I’m curious about the value of “first editions” of books.
Does an author’s signature increase the value?
How much will the value increase if a book is made into a movie?
If the book was first published in the UK, and then published in the US, which is more valuable, the UK “first edition” or the US “first edition”?
Thanks!
As a general rule, the author’s signature will increase the value of the book. A dedication or other writing, however, will decrease the monetary* value of the book, unless it’s particularly significant. I don’t know the answer to your other two questions, I didn’t get that far in my book buying training.
*I have a book signed by Terry Pratchett, in which he hopes that I’ll get well soon. I prize that book far more than a book that is simply signed by him, though it’s not as valuable on the market.
Yes, generally.
It will increase, but it’s impossible to say how much - it depends.
The UK first edition.
Why is a UK first more valuable than a US first?
Lynn - what you say about dedications is more true now, largely because of a dealer on eBay called “Flatsigned” who has marketed the heck out of his assertion that a simple sig is better. In the old days, more words - as an indication that the author took more time - was considered better.
in order:
The rule for country of pub is “follow the flag” - if the author is from Canada, then a Canadian first is better than any other, if from the U.S. then American, etc. That is only a Rule of Thumb - there are countless exceptions, but the exceptions are on a book-by-book basis. In some cases the author relocated to another country, had a primary relationship with the new country’s publisher etc. - P.G. Wodehouse in the U.S., for instance. Or a book could be published in another country so much earlier than the native country that some collector’s accord it greater value - e.g., Moby Dick, A Separate Peace, etc…
So in the last post, the answer was “UK 1st is better” because Pratchett is British…
Hope this helps,
WordMan - long time collector (who is actually contemplating selling off some of my books for reasons I won’t go into here - they are pretty damn pricey, and I haven’t decided which ones I might sell, but they might include a 1st UK of A Separate Peace or - hold onto your hats - a 1st US of Huck Finn…if you think you are serious, email me - sorry if this postscript is in anyway improper and the mods are welcome to delete it if appropriate - the timing of this thread just happened to be right…)
It’s not. The specific example above made it clear that the UK was the “true first,” and it’s the “true first” (the first edition not just in a particular country, but in the world) that is the most valuable.
As someone who would never think to buy collectible first editions off eBay, I’ve never head this.
Are real book dealers paying any attention to this nonsense? If so, is this across the board or limited to certain types or classes of books? Can you give me any examples of a fall in value because of this?
I can’t personally give you an example of a fall in value, no. I don’t buy off eBay and haven’t been current with the listings there. But there is a dealer who got on eBay early who created this new word: “flatsigned” and basically yelled loud enough to get attention. The internet of course has led to a HUGE explosion of book collectors and many get their education the same way people get gossip: if you hear it often enough, it must be true. Don’t get me started about misdirection new collectors have gotten about the 1st for 100 Years of Solitude, or Dune, or Huck Finn - if there is the least bit of ambiguity, there is an on-line dealer claiming that they are the only ones who know the truth. And they’re wrong. This particular seller deals mostly in “hyper-moderns” - books from the past 5 - 10 years; but very regularly has high-spot stuff in American Lit as well. But it is usually restored or otherwise compromised - not that you can necessarily tell from the listing - you have to know your stuff.
I learned by hanging out with, buying from and listening to top dealers. I don’t mean the most expensive, I mean the most respected - it doesn’t take long to figure out who they are and what their areas of expertise are. And, for what it is worth, they HATE this Flatsigned guy and what he has done to modify how folks think about collectibility. THe fact that a lot of his books are heavily restored and he also works to spin newbies’ perceptions about how to think about restoration is an issue, too - but I won’t go there right now…
Wordman, I appreciate your expertise and for sharing your thoughts. In one respect, however, I can understand where this dealer is coming from. Some time ago when Ansel Adams was autographing copies of his “Pictures of the Southwest” , I stood in line to have it autographed. A couple ahead of me asked him to dedicate it to “Jim and Marge on their 20th anniversary”, which I thought pathetic. I’d rather have the straight autograph (which I got) than a coached dedication to someone the author had never met before the signing.
This or this might prove useful as a resource to determine the worth of a signed book. I’ve found books through these sites, and have been pleased with the results. There are very strict guidelines to determine the condition of the book in question, and I don’t even pretend to understand them, so that will obviously be reflected in the worth of your book. I’ve never used EBay, so I don’t know if there is anyone holding their feet to the same fire.
