In terms of monetary value, book club editions are usually at the bottom of the. Book club editions for the most part see the end of this writeup for the exceptions are not of collectible value and cause a lot of confusion for many book collectors. Easton press, limited editions club, franklin library, book club of california. The other major book club group is the bookofthemonth club, located in camp hill, pa. Nov 03, 2003 finally, some book clubs produce richly upgraded, limited editions which are collectible in their own right, and prices for these sometimes exceed prices for the corresponding first trade editions. Due to its very limited numbers, in our time is considered one of the rare books for book collectors around the world. Different board texture for many first edition books printed in the first half of the 20th century, the boards or hardcovers are made of a clothlike material. The earliest printed book in the list is a southern song annotated woodblock edition of the book of tang printed c. Crime club mystery books rare and first edition books.
The books easy recipe format makes it all the more appealing. One of the most important and valuable groupings of collectible books is the limited editions club and its publications. Identifying book club edition books a guide to identify. Compare your book to the details of each book listed, comparing the publisher, year published, edition, condition, and any physical description of the book. Top 10 most collectible cookbooks cookbook village. A book club copy will always be a book club copy, even though it states first edition. We emphasize quality over quantity and are one of the leading specialists in our field. The dust jacket is the paper that is wrapped around the. But determining whether or not a modern book published in the 19th or 20th century post the invention of the printing press is in fact a true first edition book, in its most original form, can be a confusing and timeconsuming process. If you have a book that seems smaller than others, it very well may be a book club edition. Its also another way to support your local independent bookstore. Of course, if you belong to a book club from which you receive regular shipments of new titles in the mail, such as the book of the month club, then this is a very good. Book club editions are sold to members at a good discount compared with the original issue price. Only the books that do not have those words are the ones that would have value.
Sayers and fellow members of the detection club ideally signed by all the contributors and the fabulously scarce first edition of trents own case by e. If your copy is a 3rd printing, or a book club edition, it wont have the same value as a first edition. Book clubs frequently neglect to remove edition indicators from the plates before printing their copies. From 1929 to 1985, the limited editions club published 548 titles. Jan 19, 2006 28 harry potter and the philosophers stone by jk rowling bloomsbury, 1997. Nov 26, 2014 harry potter and the sorcerers stone book club editionsvaluable. As the above definition makes clear, book club editions are reprints of books. This book has over 2,600 recipes which makes it a favorite among collectors and cooks alike. As a collectible probably very little there is not much desire.
Mar 28, 2017 one of the most important and valuable groupings of collectible books is the limited editions club and its publications. Unfortunately, book clubs frequently do not remove edition indicators from the plates before the book goes to print. Demand too many comparable copies currently for sale may indicate a glut in the market. Obviously, my recent sfbc books probably arent worth much.
Most hard cover books published since the early 20th century were sold with a dust jacket. The reasons that book club editions are less valuable. A popular book is sometimes reissued under the imprint of a book club. In most cases, books released through bookofthemonth club bomc are much nicer than book club editions bce released by the doubleday book clubs. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Its a great way to expand your library, to invest in books that will grow more valuable over time, and to read things you might otherwise have missed. You can actually feel the texture of the book if you run your fingers across the boards for most cloth bindings. About once a month well choose a new first edition for you, have the author sign it, and then well mail it to you. How to identify first editions or a first printing of a book. And lastly, some advice i have yet to see in print about the care of books. Golden age rarities include six against the yard, written by dorothy l. Humble childrens books from years past can be immensely valuable, but only if they are the right edition in the right condition.
George passed away in 1956 but his widow, helen, ran the company until the early 1970s when she retired and sold to boise cascade who sold the firm again. The link is to the blog post on collecting childrens books, where we are posting first edition points for key childrens books at the rate of 2 or 3 per week. So, unless your fingerprints belong to someone of particular note, your books will remain a lot more valuable without them. The following table is an excerpt from our book the childrens picturebook price guide.
Compare this with a book club, where the boards are typically though there are exceptions to the rule. This statement in a book club book does not add value. Their books are released through the bomc, the history book club, the quality paperback book club and the money book club and perhaps a few others as well. Hardcover book club editions may be a little smaller than a trade hardcover, and may feel lighter. Book club edition will usually be found on the inside of the dust jacket. The reason they arent worth more money is because the true first editions had a limited print run while book club editions have a larger print run thats why there are so many out there. When i first started, i did not know enough to know the difference between a first edition, first print, trade edition, book club edition, or state. How to determine the value of rare books chicago tribune.
Collecting book club editions book collectors librarything. Easton press, limited editions club, franklin library, book club of california all venerable examples. Terry brooks 1st edition books for sale in stock ebay. Good to look out for at book swaps and garage sales. Seuss books should also own a copy of first editions of dr. Rowlings first harry potter book was published in the u. There is no such thing as a first edition book club edition.
