Stephen King Collecting Questions

[jhanic]

Sorry, I didn't know.

Mine is in good condition and the one I gave away was in the same condition as well. When I bought them they were both shrinkwrapped, and I didnt find out they were signed until I opened them. I'm sure the place I bought them from didn't know either, otherwise they would have been more than $4.

Nothing to be sorry about. Please post pictures if possible, especially of the signature and number. We LOVE to see those!

John

[Randall Flagg]

Not a problem. Welcome to the Collector's area.

[Patrick]

Welcome to TDT.com and Calvin's Corner, AbbyNormal. Once you have a mere 5 posts here, more member capabilities will open to you.

As John said, we'd love to see a photo of the signature page in the book you kept.

[johnsmith87]

Can anyone tell me if a 1st/1st 1978 US The Stand would have a bar code on the back cover? I'm pretty sure it doesn't, but this one does and is being advertised as a 1st edition. Maybe a later printing?

Here's what I mean:

[jhanic]

There's no bar code on the back of the 1978 1st/1st. See:

http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/...ead.php?t=1087

I'm not sure when it first appeared.

John

[Randall Flagg]

Can anyone tell me if a 1st/1st 1978 US The Stand would have a bar code on the back cover? I'm pretty sure it doesn't, but what edition has the bar code on the back? Thanks.

It does not have the code on the back.

The entry in out Collectibles Catalog shows a scan of the 1978 1st Dust jacket:



The interior dj flap (as well as the copyright page) has a typed ISBN: 0-385-12168-7

I'll research, but the first US hardback and the first US paperback to have an ISBN bar code on the outside cover have been discussed (fuzzy memory says the first PB was a Bachman book)

[johnsmith87]

Thanks, that's sort of what I figured. I guess it's just a later printing then? In that case, I don't think it's worth what the seller thinks it is (but maybe I'm wrong).

[Randall Flagg]

The Running Man (1982) was the first King/Bachman book to have a UPC bar on the cover.
IT (September, 1986), was the first hardback.

[johnsmith87]

The Running Man (1982) was the first King/Bachman book to have a UPC bar on the cover.
IT (September, 1986), was the first hardback.

Thanks!

[biomieg]

I have a question about the UK 1st/1st of The Shining. I have two copies of this book. Both have the exact same copyright page (with no reprints stated), dust jacket, gutter code etcetera. And yet yesterday I found out that the books themselves (underneath the dust jacket) look completely different! How is this possible? Anyone have an idea? Is one of them not a 1st/1st? But why, then, is everything exactly the same except the boards of the books (and a tiny size difference)?



I should add that the black book came with a priceclipped DJ. Not sure if this means anything in this context, though.

*edit* Even if you don't have an answer, I'd love to know whether you (yes, you ) own either the black or the blue state of this book.

[biomieg]

I posted this in the Collecting Questions thread but it seems to go unnoticed. I am really curious though! Mods, feel free to merge this back into the CC thread if a discussion evolves; if nobody replies, just delete it

I have a question about the UK 1st/1st of The Shining. I have two copies of this book. Both have the exact same copyright page (with no reprints stated), dust jacket, gutter code etcetera. And yet yesterday I found out that the books themselves (underneath the dust jacket) look completely different! How is this possible? Anyone have an idea? Is one of them not a 1st/1st? But why, then, is everything exactly the same except the boards of the books (and a tiny size difference)?



I should add that the black book came with a priceclipped DJ. Not sure if this means anything in this context, though.

Even if you don't have an answer, I'd love to know whether you own either the black or the blue state of this book, so we can see if either one of the 'states' is an anomaly or not.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

The black one on the left is the NEL 1st edition. (From the outside. I would need to see the copyright page.)
The blue one on the right looks like a rebound book for a library.

Could you post pics of the copyright pages in full?

The dust jacket is 90% of the value of this book. It is very delicate and hard to find in fine condition. A price-clipped one is devalued considerably.

[biomieg]

I will post pics of the copyright pages later today (they are identical, though). As for the dust jackets, you are correct of course. I got the blue copy with a non-clipped DJ, which unfortunately is not in fine condition (there are some chips on the top and bottom part of the DJ spine). I think I paid about £100 for it (will have to check at home). The black copy came with a lovely DJ, given its age, but priceclipped. I paid €45 for that one.

I actually found out about the differences in the books when I wanted to marry the nicer book (the black one) with the unclipped DJ.

You could very well be right about the library binding. I think I'm going to measure the size of the text blocks to see whether they're the same.

