Book collecting

[DrWatson]

I have a thing for Agatha Christie first editions published by Dod, Mead & Company. This might be a partial explanation for my affinity toward Belgians as well.

 

I would love to have a nice copy of By the Pricking of My Thumbs.

[Limited66]

I collect paperback editions of:

 

Mickey Spillane

Raymond Chandler

Robert Heinlien

Kenneth Robeson (Doc Savage Series)

and a few others...

 

I'd love to collect first editions, but I spend too much on comics already.

[divad]

Pretty much my Dream Career

 

Here is a good starter.

[drewincanada]

I collect paperback editions of:

 

Mickey Spillane

Raymond Chandler

Robert Heinlien

Kenneth Robeson (Doc Savage Series)

and a few others...

 

I'd love to collect first editions, but I spend too much on comics already.

 

Nice!

 

My guilty pleasure is paperback editions of Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu books. They're nowhere near to first editions, but when I spotted a few of them in a used book store about 30 years ago, I had to have them. Over the course of the next few years I found the rest of the set.

[drewincanada]

Cujobyte is a huge Stephen King fan and has quite the collection of signed first editions. You might PM him to get some advice.

 

Thanks for the tip! (thumbs u

[Davenport]

Over the past few weeks, I have become more and more interested in book collecting, specifically modern signed 1st editions. Does anyone on here actively collect books? It seems like a logical corollary to comic collecting, so I figured a post on here would not be out of line. Specifically, I am looking for information on message boards similar to this one or good starter reference materials. Thanks!

I collected signed editions in the late 80s to late 90s, long time ago, but I'm guessing the paths are still the same:

 

Learning to identify 1st and rare editions isn't all cut-and dried, but you can learn the "basics". Here's a site How to Identify A First Edition with good info and some recommended books at the end.

 

I remember when I sold a 1st ed. "The Stand", the buyer had me to go to a specific page number mid-book, crack the book wide open and tell him the code number printed in the binding-margin. I though it was a weird request, but a number was printed there,and it satisfied him it was a true 1st.

 

Anyway, there are some strictly literary science fiction/fantasy conventions where authors do signing. Plus you can check with official author's websites. Many sell signed editions directly or show appearance schedules.

 

There are also dealers who specialize in signed books. I googled a couple that look legit. This one looks high end: Very Fine Books , and this one looks more pop culture: VJ Books Signed First Edition Bestsellers

 

Lastly, I have a personally signed Stephen King that I actually sent to him. I bought a hardcopy when it came out, stuck a $10 bill inside the cover (to cover any return postage costs), and wrapped it up with my fan letter. Shot in the dark, but it did come back. That was 1984 and the volume was "Danse Macabre".

Now, I'm not suggesting sending books to high-demand authors, they won't have time and/or staffs, but someone newly published or just starting to rise in popularity? Might be worth a try if it's the only avenue you have and they're genuinely nice.

[rob_react]

A little bit. I have a bunch of signed William Gibson 1st Editions,a bunch of Neil Stephenson signed 1st editions and then a smattering of other stuff.

 

[Comics-n-ERB]

Two places I belong to are:

 

www.cemeterydance.com

 

www.lemuriabooks.com

 

Both have book clubs (not your "regular" book club editions) that are true 1st's and are signed. Or you can pick and chose.

 

I have somewhere around 175 to 200 signed 1st's in my collection. I actually have a room that is a library.

 

I like books!

 

 

[trmoore54]

Pretty much my Dream Career

 

Here is a good starter.

 

Anyone interested in books, especially vintage 1st editions, next time you're in downtown Portland you have to stop in to Powell's Books...UFB!

 

http://www.powells.com/

 

 

[Sal]

Two places I belong to are:

 

www.cemeterydance.com

 

www.lemuriabooks.com

 

Both have book clubs (not your "regular" book club editions) that are true 1st's and are signed. Or you can pick and chose.

 

I have somewhere around 175 to 200 signed 1st's in my collection. I actually have a room that is a library.

 

I like books!

 

 

take some pictures!

 

would love to see those

[Comics-n-ERB]

Over the past few weeks, I have become more and more interested in book collecting, specifically modern signed 1st editions. Does anyone on here actively collect books? It seems like a logical corollary to comic collecting, so I figured a post on here would not be out of line. Specifically, I am looking for information on message boards similar to this one or good starter reference materials. Thanks!

