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Readers of Bill Klimon's article in the May 29th issue of The BookThinker won't be
surprised to see a magic book atop the non-fiction Top 10 for April. The group also includes a
biography of Pierre Curie signed by the author Marie Curie, a golf architecture book, and the
1907 Polar Times. The fiction Top 10 includes the usual Pullman, Tokien, and King along with the unusual - Injun Babies, Harper Lee, and Salman Rushdie.
For those tracking changes in closed eBay auctions, the listing and payment details section now shows details with the option of hiding them. This is a welcome change from the previous practice of hiding details with the option of showing them, an option so discreet it was easy to miss entirely. One auction in the April Top 10 mentions a reserve price in the listing itself, but eBay closed auction records no longer routinely indicate whether a reserve was used - at least for now.
#1
The 3 first printing, first edition volumes have dust jackets, are not price clipped, and are in very good condition. The UK seller describes them in detail, including a litany of what each does not have - foxing, bumping, inscriptions, offsetting, internal marks - making it a bit difficult to find the statement of flaws. 12 photos illustrate the 10-day auction which started at GBP 5000. After 4 bids, the set sold for $9,844.62.
#2
Started at $9.99, the first limited edition volume received 25 bids and sold for $3,676.01. Signed by King and Michael Whelan, the book is #454 of 500. The seller appears to be selling for others, making the brief description with run-together words all the more unusual. For example, "ofthevalue" is written as one word, as is "itwill." Spelling and grammatical errors appear throughout the auction.
#3
Listed by a UK seller who frequently makes the top 10 list, this set of 1st UK printings is in very good condition with light shelfwear and light sunning. The 10-day auction received 22 bids, reaching the selling price of $3,042.49.
#4
Shown in 12 photos, this first edition, first printing is in "very good condition" with a near fine dust jacket. Minor flaws are described and shown in the photographs. The UK seller started the 10-day auction at GBP .99. After 19 bids, the book sold for $2,959.19.
#5
Listed in a 7-day auction with no pictures, this book went from a GBP .99 starting price to $2,289.02.
The UK seller describes it as in very good condition. Surprisingly the author punctuates the auction
title with question marks, seeming to indicate doubt. In the auction itself, though, includes no
doubts about authenticity; the seller calls it "rare" and "scarce."
#6
Another UK seller takes an ignore-the-grammar approach to online selling with this set. "Has all the point's so you no its a true first" and "Dust jaket perfect,no tanning,rips..." are part of the description. Described in "mint condition," the set started at GBP 120 and sold for $2,276.30 after a 7-day auction.
#7
The US seller calls this book a "first edition, stated second printing before publication." After a careful description, the seller notes that the "Original second issue dust jacket issued same time as the first; this jacket meets all of the first issue points except that it is 1/16th of an inch shorter than the first issue." Sold in a 10-day auction that included 11 photos, the book received 4 bids. Starting bid was $1,500; selling price was $2,177.21.
#8
Autographed in the author's full name of Nelle Harper Lee, this 6th edition copy was inscribed to Thomas Earl Nettles. The auction states that he "has retained the book with him ever since." The dust jacket is missing and the 8 photos serve as a condition description. Sold in a 10-day auction with 20 bids, the book had a starting bid of $25 and a selling price of $2,050.03.
#9
Published in 1923, the 1st edition hardback book is described as in "beautiful condition" and the 6 photos reinforce that description. Clean and unmarked, the book started at $.99 in a 5-day auction and sold for $2,025.00.
#10
Coming in at #10, the Booker Prize 1st edition hardback with dust jacket was inscribed by the author to the seller at the launch party. Described as in "excellent condition, except for the dust jacket which has been partly faded by sunlight," the book was listed in a 10-day auction with no photos. Starting bid was GBP 10. After 31 bids, it sold for $2,024.15. The auction attracted 4 questions focused on requests for scans and edition details.
Carter the Great is #33 of 50 deluxe copies and is inscribed to Brian McCullagh whose brother is the Australian seller. It is described as in "perfect condition." Fifty people were sent the special deluxe edition; it includes collectible material from Carter's files in addition to the book in slipcase. Collectible items included varied. This particular box contained, among other things, a copy of one of Carter's books and 5 letters to Carter from Australians. Listed with 5 photos for 7 days, the auction went from a starting bid of $500 to $12,100.99 on 13 bids.
The Genesis signed limited edition is leather bound and includes several additional items such as the unopened People Magazine in memory of Harrison. Described by the US seller as in "excellent to mint condition," the book is #1481 of 2000. Listed with 6 photos, the auction started at $99.99 and after 19 bids ended at $2,600.
Listed by a US seller who won it at a charity auction, this signed first edition had an opening bid of $.99, a reserve of $2,300, and a BIN of $2,500. It was purchased by a BIN 10 days into the auction.
No. 43 of 250 copies, the 1907 first edition record of exploration and life at the South Pole is ex-library. The UK seller listed it with 12 photos in a 10-day auction. Starting at GBP 999.99, it rose to $2,235.06 in 3 bids.
In a brief auction, the US seller describes the book as a blue first edition, noting "There
is no writing nor highlighting...." Listed with 1 photograph, the 7-day auction started at $100 and after 20 bids sold for $2,125. The same seller sold #6.
The seller of #5 sold #6 to the buyer of #5. Described as "First Edition Red Pre-sale Narcotics
Anonymous Basic Text number 612," it was listed with 1 photograph. The 7-day auction started
at $100 and after 15 bids sold for $1,967.
Published in 1995, the book is described as "an arcane poetic text in 72 verses, a detailed commentary in critical prose, and a substantial glossary of esoteric terms and names." It's 1 of 500 copies and includes "a hand-drawn bookmark ... signed by Chumbley...." Sold as a BIN for $1,900, the book was listed at $.99; the auction included 4 photos.
7 of the sellers were from the UK
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