Caldecott medal values lists the value for each first edition caldecott medal book. A first edition is the first time a book is printed by a publisher. Browse through our inventory or contact us to discuss your rare book collection. The first edition offers collectors the finest notable rare books. A pocket guide to the identification of first editions. Collecting james bond first editions meier and sons. However, for a first edition to have value, there must be a demand for it. A first edition signed by the author will have even greater value. In addition, a book may have the binding of a first edition, but may be missing important points inside. Book club editions book of the month clubs often use the same printing plates as the original publisher, right down to the words first edition on the printing history.
We do our best to give an accurate, detailed description. Overall, the color of the cloth is not as important as what is printed on it. First edition book values how much is a book worth. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. The desire to acquire first editions could be considered the backbone of the book collecting world. That indicates that the copy they are offering is the earliest example of that commercial production. The independent online booksellers association has a a first edition primer which discusses several aspects of identifying first editions including publishing and specific publishers way of designating first editions. For hardcover books published from the 20th century onwards, the. How to identify first editions and care for old books liveabout. You can also choose to limit your search to first editions, signed editions, or hardcover. How to tell if a book is a first edition or valuable. Alcotts first regularly published book was issued in an edition of 1,600 copies in five colors of cloth red, blue, slateblue, green and brown in a gift style binding with extra gilt on the spine and a gilt vignette at the center of the cover. You can find detailed help on identifying book club editions here. First editions with dust jackets can command prices up to several hundred dollars.
Our books are historically important and allow the reader to own a piece of history. Jan 29, 2020 if changes are made to a book after the first printing, the book would be described as a second edition. Visit us online, at our galleries in new york or las vegas, or call us at 180099bauman. A popular book may have had dozens of additional printings causing its first printing to be the most valuable. To find original editions, please select show more options to refine your search by publication year. First editions are sought after by collectors, and avid fans. Tolkien any first editions, especially the history of middle earth series, hobbit, lord of the rings and early scholarly items.
The guide to identification and values provides assurance that your offerings or purchases are bibliographically correct. More often than not, conventions for distinguishing first editions vary. Bauman rare books offers an extraordinary selection of rare books and autographs in all fields. First editions are sought after by collectors of all kinds. Theyre avidly collected, but, unfortunately, have a reputation for being notoriously difficult to identify as first editions. Warren, whose price guide books have been the authority on collectibles values since 1985. The first edition refers to a books first printing run. The first edition rare books rare books by notable people. Jan 19, 2006 values relate to first editions in very good condition. If you have one of these rare books sitting on a shelf, get ready to cash in.
Find a first edition of your favorite book to add to your own collection or as a gift for the bibliophile in your life. Trim size is given because book club editions are often smaller than trade editions. Is it a first edition, first trade edition or first separate edition. Bauman rare books first editions, signed and inscribed. For hardcover books published from the 20th century onwards, the presence of a dust jacket and its condition also greatly affect value. Depending on who has published the book and what formats it has been published in, youll be looking for hardcover books mostly. However second printings can be picked up for three figures. For some blockbuster titles, this can be as many as 50,000 copies or more. If not, the fact that its a first edition doesnt matter. In addition to the information provided below, we highly recommend wayne valleros book titled the collectors guide to clive cussler that provides a complete overview of cussler collecting. Though, not all of his books fall into this category. First editions published after 1960 can be found by clicking here.
The estimated values in the table are for first edition books with dust jackets. How do people determine if theyve got a first edition or just an old book. For book collectors, first edition identification is a vital skill. Have you ever wondered how to tell if your harry potter book is rare and worth a lot of money. Its easy to use, and small and light enough to fit in your pocket. Oct 30, 2019 this is a comprehensive guide to stephen king first editions. For many books, it only takes time and patience for a contemporary first edition to gain value in the collectors market. First edition means the book was made during the books first print run. As with any collectible, the value is often in the eye of the beholder. Browse through our inventory below or contact us to discuss your rare books. If youre looking for first edition or rare childrens books online, youve come to the right place. Without dust jackets, most first editions are worth substantially less. The estimated values are for first edition books, with dust jackets. Collecting, identifying, and valuing first edition childrens.
Most of the books were sold to libraries, so it is very hard to find a wanderer hardcover book that is not a library discard. Some books are published in such huge quantities that first editions are very common. The collector the best site for info on limited edition stephen king available at both and. Jun 06, 2011 for those interested in buying or selling scarce and rare first editions collected books. The yellow book any copies considered, especially full sets. The best site on the net for info on rare stephen king books.
Abebooks offers an immense collection of first edition books for sale, including some of the most famous books ever published. How to tell if a book is a first edition or valuable book riot. Identifying, and valuing first edition dr seuss books. The easiest way to know how much your copy of a book is worth on the open market is. Terry brooks early novels terry pratchett any first editions pre2000, any limited editions and any signed first editions.
Values of zane grey books are difficult to determine. The story of timmy and goody tiptoes is the only beatrix potter story apparently set in north america although this is implicit rather than stated anywhere in the book. To a book collector the phrase first edition refers to a book that was released during the first printing of the first edition they call this book a 1st1st. If there are two or more books described as a first edition, then a collector will want. That is because a first edition is the very first copy of a book to be published for sale, which often makes first editions rare books, hardtofind copies, or even outof print editions. Tthe searchable database consists of detailed reports in an. First edition identification would be an easy task if there were only one publishing house and they remained consistent in their printing methods over the years, but alas this is far from the case. Every book had a first printing, but not all of them are worth a fortune. Stephen king is a very recognizable name in the genre of horror fiction. Youll likely recover the cost of this book very quickly, with your new ability to figure out whats a first edition and whats not.