A book club edition is far less valuable than the true first us edition. Feb 15, 2010 the limited editions club was a book club. I have been collecting harry potter books for roughly 10 years. George passed away in 1956 but his widow, helen, ran the company until the early 1970s when she retired and sold to boise cascade who sold the firm again in 1978. The book s easy recipe format makes it all the more appealing. A quick dive into most highstreets bookshops these days and both the casual browser and the more purposeful seekerout of the macabre can hardly fail to miss the crime section. 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. I have heard that when a book has the words book club edition on it, no matter how old the book is, that book has no value. The estimated values are for first edition books, with dust jackets. Finally, some book clubs produce richly upgraded, limited editions which are collectible in their own right, and prices for these sometimes exceed prices for the corresponding first trade editions. Today, the limited editions club lec is an important part of the rare book business and the books are adored by collectors. The other major book club group is the bookofthemonth club. Any photographic illustrations in the original are either absent or reduced in number. Ioba identifying book club editions independent online.
Most often, a jacket without a price is a book club edition. Attic books, abac, ilab old imprints, abaa, ilab lindas rare books pistil books online, ioba. The dust jacket is both the most decorative part of a book, and the most delicate. Book club edition does that mean that book has no value. Many paperback originals pbos exist in hardcover only in a book club edition. Harry potter and the sorcerers stone book club editionsvaluable. A book that has significant damage is likely not worth much. And condition is doubly important when considering the value of childrens books. Please see our article on the value of first editions. Oct 30, 2019 this information is provided because often, book club editions of books tend to be smaller than the original. The reasons that book club editions are less valuable should. These books used to state book club edition on the bottom corner of the front flap, but. Feb 12, 2008 i have heard that when a book has the words book club edition on it, no matter how old the book is, that book has no value. The worlds most valuable childrens books do you have one.
This book is a good investment for any serious collector as its value will continue to rise as with other classics of this sort. You can find detailed help on identifying book club editions here. Identifying, and valuing first edition dr seuss books. A guide to collecting books by the limited editions club. Rare and valuable golf related titles sell for large sums of money. Easton press, limited editions club, franklin library, book club of california all examples. This is often the case with nonfiction books such as textbooks. Some books may have pages that look like the page of first editions.
Collectors frequently ask whether book club editions are first editions, and whether these volumes have any additional value. If you own one of these rare books, youre sitting on a. The limited editions club, much as its title suggests, was a subscriptionbased book club intent on circulating limited edition copies of classic titles to its members. A book club edition bce or book of the month club edition.
Which are the most rare, collectable and valuable crime books. Easton press, the first edition society of the franklin library, the limited editions club, the book club of california have all produced some high quality books, signed editions, and first edition, first printing of titles that have become valuable. May 10, 2017 the most valuable rare books in existence. Hidden treasures on your bookshelf bottom line inc. I read somewhere that nonfiction bces are often more valuable to collectors. What is the value of a book club edition in top condition. This is often the case with nonfiction books such as text books. Every book has a first edition, but not every book is desired by collectors. Ive heard some, though certainly not all book club editions can be. Valuable books can turn up at yard sales and book sales, too, where you can buy them for next to nothing. Our specialization allows attention to detail and a focus that less specialized dealers cannot afford.
When there is enough new information to warrant updating the book, a revised second edition may be published. If you own one of these rare books, youre sitting on a gold. Book printer william caxton made the first edition of the canterbury tales in 1477. We specialize in rare, collectible and antiquarian golf books. Seuss books 2002, by helen younger, marc younger, and dan hirsch. Technically the phrase first edition consists of the first printing plus any additional printings of the same first edition.
Exceptions do occur, primarily with books that can be expected to have a long shelf. Rare and valuable books old and not so old books worth. Bentley if in its jacket and signed by the author and fellow attendees at the trent dinner launch party in 1936. 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. Many editions of h2g2 are worth are worth a fair sum of money. The mostfamous book club is the book of the month club, which began in 1926, and still exists, although with a much smaller membership than in its heyday, when to be selected by the book of the month club was a guarantor of commercial success.
We spoke to the experts at peter harrington who told us about some of the genres most sought after items. Below is a representative list of some of the more expensive titles to sell either at auction or for sale privately in the last 15 years. List of most expensive books and manuscripts wikipedia. Click on the book s title to see first edition identification points for a particular book. If an advertised book is referred to as a first edition, first printing of first edition is always whats meant. Some serious collectors will stop at nothing to track down the most rare and valuable first editions of classic, renowned works. I know, i know, in the book world the lec is considered a fine press and not a book club. Often it is a new setting and with cheaper paper and binding. In fact, some book club editions will have a blank box where the bar code normally goes. Rowling was still a jobbing author rather than a worldwide superstar richer than the queen, so there are a reasonable number of signed first editions available from her.
The estimated values in the table are for first edition books with dust jackets. Youngsters can love a book too much, reading it again and again, which results in extreme wear and tear. Cameo editions of nancy drew books with original dust jackets, early bces by. A first edition of the kite runner by khaled hosseini.
Of course, if you belong to a book club from which you receive regular shipments of new titles in the mail, such as the book of the month club, then this is a very good indication that you have book club editions. The dates of composition of the books range from the 7thcentury quran leaf palimpsest and the early 8th century st cuthbert gospel, to a 21stcentury holograph manuscript of j. Even though the most valuable books of the 20th century predate the 1960s, there are a fair number of books published since 1960 that have significant value. For the average collector, a book club can be a nice copy to have because it allows you to start collecting without draining your budget since many book clubs can be purchased for a tenth of the price of a first edition.