BookThink
www.bookthink.com

Close this window to return to BookThink

BookThink's Top 10 on eBay
December 2010

by Pamela Palmer

#154, 21 February 2011

 
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.

In December, the top 10 fiction category included authors ranging from Jane Austen to Neil Gaiman. In addition, regulars such as Fleming, O'Connor, Pynchon, and Meyer made appearances. Coming in at #1 in the non-fiction group was Gen. Carl von Clausewitz 3-volume set On War, made particularly special because it came from the library of T.E. Lawrence. A 1935 Japanese karate book came in second, followed by an unredacted copy of Dark Heart, the Taschen publication Kate Moss, and 4 late-19th century volumes on chess, among others.

The Antiquarian and Collectible list was dominated by US sellers and contained both Best Offer and auction sales. Picasso, Wilfred Owen, Seigfried Sassoon, and Mark Twain were included in the top 5.

eBay
Fiction Top 10
December 2010

#1 $3,000.00 IAN FLEMING - LIVE AND LET DIE - RARE UK 1ST 1954 w/DJ
#2 $2,075.00 Numbered and Signed Stardust ARC, by Neil Gaiman
#3 $1,600.00 WISE BLOOD by FLANNERY O'CONNOR FIRST EDITION 1952
#4 $1,075.00 The Secret Soldier by Alex Berenson (2011, Unabridge...
#5 tie $1,000.00 Stephenie Meyer Signed Twilight Saga + Host 1/1 Fine
#5 tie $1,000.00 63/100 slipcased Ray Bradbury set with 7 signatures
#7 $950.00 John Grisham A TIME TO KILL Hc/Dj Wynwood 1st ed VG/VG
#8 $899.95 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE Jane Austen, 1894, RARE 1st PEACOCK
#9 $875.00 Thomas Pynchon : Gravity's Rainbow - First Edition
#10 $800.00 NEW THINKERS Signed Numbered 1st Ed 1st Printing RARE

#1
Live and Let Die
Ian Fleming
300496279019

The very good 1954 1st edition in a fine, unrestored dust jacket sold on a single bid.

#2
Stardust
Neil Garmin
180594769528

Listed in a charity auction benefitting Heifer International, the signed, numbered, like-new condition "special advanced edition" in a hard slipcover was donated by the author. It is numbered #28 of 250 and sold after 25 bids.

#3
Wise Blood
Flannery O'Connor
120651000152

Published in 1952, the 1st edition in dust jacket is described as in good condition. It sold as a Best Offer.

#4
The Secret Soldier
Alex Berenson
120655159980

Coming in at #4 is another charity audtion, this one to benefit City Harvest. It is described as the signed, new, "'#1 softcover advance copy'"; a copy of the 1st edition of The Faithful Spy was added as a bonus. 20 bids took the auction to $1,075.

#5 tie
Twilight
New Moon
Eclipse
Breaking Dawn
The Host

Stephenie Meyer
150526690587

Unread, signed 1st editions of the 5 Meyer books sold after a single bid. Listed in fine condition in dust jackets. An unsigned copy of The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner was included as a bonus.

#5 tie
R is for Rocket
S is for Space
Forever and the Earth

Ray Bradbury
200394562740

The 3-volume hardback set in a slipcase was published as a limited edition in 2005. It was #63 of 100 in the edition. Each volume was signed by Bradbury and at least one other person involved, whether author of a forward/introduction or artist. The 3rd volume - Forever and the Earth - consists of "11 stories originally selected by Ray Bradbury for the first publication of S is for Space in 1966 but removed at the suggestion of the publisher." It sold as a BIN.

#7
A Time to Kill
John Grisham
250735095382

The hardcover 1st edition in very good condition with a very good to very good plus dust jacket. It sold after a single bid.

#8
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
180594829979

The listing is for a 1st edition Peacock Edition dating from 1894, but, oddly, item specifics refer to a 1996 paperback. Described as containing "over 100 beautiful pen and ink illustrations by Hugh Thomson," the book is in very good+ condition. It sold at the starting price of $899.95.

#9
Gravity's Rainbow
Thomas Pynchon
150528846737

The 1st edition in new fine condition in a fine condition dust jacket sold as a BIN.

#10
Tinkers
Paul Harding
250742159772

Coming in at #10 is a new signed numbered 1st edition of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner. It sold at the starting price of $800.

