thought really, but have you heard of a place called "HAY-ON-WYE"? - It's a small Welsh town bordering the Brecon Beacons and is world renowned as THE book selling mecca of the world, in fact it sells very little else except the odd bakery or tea shop!
There are absolutely loads of "olde-worldy" shops which stock thousands upon thousands of every conceivable book imaginable, mostly all second hand, including manuscripts and music sheets etc. A great many are very old and many are extremely rare.

I have sinced moved a little further away, but when I lived in Hereford, I used to often spend my day off browsing these wonderful little shops in my sheer element, and still do when I have time, always coming home with armfuls of my latest "finds". It's not too expensive either, depending of course, what it is you are looking for in particular.

Of course, I realize that a lot of you lovely people would find it rather difficult to visit Hay-On-Wye, but I just thought some of you may interested! :-x

[romanni_cat]

Oh, I forgot to also mention that if you can't find what you're looking for, most of the proprietors, using their contacts, will search for you - often searching world-wide..you just leave them your name & contact number...and bob's-your-uncle!(usually!) 😄

[manor_house_books]

The book dealers in Hay use Addall, ABE and Bookfinder the same as the rest of us.

[romanni_cat]

Oh, didn'nt know that, but hey, it's a great day out if you're into that sort of thing! Just thought the info might be of use to those who didn't know it existed!

[photogravyshop]

Hi Paul,

Have not been about for a while on the boards, but got to say you did a great job in keeping the book thread going. A big round of applause to you.

My question: 'The Subtle Knife' by Philip Pullman
Number line 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1. (number 2 is missing)

I know the other Pullman books number lines have always run in order, ie the first has all numbers present, second the 1 missing, yadah yadah yadah.....

Does anyone know if there was a printing error on any of these books which would make this a first edition???

This happened to the Potter in the early days, and I know that this bumped the price up significantly. Any help greatly appreciated as usual.....

Cheers Chris

[manor_house_books]

Hi Chris, good to hear from you. My, your feddback's shot up since I last looked!

Your print string is certainly an oddity. Now, unless you are listing this on ABE in disguise, there is someone else who has the same printing. If you go onto A****n, and look up your book, you will see that the highest price collectible copy has your print string.

Also, on Addall I am quoting from one of the listings...." THE SUBTLE KNIFE (Scholastic Children's Books, London, 1997): Signed by the author on the full title page. The correct numbering sequence of "2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1" is present on the copyright page as required for the first state."

In the absence of further research, I would say that you most likely have hit the jackpot here. Well done!!!

Do please let me know what transpires.

Paul

[manor_house_books]

feddback=feedback... dyslexic fingers.

[manor_house_books]

I've just found another quote from Addall...." London: Scholastic Press, 1997 The uncommon first state of the second printing. This copy one of a small number of mis-keyed second printings of the first edition, the numeral '2' rather than the numeral '1' having been deleted from the plate in error, the number line therefore reads: 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1. Neat owner's name to recto of ffep, otherwise a very near Fine copy in a slightly edge-worn dustjacket. Not price-clipped. [Cambridge, CAM, United Kingdom] "

which seems to indicate that you have the 1st state of the 2nd printing.

All very confusing!!!!!

[manor_house_books]

By the way, I have a second state of the first printing of King Solomon's Mines... and I can't figure out whether it's worth anything...... or not!

Probably not, knowing my luck.

[mandgpa]

Another Philip Pullman question.
I have a first edition of The Amber Spyglass, but I am not familiar with how his books should be valued. As the number line reads 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 I assume it is the third printing. Am I right in thinking that only the first printing sells at a premium. I have checked Adall, but a number of listings do not give the printing, so limited information here.
Thanks if anyone could shed light on this.
G

[photogravyshop]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your extensive replies, I think Im going to sit on the book until after the first film, and try and get a definate answer as to its status!! Mind you, if I did sit on it, there wouldn't be much left, sitting listing all day has done wonders for my physique!!

Feedback has shot up as Im doing this full-time now, although after the last month, excluding last week, was starting to think it was a bad move. Though things have picked up again, so heres to some good months ahead.

Really glad about the new board, will get back tonight and try to get some more threads going.

Chris

PS like the new name, it makes you sound all regal!!

[photogravyshop]

Hi mandgpa,
yes you have a third impression of the first printing (1/3), you may get between 20-30 plus, on a good day, however I have noticed that Pullman prices have bottomed out at the minute. My advise would be to keep it and cherish it for the great book that it is, one day its value will increase, but being the last in the trilogy, ie the most published, then it wont be as desirable as a 1/3 of the Northern Lights etc.
Chris

[manor_house_books]

Hi Chris,

The new username is an attempt to unify the Corporate Image (if a roomful of books and a computer can be considered a Corporation!!!). I use the name on the other venues I use, and in my dealings with the IR. It's also the name of my house, which is not nearly as grand as you might imagine.

I've always found June, July and August quite slow for books, so no doubt things will pick up a bit for you in the autumn. I run fewer auctions in the summer, and usually very off-beat stuff.

How are you finding the shop? I notice our American friends are really enthusiastic about them, but I think they have a postage advantage with their Media Mail. I have a much less labour-intensive outlet for run-of-the-mill books, which suits my idle nature.

[photogravyshop]

The shop, ahh I love debating this question. Upto May it was doing fine, better than breaking even, in fact averaging just over 1 sale a day. It has allowed me to create a large inventory, however, its getting to the stage where I need to have a purge of some of the older lines.
There is no pattern to what sells and what doesn't, at the minute its really old stock that is selling, so you start to think, should I get rid or not.
My problem now is space, ideally I would like to double the ammount listed but have no more room for shop stock.
Don't suppose you'd care to share your secret for 'a much less labour-intensive outlet for run-of-the-mill books'??
Maybe worth creating a thread for book-shops?? Thats what I will do now, so this one remains on topic.
Chris