Styleforum › Forums › Lifestyle › Fine Living, Home, Design & Auto › First Edition Books
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

First Edition Books

post #1 of 28
7/17/11 at 9:31am
Thread Starter 
Does anyone collect them, or is willing to spend the extra dough on getting one when the opportunity arises? I've just been curious about that type of collecting for awhile now, and would love to hear peoples thoughts on it.
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 28
7/17/11 at 5:39pm
I don['t collect 1st editions, but I do collect old books relating to the Napoleonic era. I don't buy them as an investment, but rather because I love reading and owning them.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 28
7/17/11 at 8:49pm
I don't necessarily collect firsts, either, but I collect old editions of books that I want to own--m specialty are embossed, gilt editions. Some classics, say Paradise Lost are available in incredibly beautiful bindings from the turn of last century that are fairly reasonable. I don't really care what they might be worth at some point.

~ H
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 28
7/17/11 at 11:58pm
how much would a first edition of the fountainhead go for? i know i know lots of u probably hate ayn rand buh iv always wanted one since seeing a hot girl with one for a gq photoshoot.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 28
7/18/11 at 11:45am
I'va collected a few 1st prints, mostly of books that I found impressive. One that comes to mind is 1984 from Orwell, is was delighted to get that one for a steal back then..
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 28
7/18/11 at 8:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by guest View Post

how much would a first edition of the fountainhead go for? i know i know lots of u probably hate ayn rand buh iv always wanted one since seeing a hot girl with one for a gq photoshoot.


Check alibris.com

 

Reply
Reply
post #7 of 28
7/18/11 at 9:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Huntsman View Post


Check alibris.com

 


tnx! looking into it now. happy.gif

2009295302.jpg

2007830688.jpg

9780026009102.gif

i think the one i saw in the photoshoot didn't have a slip cover. if it is what i understand it is.

they all say facsimile edition or library reprint though.
Edited by guest - 7/18/11 at 10:07pm
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 28
7/18/11 at 10:10pm
this one seems to be the real first edition for collectors. about 3k.

http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?invid=9708079624&noworks=1&query=ayn+rand+the+fountainhead+first+edition&qsort=&page=1
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 28
7/28/11 at 3:49pm
I collect firsts. I used to collect pretty broadly, but have lately narrowed down my buying to a couple of authors and a general area: genre fiction, mostly science fiction and "weird fiction" (think HP Lovecraft et al). I'm actually in the middle of a major purge, hoping to cut down from around 2,000 books to 500 or fewer.

My best acquisition, BTW, was a copy of Edward Abbey's "Down the River", first edition / first printing in dustjacket for $.25 (25 cents!). I eventually sold it to a dealer for $400, he in turn sold it to Edward Abbey's son, who had been estranged from his late father and was attempting to put together a collection of first editions of all of his father's books.

Best acquisition of anyone I know: a friend, who is a small time book dealer in Iowa, bought a box of books at a farm auction. One of the books turned out to be a first edition of the Federalist Papers (with both volumes), which is a highly sought after book. To cap it off, it had the signature of the original owner - a member of Congress from the Federalist Party! The signature was validated by research in the Library of Congress. The box of books cost $300 at the auction, but that one book had an estimated value of $75,000 or more.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 28
7/28/11 at 4:25pm
for purely sentimental reasons, i collect signed first from authors who have been important to me in my career: julia child, mfk fisher, marcella hazan, paula wolfert, james beard, etc. just nice to have.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 28
7/28/11 at 5:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post

for purely sentimental reasons, i collect signed first from authors who have been important to me in my career: julia child, mfk fisher, marcella hazan, paula wolfert, james beard, etc. just nice to have.

Very cool, and about the best reason for collecting something that I can think of.

Out of curiosity, do you have a signed first of "How to Eat a Wolf?" I loved that book.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 28
7/28/11 at 5:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by imatlas View Post


Very cool, and about the best reason for collecting something that I can think of.

Out of curiosity, do you have a signed first of "How to Eat a Wolf?" I loved that book.

i don't. i've got a signed first of "physiology of taste" in a slip-covered edition.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 28
7/30/11 at 12:12pm
My friend bought a bookstore a couple months ago. On one of his trips down to New Orleans to buy stock, he picked up a first edition, first printing Gravity's Rainbow for a buck. Excellent condition, too.

As for myself, I buy 1st's when I can but am typically more concerned with getting a quality hardcover in good condition than I am with the edition. Every month or so I spend about $50-75 bucks at abebooks.com or alibris.com buying 5-10 excellent condition vintage hardcovers. I don't have any intention of ever selling any of my books, so future value isn't a huge concern.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 28
7/31/11 at 5:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post

for purely sentimental reasons, i collect signed first from authors who have been important to me in my career: julia child, mfk fisher, marcella hazan, paula wolfert, james beard, etc. just nice to have.
Yes, I too collect signed copies of books by dudes important to my development. Don't think it was a first, though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post


i don't. i've got a signed first of "physiology of taste" in a slip-covered edition.

icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif SICK!
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 28
7/31/11 at 6:06am
Thread Starter 
Nice.... I keep on thinking I want to collect books in the same way: books that rank among my favourite bought in first edition. Unfortunately, have you seen the prices for a first edition copy of Dune?
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
Styleforum › Forums › Lifestyle › Fine Living, Home, Design & Auto › First Edition Books