 

eBay
Non-Fiction Top 10
December 2010

#1 $2,500.00 ON WAR BY GEN. CARL VON CLAUSEWITZ 3 VOL1911
#2 $2,000.00 GICHIN FUNAKOSHI 1935 ORIGINAL KARATE DO Kyohan 1st Pri
#3 $1,995.00 Operation Dark Heart UNREDACTED 1st Anthony Shaffer
#4 $1,800.00 Kate Moss by Mario Testino (copy #300 of 1500) TASCHEN
#5 $1,350.00 ADOLF FASSBENDER - PICTORAL ARTISTRY #799/1000 SIGNED
#6 $1,286.99 Ceske listy sachove 1896-1899, all 4 volumes, chess
#7 $1,250.00 DIANE ARBUS - APERTURE MONOGRAPH - 1ST/1ST HC/DJ - FINE
#8 $1,195.00 Calder's circus: 16 circus drawings by Alexander Calder
#9 $1,125.00 Narcotics Anonymous It Works, First Edition, Red Cover
#10 $1,038.00 ALLEGGERITA THE DEFINITIVE BOOK ON THE GTAs RARE

#1
On War
Gen. Von Clausewitz
Col. J.J. Graham, translator
120664159065

The 1911 2nd impression of the new revised edition in 3 volumes bears a book plate showing it was from "The Library of T.E. Lawrence Clouds Hill." It sold as a BIN.

#2
Karate do Kyohan
Gichin Funakoshi
220360438781

Listed by a Japanese seller, the 1935 1st printing in acceptable condition sold as a Best Offer.

#3
Operation Dark Heart
Anthony Shaffer
310273747586

The unredacted 1st edition in very good condition sold as a BIN.

#4
Kate Moss
Mario Testino
110607945413

Copy #300 of 1500 of the Taschen publication in new condition sold as a BIN.

#5
Pictorial Artistry
The Dramatization of the Beautiful in Photography

Adolf Fassbender
160524027083

A signed 1937 elephant folio, this is #799 of 1000. Listed in near fine condition, it sold as a BO.

#6
Ceske listy sachove
1896 - 1899

230556167131

Called the "first printed Czech chess magazine," the two volumes attracted 5 bids and sold for $1,286.99.

#7
Diane Arbus
An Aperture Monograph

Doos Arbus
160509389454

Listed in new fine condition, the 1972 1st edition sold as a Best Offer.

#8
Calder's Circus
Alexander Calder
270684003099

Sold as a BIN, the 1972 volume consists of a "oversized hardcover with materials loose inside."

#9
Narcotics Anonymous
It Works

290506755690

#963 of 2500 "published to raise funds to print the 1st edition blue book for Narcotics Anonymous," the good condition book sold after 3 bids.

#10
Alleggerita
Tony Adriaensens
140491120350

Copy #725 in excellent condition sold for $1,038 after 15 bids.

 

eBay
Antiquarian & Collectible Top 5
December 2010

#1 $7,200.00 Rare HOLY BIBLE Parallel KING JAMES Leather ILLUSTRATED
#2 $6,500.00 Treatise on Mass Medieval manuscript 1385 Liturgy
#3 $5,800.00 MELODIES and 12 SONNETS by SASSOON and POEMS by OWEN
#4 $5,416.00 Lysistrata PICASSO illustrated/signed LEC pristine
#5 $5,300.00 FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE OF MARK TWAIN'S FIRST BOOK

#1
Bible
1886 Parallel Column

270681899879

Described as "RARE Leather binding with 5 raised bands on the spine and carved front and back boards with metal clasps that enclose over 1300 pages not including the index," the Bible sold as a Best Offer.

#2
Hugo de Sancto Charo
Tractatus super missam
[Treatise on Mass]
300504033534

Sold at the starting price, the c1385 manuscript on paper is unbound. It was listed by a Dutch seller.

#3
Melodies
Twelve Sonnets

Sigfried Sassoon
&
Poems
Wilfred Owen
120657851328

Tersely described by a US seller, the three early 20th century books sold as a Best Offer.

#4
Lysistrata
Pablo Picasso, Illustrator
180593251953

28 bids took the 1934 Limited Editions Club volume in fine/unread condition to $5,416.

#5
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calavaras County
and Other Sketches

Mark Twain
150531499155

The 1st edition sold after 29 bids. It was listed with many detailed photos by a US seller.

 

Want to read more articles by BookThink's Associate Editor Pamela Palmer? Click here.

Questions or comments?
Contact the editor, Craig Stark
editor@bookthink.com

Copyright 2003-2011 by BookThink LLC