I collected signed editions in the late 80s to late 90s, long time ago, but I'm guessing the paths are still the same:

 

Learning to identify 1st and rare editions isn't all cut-and dried, but you can learn the "basics". Here's a site How to Identify A First Edition with good info and some recommended books at the end.

 

I remember when I sold a 1st ed. "The Stand", the buyer had me to go to a specific page number mid-book, crack the book wide open and tell him the code number printed in the binding-margin. I though it was a weird request, but a number was printed there,and it satisfied him it was a true 1st.

 

Anyway, there are some strictly literary science fiction/fantasy conventions where authors do signing. Plus you can check with official author's websites. Many sell signed editions directly or show appearance schedules.

 

There are also dealers who specialize in signed books. I googled a couple that look legit. This one looks high end: Very Fine Books , and this one looks more pop culture: VJ Books Signed First Edition Bestsellers

 

Lastly, I have a personally signed Stephen King that I actually sent to him. I bought a hardcopy when it came out, stuck a $10 bill inside the cover (to cover any return postage costs), and wrapped it up with my fan letter. Shot in the dark, but it did come back. That was 1984 and the volume was "Danse Macabre".

Now, I'm not suggesting sending books to high-demand authors, they won't have time and/or staffs, but someone newly published or just starting to rise in popularity? Might be worth a try if it's the only avenue you have and they're genuinely nice.

 

Ah, you were one of the lucky ones! King doesn't do that anymore unfortunately. He does have a website which is pretty neat.

 

www.stephenking.com

[Comics-n-ERB]

Two places I belong to are:

 

www.cemeterydance.com

 

www.lemuriabooks.com

 

Both have book clubs (not your "regular" book club editions) that are true 1st's and are signed. Or you can pick and chose.

 

I have somewhere around 175 to 200 signed 1st's in my collection. I actually have a room that is a library.

 

I like books!

 

 

take some pictures!

 

would love to see those

 

Arex saw it just last week!

[capt_comics]

Two places I belong to are:

 

www.cemeterydance.com

 

www.lemuriabooks.com

 

Both have book clubs (not your "regular" book club editions) that are true 1st's and are signed. Or you can pick and chose.

 

I have somewhere around 175 to 200 signed 1st's in my collection. I actually have a room that is a library.

 

I like books!

 

 

take some pictures!

 

would love to see those

 

Arex saw it just last week!

 

 

I can attest ............very nice and it's been a few years since I've seen it. Sure David has added quite a lot since then.

 

 

 

 

 

[Reno McCoy]

I actually started writing a thread about book collecting earlier today but stopped, so great topic. (thumbs u

 

My friend and I have been discussing the difference between collecting by buying what you read and actually collecting collecting. He's got over 15,000 books, and he's never spent more than $80 on any of them. He's always just bought new books and left it at that. Lately he's been debating whether or not to buy a 1st edition copy of Fight Club for about $200.

 

I told him to go for it. It's okay to buy a book just to own it. I struggle with that, too. I almost never buy something that costs more than cover price. Sure, I really really really want to own a first edition of IN COLD BLOOD, but is it worth not having the money to buy 15 other books from current authors I like to read?

 

 

I have about 400 modern first editions, with about 150 of them signed. Like my comic collection, I buy whatever suits my fancy, but I do have some specific writers I follow, including:

 

Nick Hornby

Ben Bova

George Pelecanos

Mark Billingham

Stephen Booth

Johnathon King

Stephen King

Tim O'Brien

Michael Chabon

 

I used to buy every single Orson Scott Card novel, but he's become the only writer who I can't see past his political beliefs, so I stopped.

 

Like my friend, I spend my money on books I read and always hesitate when I want to buy an older book.

[tth2]

Llyod Alexander: Chronicles of Prydain

I loved these books! I must've read the entire series 10 times and The High King about 20 times!

 

Funny you're starting to think about collecting books, because I've been thinking about the same thing. I wonder if they press books too?

 

There's a great website on ERB books, so I've enjoyed learning a bit about collecting, including learning that even a first edition isn't necessarily enough, it's also got to be a first state, and distinguishing between them ain't always easy. And then of course trying to find one with a dust jacket.

 

It's been a bit harder to get a feel for prices and grades, though, particularly availability in condition/grade.

