First edition and rare books
Discussion
New log in name as this topic relates to a present and I don't want 'er indoors to know about it. Found a book that is described by the dealer as being a first edition from 1866. However the publishers page says that it is "AUTHOR'S EDITION. THIRD THOUSAND. UNIVERSITY PRESS: WELCH, BIGELOW & COMPANY, CAMBRIDGE"
Can't really go and ask the missus, do any of you lot know anything about old books?
Can't really go and ask the missus, do any of you lot know anything about old books?
the only thing i know is that "first edition" books normally have a row of numbers on that page which ends with 1
i dont know anything about authors copies tho. could it be a proof reading version? we have a few of those cos my uncle is an author. but i dont know what they have on the info page.
chris
i dont know anything about authors copies tho. could it be a proof reading version? we have a few of those cos my uncle is an author. but i dont know what they have on the info page.
chris
A little.
However a general rule of thumb with antique books is that they are only of real monetary value if they are of particular significance by well known authors and/or execptionally rare.
Eg, a first edition of "Hound of the Baskervilles" will run you to tens of thousands of pounds, but "Attributes of composite alloys in a suspended solution" by A N Other (Scientist) will be worth next to nothing.
However a general rule of thumb with antique books is that they are only of real monetary value if they are of particular significance by well known authors and/or execptionally rare.
Eg, a first edition of "Hound of the Baskervilles" will run you to tens of thousands of pounds, but "Attributes of composite alloys in a suspended solution" by A N Other (Scientist) will be worth next to nothing.
I would suggest that a "third thousand" book by definition isn't a first edition, since it's the (probably) third printing run of that book. A true first edition (and hence a more valuable version) is the first print run of the first published copy. There are lots of instances from the end of the 19th century where authors would print "x thousand" in the book even though it had nothing to do with the number of the print run - it was more of a publicity thing. Now, if your gift *means* something to someone then none of that matters, buy it, enjoy it; if however it's for investment purposes, approach cautiously. Hope that helps.
Oh, and Authors Edition means it was (probably) a foreign edition authorised by the author. There was lots of unauthorised copying (or pirating) of books at the end of the 19th century, so this means it's an 'offical' version of the book.
>> Edited by bigandclever on Friday 2nd December 08:55
Oh, and Authors Edition means it was (probably) a foreign edition authorised by the author. There was lots of unauthorised copying (or pirating) of books at the end of the 19th century, so this means it's an 'offical' version of the book.
>> Edited by bigandclever on Friday 2nd December 08:55
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