What do you think of bound volumes? 0

[Sarg]

Love them? Hate them? Collect them? How much should a collector pay for them, compared to non-bound issues?

Positives: condition is usually fine, especially on the covers; there is a successive run of issues; they have a great provenance (if they were bound by the publisher). Look great on a bookshelf.

Negatives: severely trimmed on three sides, hopelessly butchering the issues; if sold separately, they would be almost worthless. The spines are also ruined.

I'll attach the 1923-24 Weird Tales bound volumes just to illustrate, probably the ultimate example of a pulp bound volume (I don't think these came from the publisher's office). 

[OtherEric]

They're not without their appeal, but they're a bit of a niche item, I think.  I'm happy with the one bound volume of Four Color Comics I have, but don't feel the need to seek more out.  The one bound volume of pulps I had was amateurly put together and I disassembled it into its component issues.

[Robot Man]

Personally, I really like bound volumes. I own no pulp ones but I have a lot of comic book volumes. A complete collection of Donald Duck Barks one shots, Uncle Scrooge 1-40, Wings #1-12 and many others.

Even some crude ones done by collectors. 

I like the convenience, the fact that other than trimming and spine damage, they are usually in very well preserved condition. Then of course, the price and the fact they are pretty unique. 

I have the same as 4 magazine boxes of them. Always looking for more. I know a guy with two Weird Tales volumes but he doesn’t want to sell yet. 

[Robot Man]

Some bound volume goodness

[Sarg]

A dealer on eBay is selling a bound volume of Everybody's Magazine from 1923 that says "Lincoln City Library" on the spine. 

It hadn't occurred to me that libraries would subscribe to pulps and then go to the trouble of binding them (I do remember bound volumes of Time and Life from libraries when I was young). Everybody's was a respectable, mainstream pulp. I suspect Weird Tales would not have gotten this treatment.

Are library discards the source of most pulp bound volumes? I tend to think not, since they would usually say "discard" on them.

 

Edited September 3, 2021 by Sarg
typo

[Robot Man]

Most of the pulp bound volumes I have come across seem to have been done by readers. Much more easy to handle and protects the magazine for future readings. 

[Pulpflakes]

On 9/3/2021 at 6:14 AM, Sarg said:

A dealer on eBay is selling a bound volume of Everybody's Magazine from 1923 that says "Lincoln City Library" on the spine. 

It hadn't occurred to me that libraries would subscribe to pulps and then go to the trouble of binding them (I do remember bound volumes of Time and Life from libraries when I was young). Everybody's was a respectable, mainstream pulp. I suspect Weird Tales would not have gotten this treatment.

Are library discards the source of most pulp bound volumes? I tend to think not, since they would usually say "discard" on them.

 

Everybody's became a pulp only in December 1926.

I think most bound pulps come from either first generation collectors who wanted them on bookshelves; publishers and staff copies.

Libraries subscribed to pulps but never bound them as far as i know. Disposed of each month with the newspaper more likely.

Never saw a bound volume with a library stamp.Bookplates, yes.

[OtherEric]

I remember seeing bound volumes of pulps in the library at the University of Washington when I was a student.  But for the life of me I can't remember which titles.

[Sarg]

On 9/4/2021 at 1:19 PM, Pulpflakes said:

Everybody's became a pulp only in December 1926.

I think most bound pulps come from either first generation collectors who wanted them on bookshelves; publishers and staff copies.

Libraries subscribed to pulps but never bound them as far as i know. Disposed of each month with the newspaper more likely.

Never saw a bound volume with a library stamp.Bookplates, yes.

Good to know. 

[htp]

I love them, but I don't really consider them collectible. The prices generally seem to reflect that, which makes them perfect reading copies: cheaper and hold up better. I once passed on a  nice set of bound early Astounding and really regret it, it would've made a great keeper.

All my bound volumes are ex-library copies, but I suspect that's a coincidence and not representative.

[surfertso]

At the right price, they are highly collectible 

[Robot Man]

I have seen some real nosebleed prices on even 2nd and 3rd tier GA comic titles. They obviously have considerable value to someone other than me.

Many years ago there was an Action #1-12 up for sale. Wonder where it ended up? Now that would be a barn burner on HA now…

[TerrysComics]

I have a bound volume of: "Startling Detective Adventures" and found out it started as a Pulp but ended up a magazine.

The covers are quite striking and are very Pulpish.

                 

                 

                    

[TerrysComics]

Another set of Pulps in my collection, strange tales V1#1-V3#1 in a bound volume:

    

                          

         

[Rick Hall]

On 9/7/2021 at 11:21 AM, htp said:

I love them, but I don't really consider them collectible. The prices generally seem to reflect that, which makes them perfect reading copies: cheaper and hold up better. I once passed on a  nice set of bound early Astounding and really regret it, it would've made a great keeper.

All my bound volumes are ex-library copies, but I suspect that's a coincidence and not representative.

They certainly are collectible. Why would they not be? 
They may not be very expensive, but does a low price mean something is not collectible?