 

Andy, most of the books you've listed are relatively recent and none seem particularly rare, so you could just check out Heritage's book auctions, which usually include a heavy dose of sci-fi/fantasy, Rand and Hemingway, to get a sense of availability and price.

[MR.COMICBOOK]

I started to get an interest in dime novels and penny dreadfuls pre-1900 before pulps. amazing that these were highly sought after in the late 1940s to the early 1950s,the collecting of dime novels became very popular, and prices soared.

But most of the collectors were men who remembered the stories from childhood, and as they passed on, the craze subsided and dime novels, of all varieties, lost their appeal and are only marginally collected today.

Sound Familar!

 

dime novels a brief history of the rise and fall.

 

 

[Tropean]

 

Subterranean Press is a publishing house which creates signed limited editions of works by a wide range of authors in the mystery, horror, suspense and related genres. I have done business with them before (books by Dan Simmons and John Scalzi), and I think their products and service are excellent.

 

http://www.subterraneanpress.com/

 

Ironically, one of the items featured on their home page right now is the limited edition hardcover of the Locke & Key: Head Games comic miniseries:

 

http://www.subterraneanpress.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=hill05&Category_Code=PRE&Product_Count=14

 

Note that these are not the versions of the books which you can buy at your local bookseller or at Amazon or Barnes & Noble or Borders; the cover art (and, in some cases, interior art) has been specially commissioned by Subterranean, and the uber-expensive, uber-limited "lettered" editions have something really special, like a traycase or, for the Locke & Key book, an original sketch by Gabriel Rodriguez.

 

Explore their site; you'll enjoy it.

 

[TheDanimal]

I like to collect weird scifi and horror books. HP Lovecraft vintage paper backs are fun! Need to hit up the used book store near my house to see if I can get anything cool. I used to get comics there when I was a kid but haven't been there in ten years.

 

I would love to own 1st signed editions of some of Hemingway's books. Hunter S. Thompson books would be cool too...

 

Lately I have been using the public library..it's free and I can read whatever I want!

 

I'd rather save the money for comics as I can't see spending 1000$ on a book where I could get a key issue I need.

 

But, I really respect books as a hobby. I know Bill Gates paid like 30 mil for a book.

[*paull*]

I have collected in the past (still have them, but not purchasing more):

 

first edition JFK Assassination-related books

first edition books written by Harry Houdini

 

Collect currently:

 

first edition books by filmmaker Chris Marker

photography / avant-garde art books from Japan

 

Wish I could collect:

 

first edition Hemingways (particularly Men Without Women, In Our Time, To Have and Have Not, and The Old Man and the Sea)

 

[drewincanada]

I remember when I sold a 1st ed. "The Stand", the buyer had me to go to a specific page number mid-book, crack the book wide open and tell him the code number printed in the binding-margin. I though it was a weird request, but a number was printed there,and it satisfied him it was a true 1st.

Here's a good site with info on how to identify 1st editions of King's books:

 

stephenkingcollector.com

 

Lastly, I have a personally signed Stephen King that I actually sent to him. I bought a hardcopy when it came out, stuck a $10 bill inside the cover (to cover any return postage costs), and wrapped it up with my fan letter. Shot in the dark, but it did come back. That was 1984 and the volume was "Danse Macabre".

Now, I'm not suggesting sending books to high-demand authors, they won't have time and/or staffs, but someone newly published or just starting to rise in popularity? Might be worth a try if it's the only avenue you have and they're genuinely nice.

For the longest time, King would sign books that were sent to him by mail. As long as you only sent one book, he would sign it and send it back. He stopped that practice a number of years ago.

 

He still signs books for his publishers ( Donald Grant published the Dark Tower books and a number of other King signed limited editions), but otherwise he avoids doing autograph sessions.

 

I have about 400 modern first editions, with about 150 of them signed. Like my comic collection, I buy whatever suits my fancy, but I do have some specific writers I follow, including:

 

Nick Hornby

....

Michael Chabon

LOVE Hornby! I have a signed first of How To Be Good. And I wish I had a few Chabon firsts in my collection.

 

(One of my staff found Michael Chabon's email address a few years ago -- this was well after Kavalier & Clay won the Pulitzer -- and sent him an email. To his surprise, Chabon wrote back about half an hour later.)