One other thing, and I hesitate to bring it up, but:
I had bought two signed books (separately) by the same author through the search engines above. Some time later I remembered a friend of mine who used to work for a publisher. He could get free copies of new works, and would personally autograph them with the author’s name when he gave them to his friends. He thought it a great joke, but I think he must be the used book dealer’s worst nightmare. (If your book was Mailer’s “Tough Guys Don’t Dance”, you may want to verify the signature.) Upon remembering this, I immediately raced to my bookcase to verify that both signatures were the same (they were), but I have no idea how most book dealers can verify that the signatures are authentic.
Stephen King has been known to joke that the most valuable of his books is the rare, unsigned copy of The Stand.
Actually, that has quite a bearing on it - these days, with author tours and book signings a regular event, signed copies aren’t at all uncommon - I’ve got quite a few. It’s less common with older books, since they weren’t marketed so relentlessly, so a D. H. Lawrence signed first edition of Lady Chatterley’s Lover would be very desirable.
I have two first edition collecting interests: Stephen King and Arkham House publishing.
Stephen King: I have all of his books in hardback first edition. Not necessarily the signed specialty editions he has put out (can’t afford those!), but other than that, I’ve got them. (I do have a copy of Six Stories.).
A few of the Arkham House books are signed, but August Derleth signed just about everything so there’s little to no increased value there.
And most of these I bought off eBay. Sold quite a few also in the process of upgrading copies. Only once did I fell a book was not described accurately and I requested my money back. Other than that one instance I have been very pleased with what I’ve been able to obtain.
Because I’m not looking for signed editions, I’ve never dealt with Flatsigned, but of course I run across his wares a lot. I personally don’t have any problem with the guy. I can see the point in desiring a book signed by the author but not necessarily signed “to Laurie on her 18th birthday” (who the hell is Laurie and what does that add to my book?)
Since I already have all the King books I haven’t really kept up with the market, but I don’t ever recall the UK editions being worth more, even in those cases where they did come out a few weeks before the U.S. version. But this could be different now.
Congrats on your collection - sounds cool. As for King - I don’t know of any situation where the UK is worth more than the US - but I have not researched King, and am very open to the possibility that one may exist; I only have the 1st of the Shining. Following the flag, of course the US 1st’s would be more desired and the few weeks you mention is not likely to make a different. For the examples I cited where the foreign edition is considered more desirable in general, the time difference was a year or more. But even in some cases for some books, that much time doesn’t put the foreign copy ahead of the FtFlag copy. Ultimately - as with all collecting - YOU must decide what YOU value. There are always fluctuations and changes, and what was considered more desirable before may change. Heck, at one point a first of Bridges of Madison County was going for over $400 - now you can’t give them away (I actually would take them for firewood!).
Plynck - I use Bookfinder all the time - it is a wonderful tool. But the best tool can still be used incorrectly by an inexperienced person. I have looked up many books where a seller lists an incorrect issue on a book, only to go back and see all the other dealers updating their listings to include the same “fact” - when its wrong! Also, many are newbie dealers and have no clue how to describe a book, the points that make it a true 1st (or whatever it may be) and its condition. If you haven’t invested a TON of time learning about book collecting in general, the specific editions you are trying to hunt down, which dealers you can trust in terms of their research and claims, etc. - it is, if anything, MORE likely that you can get burned buying on line. I made a ton of mistakes - I refer to it as “paying my tuition” for an education in book collecting…
oh, and also Plynck - I totally hear you about not wanting a weird signature in a book you buy for your collection. I think Mr. Flatsigned tapped into an issue where there was ambiguity and has tried to draw a bright line where one form of signature is “officially” more desirable than others. Ultimately, collectors should value what they want to value. I was merely trying to point out that previously, lengthier sigs were more desirable or at least of equal desirability than simple sigs - and that that appears to be evolving.
I have signed 1st of Stegner’s Crossing to Safety where he clearly either knew the person or at least was prepared to make an insider reference that I don’t understand. But I love that copy. I also have a great Association Copy for The Chosen by Chaim Potok - its the copy he signed to his editor. Very cool.
