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

[sigmapsidelta]

By the way, this thread is a good idea and should be pinned to the top of the list. That way the list might not get so long - there are a lot of individual threads that could as easily have been answered in a dedicated one such as this.

[sigmapsidelta]

As for lists of authors' complete works (bibliography) try the Book & Magazine Collector. Since they started in 1984 they have featured hundreds of authors along with complete bibliographies and approximate market values. There are also thousands of wants and sales in it too. These can also help you price your stock.

[black-country-books]

So now there are two men in my life: manor house books has been drinking the vile fluid and morphing into pippy oak! Touch of the Robert Louis methinks.

Paul(now I know I'm on safe ground) I picked up two signed firsts yesterday: signed Joanna Trollope 'Marrying The Mistress' which doesn't seem to be worth a great deal (always surprises me how little some of the signed firsts worth) and 'New Fish Cookery' by Marika Hanbury Tenison. The latter is inscribed "Glynn, from one professional to another. With love, Marika. Publication date 26 July 1979".

Could I please have your opinion on the latter. Many thanks as always,

Chris.

[sigmapsidelta]

Regular 1st F/F would be around £8 to £12 shop retail. You should check, if you can, who 'Glynn' might be. The book could be an 'association' copy if 'Glynn' turns out to be a TV cook or something.
I personally don't think the author's signature should add anything to the value unless its no longer available (author dead therefore not signing many). But I don't make the rules, so you could probably get away with asking £15 to £20 - but find out who Glynn is first.

[black-country-books]

There was a New Zealand chef around in the 70s called Glynn Christian. Don't know if it could be him. How would I find out?

[sigmapsidelta]

Research him on Google. See if he links up with the author of the book somewhere.

[black-country-books]

EURIKA!!! 'The Best of Marika Hanbury Tenison' a Sunday Telegraph Book with forward by Glynn Christian!!! Could I draw on your expertise as how to list, and how link affects value please. Many thanks.

[sigmapsidelta]

I'm afraid the effect on the value of the book is now up to you. You have the option of aiming the book at either fans of the author or fans of Glynn Christian. Was he a big enough name to attract fans?
The fact that the book is signed and the inscription can be associated with another personality is a point to make in the description. Where pointing out a crease or bump is a minus point, but must go in, the association is a plus point and wouldn't be there without your research.
The idea of 'association' copies works best when what you have is, perhaps, a signed first edition of The Hobbit (massively expensive to start with) inscribed to Agatha Chistie or Winston Churchill (at this point you take the £40,000 price of the basic signed copy and multiply it by the number of sand grains on Westward Ho! beach).
But then eBay say that starting your item at a low price attracts more bids. Not sure about that one after parting with two Agatha Christie 1960s firsts in dust wrappers for £0.01 each plus P&P.

PS Its 'Eureka' - I'm a P.I.T.A. about spelling.

[black-country-books]

So am I - it was the excitement of it all and I actually awoke during the night realising my spelling mistake. I'm one of these awful people who travel the country with a mental red pen. Anyway, many thanks for your help. I've learned a lot from this board and hope to continue to do so.

Chris.

[manor_house_books]

Thanks to all who have kept this thread alive during my absence. I've been away getting some winter sun (gloat!).

Brain not back in gear yet. Speak to you all over the next couple of days.

Paul

[020970lady]

AUTHER YOUNG ROBERT, 1822- 1888
TITLE DETAILS ANALYTICAL CONCORDANCE TO THE HOLY BIBLE CONTAINING ABOUT 311,OOO REFERNCES ALSO INDEX LEXICONS TO THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS PREPARED BY PROFESSOR WM.B. STEVENSON/BY ROBERT YOUNG
EDITION EIGHT EDITION THROUGHLY REVISED
PUPLISHER LONDON LUTTERWORTH PRESS FOR THE UNITED SOCIETY FOR CHRISTIAN LITERATURE ,1961 OTHER NAMES STEVENSON, WILLIAM BARRON, 1869- 1954 IS THIS BOOK ANY GOOD TO LIST

[sigmapsidelta]

There is someone, somewhere, looking for each book offered. Whether they see it or not is another matter.

If you want to know if its collectable, I'd say, from the subject matter alone, no.

You could try putting all that information into the search on ABE. I'm sure you'll find a price or two there.

Couldn't swear to how long they've been there though.

[020970lady]

THANKS 🙂

[sigmapsidelta]

Most welcome, you are.

Next.

[sigmapsidelta]

I have a question:-

Uncorrected proof copies: why are they not only issued to proof readers? How do certain bookdealers manage to lay hands on large numbers of the same title? How do I get included?

The modern 'uncorrected proof' is scarcely that. It is usually a very sturdy trade paperback in glossy wraps, complete with the text as it will be in the published version, and is often of far better construction than the published item available in the shops.

Certain authors I collect issue limited editions of these things (well, the publisher does), and once you start collecting them you have to carry on. Sadly one ends up paying through the nose for something that, the week before, was a give-away.

I want in - even if its to the tune of only one copy!

[sigmapsidelta]

Has anyone ever seen a copy of.....

Too Many Murderers by Guy Compton ('62 John Long)

...for sale?

I have searched for quite a while now, over a year. But I have been unable to find a copy anywhere.

[020970lady]

hiya need information on readers new mag,aug, 1958 reading by peter fleming any good to list

[sigmapsidelta]

Is that the name of the magazine? 'Readers New'?

What does 'reading by Peter Fleming' mean?

Who are the publishers?

[photogravyshop]

Do you mean the magazine contains a reading by Peter Fleming?? He was Ian's older brother and a widely travelled essayist, with numerous books published. Cannot find the title you have given anywhere, could you give us more info......

[photogravyshop]

Forgot to say, welcome back Paul, did you have a good holiday??