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The Odyssey
Bookshop |
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Order Books Here! Type in author, title and/or ISBN and follow the simple directions. |
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The Odyssey
Bookshop |
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Order Books Here! Type in author, title and/or ISBN and follow the simple directions. |
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Home Mount
Holyoke College
Pictures of recent events
The Odyssey Bookshop is one of five independent
bookstores participating in WAMC's Roundtable on Tuesday mornings,
just after the 10:00 news. People from the Odyssey will be on about once a
month, talking about our favorite books. The Odyssey Bookshop 413-534-7307 email odysseybks@aol.com
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Book Collecting for the Beginner Back to First Edition Club Page Book collector.’ ‘Antiquarian bookseller.’ For many people, these words have a daunting ring, with images of a one-of-a-kind signed first edition Hemingway or an original Sherlock Holmes published in the late 1800s. With a price that rivals that for a new car. But in recent years there has been an explosion of book collecting. Ordinary people collecting first editions of authors they read and love. Collecting for fun; sometimes collecting for profit. And not having to mortgage their homes to do it. This page is meant as only an introduction to book collecting and the identification of first editions. Many volumes have been written on these subjects, ranging from reference books on identifying and valuing firsts to books recounting the adventure of starting the hobby of book collecting. Identifying First Editions: A Very Short (and incomplete) Course It is essential for any beginning collector to learn how to spot first editions, or firsts. Technically, "first edition" means a book printed with the first setting of type. Any given edition may have many print runs, but to the collector, it is the first printing of the first edition that is important, and collectors usually use the terms "first edition" and "first printing" interchangeably. Publishers have different ways of indicating a First Edition, and some publishers have changed their customs over time. So depending on the publisher and the age of the book, it may not be all that clear whether the book is a first edition. However, for most modern books, there are a relatively small number of rules that can help you be fairly certain about your book. All of the necessary information usually appears on the copyright page. To identify a first edition, look for any of the following:
Thus, if the number 1 is showing, then you probably have a first. Publishers will mask the 1 for the second printing, so that the 2 will be the lowest number showing, etc.. The only exception to this general rule is Random House, which, before 2005, used the number 2 to indicate first printing—don’t ask me why. (Note: Staring in 2005, Random House did indeed start using the number "1" to indicate a first printing). So, unless it's published by Random House before 2005) if you see the words ‘First Edition’ with a number 2 as the lowest number, you have a later printing of the First Edition—not very collectible. ‘First Published’ or ‘First Printing’. Many publishers use the words ‘First published’ or "First Printing" followed by the month and year. Usually, the presence of these words indicates that you have a First Edition, and if the number line is present with the number 1, you can be even more certain. U.S. Firsts. Many books are published in several countries, with the various editions looking totally different. Some publishers will state ‘First American Edition’ on the copyright page, but for others it may take some digging to find out if the first edition you have in your hand is the true first. Thus, if you have a first American edition of a book originally published in another country, it is not a "true first." True firsts, whether American or from another country, are usually more highly valued, but depending on the book, it can still be a great find even if it’s not a true first. No Additional Printings. The first editions most difficult to identify are those with no ‘First Edition’ or number line on the copyright page. With these books, it can be the absence of words indicating second or later printings that tells you that you have a first. So if there are no additional printings indicated, you may have a first. Of course, you may also have a later printing of a book whose publisher deletes the words ‘First Edition’ and number line from later printings. Each publisher has different rules, and in order to be certain, you should get a reference book. The one which is probably most used by booksellers is The Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions, by Bill McBride. This is a very handy guide covering the rules for virtually all modern publishers and easily fits into a pocket or purse. You can obtain the guide at the Odyssey -- it's a gem. Use caution when referring to any guide as publishers can deviate from their own procedures in designating first editions. Remember that book collecting is not an exact science so we limit our liability with respect to the information provided above. Other things to consider. Book Club Editions. Book Club Editions are not very collectible, and collectors need to be aware as to how to spot them. For most modern fiction, the easiest way is to check the dustjacket. If there is no price on the inside flap, you probably have a book club edition. If the words ‘Book Club Edition’ appear, you can be sure. Be aware that some books never had a price on the jacket. These are usually published by academic or small presses, but they are rarely selected for book club editions. So the best advice, is that if there is no price on the jacket, exercise caution. Another way to identify many book club editions is by a publishers indentation on the spine. Author’s Signature: Many books you will find are marked as signed by the author. Usually, the author’s signature increases the value of a book. Some collectors also place value on signatures with dates, showing that the book was signed about the time it was published. Books are often inscribed to the owner by the author, such as "To Neil -- Best Wishes." There is some debate about whether an inscription affects the book's value. An exception, of course, is when the inscription is to someone famous. Remainder Mark: Publisher overstocks are sometimes identified with ‘remainder marks.’ These can be either a publisher’s stamp or a mark with indelible ink placed on the page edges, usually at the bottom. Remainder marks typically reduce the value of a book to a collector, but even marked books can have significant value, if it is signed and/or rare, so don’t reject a remaindered book out-of-hand. Price Clipped means the price of a book is snipped off the inside flap of the dustjacket. This is a common practice when people buy books intended as gifts, but it usually reduces the value of a first edition. However, if the book is in otherwise good condition, it is probably still worth having in your collection. Promotional Materials: You may find a first with some promotional letters tucked inside. These are usually from the publisher, or even the author, and are sometimes valued by the collector, since they represent a kind of limited edition—early copies of the books used for marketing. Don’t throw these papers out. Advanced Reader's Copies. Sometimes called "galleys" or "ARC's," these are pre-publications of a book, distributed to booksellers. They are usually paperback, often having having the same cover art as the book will have, though many ARC's come with plain covers. Some purists say that these are the true first editions, as they really are the first printed copies of the book. ARC's can have some value, especially when they are signed, though in our experience, while many people enjoy getting a copy of the book before it's released, its value declines when the book is published. There are, of course, exceptions. The ARC of the first Harry Potter book, for example, is worth thousands of dollars. Book Condition The second most important characteristic a collector looks for is the book’s condition. Indeed, some collectors only buy books in excellent condition. For the beginning collector, however, finding, much less buying, flawless copies of rare books can sometimes be a daunting task. Fortunately, the beginning collector interested in modern books usually has less difficulty in finding excellent copies of his or her favorites. Still, examining a book for its condition is something every collector should be comfortable with. Here is a brief guide to the language and what to look for. Overall condition: Collectors should first look at the overall condition of the book. Does it look and feel the same as it did when it was first published? For example, is the spine straight and are there any stains or yellowing of the pages? Are there any remainder marks on the page edges? Is there any sign of foxing, the brown spots caused by chemical reactions, usually found in older books? Are the covers bumped, or dented, at the corners? New books don’t lie flat when opened, does yours? Is the book crisp, that is, does it look new, as if no one has read it? Dustjackets. Collectors want books with their original dustjackets (if they had them). The dustjacket should be clean, bright and untorn. Sometimes, dustjackets may sunned, be faded by the sun, particularly along the spine. In older books, dustjackets often show some wear, such as minor fraying along the edges or small closed tears. A closed tear is a small tear that conceals itself when the dustjacket is laid flat. A dustjacket that is chipped has small, marginal pieces missing. Is the price in the corner of the inside flap clipped, or cut away? Depending on how much you want the book, these flaws may be acceptable, especially if they are relatively minor. Ratings. In catalogues or advertisements, used/rare books are often described with words such as very fine, fine, very good and good (or vf, f, vg, and g). When books have dustjackets, you may see two of these descriptions, separated by a slash mark, such as very fine/fine, or vf/f. This means that the book is in very fine condition and the dustjacket is in fine condition (the book’s description always comes first). Briefly, the ratings are as follows: Very Fine (sometimes used alternately with as new or mint). This is the highest grade, and suggests a book looks and feels brand new. There are virtually no visual blemished, and the book is unsalted, clean and bright, and has the feel of being unread. Fine: Almost as new, but without some of the crispness found in books rated as very fine. There may be some minor flaws, but no significant defects. Fine and very fine books will not lie flat when opened. Very Good: Shows signs of wear and having been read. No major tears or other defects. Unlike books in better condition, a very good book may lie flat when opened. Good. Shows significant wear, although still complete. Conditions of Fair and Poor are not used very often, and denote books that are usually not suitable for collecting, but may be good reading copies. These terms are highly subjective, and even experienced dealers may not agree on what rating to apply to a book.) An ex-library copy is identified by a library stamp and/or the return card sleeve pasted in. These are usually not considered collectible, no matter what the condition, but remember that if the book is one you have not been able to fine anywhere else, you may still want it for your collection. There are many online sources for much more information on book collecting, identifying firsts, book conditions etc. One of the most often cited is Glenn Larson's guide at www.rarebooks.org/firsted.htm Please remember that your books are for reading. Few collectors of modern books will acquire an item of such monumental value that it belongs in an air-tight case for eternity. Your books are for you. They can be read. If you want to preserve them, read them carefully—don’t break the spine, don’t eat or drink while you read your firsts, make sure your hands are clean, don’t "dog-ear" the corners. Simple precautions such as these will help keep your books in excellent condition, while allowing you to fully enjoy them. The best of both worlds. Happy hunting!
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‘First Edition’ and number
lines. The words ‘First
Edition’ are used by many publishers. But you need to be sure it is
the first printing of the first edition. Often, the number line is
used to indicate the number of the print run. The number line will look
like this: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, 246897531, or something
similar. The lowest number showing on the line indicates the print run.