Re: “made into a movie”. I would find information on this interesting as well, as a hobby of mine is collecting (preferably first) editions of books from the 30s, 40s & 50s that were made into films. I think I have a possibly valuable edition of “Forever Amber” in that it has a dust jacket featuring a photograph of the original choice for Amber - British actress Peggy Cummins - in full Amber-regalia.
VCNJ~
The short, official answer is: it depends.
If the book is a classic and the movie is well-regarded, then, sure, you would expect to see an increased value that is sustained over time. See To Kill a Mockingbird for a classic example of this.
If the book is a classic and the movie not so much, then there is not likely to be a bump - at least one that endures. See Catch-22 as one of countless examples
if the book is a decent book - meaning it might’ve been good or bad, but either way didn’t sell all that well, but the movie is a blockbuster, then the book can easily jump in value and stay there. Best top-of-mind example is Do Androids Dreams of Electric Sheep? by PKDick which of course became Bladerunner. That book is worth over $10K in great condition now, whereas before the movie and the other movies that have brought PKD’s work to the fore, it was worth a LOT less. Same with The Godfather.
if the book is a bestseller and gets made into a movie, there is often speculation that drives up the price for a bit. Again, see Bridges of Madison County, or even Remains of the Day. Both blipped up then returned to previous pricing levels.
I don’t know anything about your book, but recommend you do research - look online for copies like yours; read up on what they say. Try calling those dealers and asking for more information - just state up front that you are trying to learn abou the book; many dealers are happy to share because a more educated person is a better buyer. Always ask them for cites for where they got their information and try to locate those sources.
Related to both my example of Do Androids Dream and your book, I stumbled a across a 1st of The Philadelphia Story by Philip Barry - the play; published when the movie came out. It has a beautiful photo of Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord on the cover with an orange and black background. The book is worth well over $1,000 now and I just found it on a random search and paid far less than that…but the book would not be worth nearly as much if it was just a successful play (which of course it was) and not the seminal movie, too…
It’s a matter of supply and demand. When a book is made into a movie, it raises awareness of the book, causing more people to want the book and more people to keep the book that they have, while the number of first editions remains constant. Naturally, the price goes up.
However, this tends to be a short-term change. Nobody seriously thinks that the value of The Great Gatsby is any higher today because several movie versions were made.
Specialized movie editions of books are a different matter. A cover referencing the stars or the inclusion of internal photographs or the like is a sure-fire notice that the book is not a first edition. These editions may have been - may likely have been - issued in greater numbers than the original first edition, so they may be easier to come by. For the most part, there are specialty collectors who search for them, and completests who go over every edition and variant will get them, but they aren’t as valuable as true firsts. (Paperback movie editions are often an exception, however. Of course, everything in the collectible world is an exception.)
I’ve got to ask, as I am just starting to get my feet wet on this one…
I am attempting to collect old text books and school books. I have an American History text from 1897 that is practically falling apart, so I know that the value on that is nil.
what kind of value do text/school books have, in the antique/collectors market? Am I building a collection that will be worth anything for my children, or am I collecting for myself (which is reason enough, but still).
Any advice you folks want to give is highly prized.
I don’t need it signed though. 
Tristan - I am sorry, but I have no expertise in this matter. If it came in book form, there is probably a vibrant community of collectors out there going after it, but each genre can have very different criteria and “insider info” as to what constitutes desirability. Anyone who collects what I do - 20th Century U.S. Lit, some sci-fi, detectives and childrens - has no business commenting on the potential value of text books.
Sounds like a great research opportunity! Find dealers out there and network a ton! Best of luck.
Thanks everyone for the great information in this thread!
On the “movie” question, I did a quick search on Alibris for Dennis Lehane books. Judging by that quick and dirty method, the popularity a movie brings can significantly increase the price.
Signed first editions of Sacred, by Dennis Lehane, are going for between $129 and $35. (Here’s the Search Page if you’re interested; I can’t figure out how to link the search results.)
Signed first editions of Mystic River, also by Dennis Lehane, but made into the popular and critically acclaimed movie, are going for between $263 and $75.
Obviously, Mystic River may be a much superior book in and of itself, but, for now at least, the fact that it was made into a movie seems to have almost doubled its value.
I wonder too about the long term value of books like these – neither of them are the Great Gatsby or Huck Finn. Will they have any value in 50 years? 100 years?