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BookThink's Top 10 on eBay June 2008 by Pamela Palmer #126, 11 August 2008   Which fiction and non-fiction books are winners on eBay? Each month this series answers the question and, along the way, looks at the listing strategies sellers use to bring in big bucks. To learn more about what's in and what's out of the lists, read our Top 10 on eBay Parameters. NOTE: Items numbers are now included in this article. They are in the individual auction comments section below the author and title. Click the links to see the listings. Fortune favored the UK and France in June. Sellers from the two countries made a strong showing, garnering 4 spots in the fiction top 10 and 5 in the non-fiction group. One UK seller did especially well, selling 2 James Bond novels. It was a good month for books published during or after 1950. In fact, the #1 fiction work dated from 2008. The book Devil May Care, in the Penguin Bentley Bond series, gave the sleuth 3 appearances on the list. Will July bring more European Union countries to the top 10? eBay Fiction Top 10 June 2008 #1 $3,103.26 Devil May Care - Sebastian Faulks - Bentley Bond Series #2 $1,650.00 Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (1985) #3 $1,501.58 Dick Francis DEAD CERT Rare 1962 Hardcover Edition #4 $1,243.30 RARE 1ST IAN FLEMING JAMES BOND HB DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER #5 $1,125.00 ROBERT JORDAN Eye of the Word 1st Edition Set ARC PROOF #6 $1,046.00 Edward Abbey, 1st novel, Jonathan Troy, 1954, 1st Ed #7 $966.00 1975 ICEBERG Clive Cussler - 1st Ed HCDJ Very RARE #8 $820.86 RARE FIRST 1ST IAN FLEMING JAMES BOND LIVE AND LET DIE #9 $810.00 AUTOGRAPHED FIRST EDITION COPY OF CUJO BY STEPHEN KING #10 $799..00 I Robot - Isaac Asimov - HC 1st - Dustjacket SCARCE #1 Devil May Care Sabastian Faulks Listed by a UK seller, the Penguin Limited Bentley Bond Edition attracted 8 bids in the private auction. The leather-bound hardcover is #188 of 300 and is housed in a "custom made plexiglass slip case." #2 Blood Meridian Cormac McCarthy 25 bids took this 1985 publication from a starting bid of $.99 to $1,650. #3 Dead Cert Dick Francis Listed by a UK seller, this 1962 hardcover sold as a best offer. Described as "the 2nd impression ... (true first edition was published one month earlier." It was in very good condition in a good dust jacket. The seller notes, "Although this is not being sold as a signed copy, there is ... a signature to the inner front flap of the d/w which may be Dick Francis'." #4 Diamonds are Forever. Ian Fleming Another UK seller listed this true first, designating ChildAid to Russia & the Republics as the charity to receive 15% o f the selling price. The book sold with 18 bids. The same seller sold #8. #5 Eye of the World Robert Jordan Listed as a 1st edition set, the hardcover in very fine condition is accompanied by a very fine Advance Reading Copy and a "heavily marked" proof. 48 bids pushed the selling price to $1,125. Note: After Top 10 was published, the seller wrote BookThink, indicating why the book sold for so much. He wrote that the auction "included an editorial letter and the proof was marked up by the author's editor and widow." #6 Jonathan Troy Edward Abbey The 1st edition very good+ hardcover in a very good dust jacket received 31 bids #7 Iceberg Clive Cussler A 1st edition of the author's 2nd book, this copy was described as in excellent condition with a very good dust jacket. The auction received 17 bids. #8 Live and let Die Ian Fleming Sold by the UK seller of #4, the 1st edition is described as "ultra-rare." It received 15 bids. #9 Cujo Stephen King A "signed limited edition box set," the 1981 volume sold for $810 after 14 bids. #10 I, Robot Isaac Asimov The 1950 1st edition is described as a very good+ book in a fair dust jacket. The US seller called it, "A truly SCARCE book and a classic in the field of Science fiction." It sold for $799 on a single bid.   eBay Non-Fiction Top 10 June 2008 #1 $3,000.00 GOAT - Tribute to Muhammad Ali, NR, Paypal only #2 $2,580.71 CHRIST CHURCH BOAT CLUB 1910-1950 ROWING UNIQUE REPORTS #3 $1,763.85 CHARLES DARWIN ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES 1860 SIGNED? #4 $1,625.00 Picasso: Toreros with 4 Original Lithographs RARE art #5 $1,600.00 Alcoholics Anonymous FIRST EDITION SECOND PRINTING 1941 #6 $1,021.07 Nobuyoshi Araki - Ai No Hana SIGNED #7 $932.00 Margin of Safety by Seth A. Klarman (1991) #8 tie $910.00 5 LUGER BOOKS JAN C STILL REICH AXIS IMPERIAL WEIMAR #8 tie $910.00 The Meinertzhagen Card Index on Netsuke in the BM, 2 vo #10 $814.00 NEW YORK NEW YORK BY GYORGY LORINCZY #1 Goat A Tribute to Muhammad Ali Taschen's 75 lb. volume sold on a single bid. In new condition, it was signed by Ali and artist Jeff Koons. #2 Oxford University's Christ Church Boat Club Handwritten log, 1910 - 1950 Listed by a UK seller, this handwritten volume covers many years between 1910 and 1950, though there are gaps. It attracted 11 bids. #3 On the Origin of Species Charles Darwin One of 3000 copies in the 2nd edition (1860), though the title page indicates "Fifth thousand." It was described as in "reasonably good condition" and attracted 37 bids. #4 Picasso: toreros, with four lithographs 26 bids took this 1961 translation from a starting bid of $.99 to $1,625. #5 Alcoholics Anonymous The 1st edition, 2nd printing sold as a Best Offer. #6 Ai No Hana Nobuyoshi Araki Listed by a UK seller, this 2006 softcover photography book is in new condition. The auction received 5 bids. #7 Margin of Safety Seth A. Klarman Margin of Safety often appears in the top 10. A the seller explain, the author refuses to allow a reprint of the 1991 book. In June, this copy attracted 8 bids. #8 tie 5 Lugar Books Axis Pistols Imperial Lugers Central Powers Pistols Third Reich Lugers Weimar Lugers 4 of the 5 titles are sealed in plastic and the 5th is like new. Listed by a US seller who bans delivery to PO Boxes, the volumes attracted 2 bids to tie for #8. #8 tie The Meinertzhagen Card Index on Netsuke in the British Museum Frederick Meinertzhagen The 1986 book, listed by a French seller, tops 1000 pages and is in good condition. #10 New York New York Gyorgy Lorinczy Listed by another French seller, the 1972 1st edition attracted 15 bids. By the Numbers 11 sellers were from the USA 7 sellers were from the UK 2 sellers were from France 1 UK seller sold 2 books 17 books were published during or after 1950 3 were published before 1950 0 sold as BIN 2 sold as a Best Offer 1 to 48 to was the range of bids Seller feedback ranged from 9 to 5016.* 9 books were sold by sellers with 100% positive feedback 1 seller had no feedback percentage due to no sales during the current year Feedback ranged from 98.1 to 100% for sellers who had feedback The oldest book was published in 1860. *feedback is noted at the time the auction is viewed by BookThink.   eBay Antiquarian & Collectible Top 5 June 2008 #1 $23,995.00 1613 KING JAMES FOLIO HOLY BIBLE/RARE/COMPLETE! #2 $20,110.11 KOBERGER 1478 FOLIO BIBLE ILLUMINATED Incunabula #3 $18,000.00 1460 PRECIOUS BRUGES BOOK OF HOURS MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM #4 $15,000.00 Politianus Omnia Opera Aldus 1498 Aldine incunabula 1ST #5 $13,100.00 Medieval French Vellum Manuscript BOOK OF HOURS Tournai #1 Bible 1613 King James Sold to a buyer with 0 feedback, the buyer still has no feedback 6 weeks after the sale. #2 Bible 1478 Koberger Listed by a seller from the Netherlands, the incunabula is described as "A superb copy, museum piece and wonderful investment." It sold after 3 bids. #3 Book of Hours Illuminated manuscript on vellum, in Latin. Bruges, c1460. The Swiss seller noted the manuscript includes "fifteen large illuminated initials and full page richly decorated borders." 29 bids later, it sold for $18,000. #4 Omnia Opera Complete works of Angelus Politianus Edited by Alexander Sartius Listed by a Canadian seller, the 1498 work was called, "apparently the first printed collected edition of a modern author." It sold as a BIN to a buyer with no feedback. 4 weeks later, the buyer still has no feedback. #5 Book of Hours c1440 The US seller of #5 noted the vellum manuscript's "3000 illuminations - with a full-page miniature." The auction received 34 bids to close at $13,100. Questions or comments? Contact the editor, Craig Stark editor@bookthink.com Copyright 2003-2011 by BookThink LLC