Well, this section on mugglenet will explain all the intricacies associated with the rare harry potter books, from the first editions to the misprints and covers associated with each. Completed ebay auctions lists fifty completed ebay auctions for first edition childrens picturebooks. First edition identification by publisher ag in the case of titles published before 1900, the key to first edition identification is often the date on the title page. John grisham 1st edition books for sale in stock ebay. A first edition signed by the author will have even.
Modern firsts first edition of a book published after 1900. Kate greenaway books and almanacks in first edition and nice condition kay neilsen any of his first editions. At salt creek first editions, we take pride in our work, and our intention is for every buyer to delight in their purchase. The value of a first edition will fluctuate with demand. Find out how to identify first editions and to care for books to maintain their value.
After you determine that you indeed have a first edition in your possession, then you have to research the potential value. Seuss books are first editions, and what their value may be. Speaking generally, first editions will hold the most value if they are first editions, first printings. The changes in during the production of the first printing are called states, so you may see a book described as first edition, first state. The first edition of a facsimile reprint is the reprint publishers first edition, but not the first edition of the work itself. The first edition rare books offers collectors the finest selection of important rare books from around the world. Ted hughes most first editions considered, especially signed copies. The following table is an excerpt from our book the childrens picturebook price guide. Changes of this nature can include adding a chapter or the addition of a foreword, for example. Oct 03, 2019 and sometimes signed early editions are pretty valuable, even if they arent first editions from the first printing. The illustrator links to ebay search auctions for collectible books. Paperback first editions of the philosophers stone are also quite scare and attract fourfigure pricetags sometimes five figures if in excellent condition. For many of the books below, the color of the binding may vary widely. Values relate to first editions in very good condition thu 19 jan 2006 08.
Buy first edition books for sale at auction invaluable. While not as valuable a first editions, second editions of some books can certainly be. Over the years there have been thousands of publishers, each using various methods for distinguishing a first edition. The reference guide a pocket guide to the identification of first editions is an excellent pocket guide for the book buyer, the book collector, and the book seller who is interested in knowing the number lines and the lettering systems used by different publishers both past and present in order to identify true first editions of books. Condition is very important and will greatly influence value. Childrens book values lists the fortyfour picturebooks first edition books. Adding to the confusion, publishers will often change the way that they identify first editions.
First editions of certain books tend to be the most valuable. Each book thats published, of course, has a first edition. How to identify first editions and care for old books. There are many benefits to collecting first editions, but value and historical relevance, particularly of important or impactful new books, top the list for many buyers.
The figures for book values fail to take into account trading costs. It includes a full list of indicators for recognizing true first edition stephen king novels, as well as approximate values. We do not drop ship all our inventory is our own, on our premises, and we examine and describe your specific copy. How to identify first editions or a first printing of a book. The childrens picturebook price guide includes first edition identification points for twentynine of the books in the list click on the books title to see first edition identification points for a particular book.
For book collectors, book dealers and anyone that simply loves books, determining first edition book values is often as confusing as identifying a first. Here are some books and online resources which will help you find out if your dr. First edition in book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. If the initial print run known as the first printing or first impression sells out and the publisher decides to produce a subsequent printing with the same typeset, books from that second print run can be described as a first edition, second printing. Book club editions book of the month clubs often use the same printing plates as the original publisher, right down to the words first edition on the printing. Remember when collecting first editions that condition and scarcity are the main contributing factors to the price of a book. One of the most common questions posed our membership relates to the identification of cussler first editions. Jules verne any first editions julian barnes first editions published before 1985. The vast majority of first editions published before 1900 had the year of publication on the title page this is true for fiction and nonfiction titles. Nov 10, 2015 even first editions of the great gatsby vary enormously in price. Also, book club edition dust jackets dj are occasionally found on first editions to replace lost or damaged jackets. If the book is very, very popular, second editions or reprint editions may be desirable to collectors who dont have the cash to fork over for first editions but still want a piece of rare book history. If you are among the few who happen to have a first printing first edition of the uk edition of the first book, which was called, harry potter and the philosophers stone, you really have a treasure. The crown jewel in many a collectors library is a signed first edition.
Have you ever found a cool vintage book at a thrift shop, or opened up an old frame to discover an ancient document. First editions are soughtafter by book collectors and a first edition is usually more valuable than a later printing. His writing is very popular, and his books are in high demand. Raptis rare books is a trusted antiquarian book dealer, and we maintain a wide variety of collectible and antique books. To find out more about what a first edition book is and why its important to collectors, see what is a first edition. You can usually find the print number of a book by looking at the page. Bram stokers dracula, signed presentation copy, first american edition, new york. First edition, first impression, in the rare publishers glassine dust jacket. If you are unfamiliar with the grading scale for book conditions you can find it on our used books page. A beatenup old book that is falling apart will have little value. By far the most valuable book in the series is the first, harry potter and the philosophers stone, published on 30 june 1997 by bloomsbury in london.
Collecting, identifying, and valuing first edition. You can buy a guide to identifying first editions to make some sense of the confusion. The book s title links to its first edition points. A pocket guide to the identification of first editions details the methods over 4,600 different publishers use to identify their first editions. Book club edition dust jackets are easily identified because they do not have a price marked inside the front cover. Rowlings harry potter series has gained immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide, and first editions of her books have very quickly become collectable. I totally need the copy of the the wonderful wizard of oz in my life. Lists the value for the first fifty beginner books. And sometimes signed early editions are pretty valuable, even if they arent first editions from the first printing. But for older books, or books originally published by small imprints, the first run may have been as few as 100 copies. Collecting, identifying, and valuing first edition dr. Collecting first edition books can be both a science and a gamble, much like playing the stock market. First editions of wellloved books can become the most prized in literature.
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