[herbertwest]

any news about the N hardcover?

it's on amazon, but cant find it on marvel's website...
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Stephen-Kings-N-Comic-Premiere/dp/0785134530/"]Amazon.com: Stephen King's N. The Comic Series Premiere HC (9780785134534): Marvel Comics: Books[/ame]

[biomieg]

I didn't get around to taking pictures of the copyright pages but, as I said before, they are 100% identical.

Tomas (The Collector) mentioned that rebound library books most likely have other marks (glue remains, stamps, etc.) and of course that's true in virtually all cases. This book has none.

So I guess we'll never know for sure, but I'm going to keep both books. Who knows, maybe there are more of these blue-boarded books floating around 'under the radar'...maybe somebody will read this post 50 years from now, check his copy, and reply ;-)

Mods, please feel free to merge this thread back into the collecting questions thread if so desired.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

I didn't get around to taking pictures of the copyright pages but, as I said before, they are 100% identical.

Tomas (The Collector) mentioned that rebound library books most likely have other marks (glue remains, stamps, etc.) and of course that's true in virtually all cases. This book has none.

So I guess we'll never know for sure, but I'm going to keep both books. Who knows, maybe there are more of these blue-boarded books floating around 'under the radar'...maybe somebody will read this post 50 years from now, check his copy, and reply ;-)

Actually you have kind of answered your own question by saying the copyright pages are 100% identical. It is definately a rebound book then, as the black one is the NEL 1st edition.

This rebinding has been done by a single individual, and they did a poor job of the titles. Look at them compaired to the original.

I have a rebound Pocket Books paperback of "Storm of the Century". It's on blue hardback boards. It's probably the only one in the world, but it's not worth anything, other than 'curiosity' value.

Here's a picture of it next to the Book Club edition.

[biomieg]

Yes, I agree with you Mr. RT, it's probably as simple as one individual rebinding a book. My curiosity was sparked though, and I sort of hoped there would be a more 'imaginative' explanation. But whichever way, I'm glad to have it in my collection, even if it's only for the sake of its curiosity value

[e_taylor]

Okay heres an off the wall question. I enjoy reading trade paperbacks over normal paperbacks (approx 6" x 9" in size) and I'm trying to figure out which King titles are available somewhere in TPB.

So... does anyone know yes or no to the following:

Night Shift
Different Seasons
Christine
Talisman
Thinner
Skeleton Crew
Eyes of the Dragon
It
Tommyknockers
Dark Half
Four Past Midnight
Needful Things
Delores Claiborne
Insomnia
Desperation
Regulators
Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Hearts in Atlantis
Dreamcatcher
Cell
Blaze

US or UK as long as its 1) english language, 2) not large print and 3) no an ARC

Anyone?

[jhanic]

I have a UK TPB of Cell. I know Hodder & Stoughton often has issued TPB editions of King's works almost simultaneously with the hardcovers. I think (but I'm not sure) that these are intended for international sales. (If I remember correctly, the Cell edition is from Australia.)

John

[Cloysterpete]

I have most of those in UK paperback, for some reason I don't have Desperation, Eyes of the Dragon or Four Past Midnight. These are 7" by 4 (and a bit)" in size.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

The UK full size paperbacks are issued on the same day as the hardback. They are not intended for international markets.
They are not the same as the Australian books.
They are not just sold "flightside" at airports.

[Cloysterpete]

The UK full size paperbacks are issued on the same day as the hardback. They are not intended for international markets.
They are not the same as the Australian books.
They are not just sold "flightside" at airports.

Those full-size ones (I prefer the term stupid size myself) are available at Amazon, but i've never seen one of them in a bookstore before.

[shnnrc01]

in ireland, its nearly getting to the stage where its harder to find the hardback on the shelves (easons,waterstones). its all tpb's. i dont even visit them stores anymore. i just order it from amazon.

[SkippyD023]

in ireland, its nearly getting to the stage where its harder to find the hardback on the shelves (easons,waterstones). its all tpb's. i dont even visit them stores anymore. i just order it from amazon.

I noticed that myself. I was in a B&N the other day and they did not have 1 SK book in hardcover everything was either the standard paperback or trade paperback.

[Cloysterpete]

Hasn't that always been the case though?. They stock the newest hardcover for a few weeks depending on sales, then for everything else it's paperback.

It's not surprising though is it, use Under the Dome for example, bookstores will be selling it at (or very close to, the smaller the store the less the discount) the rrp of £20. There not going to sell many of those when the web-stores sell it for £10 so they don't get many copies in-stock.

Plus where would the stores put all these hardcovers?, no-way they have the room to stock back-catalog hardcovers.