Stephen King Collecting Questions

[carlosdetweiller]

I think Chris was the King's babysitter?

I think that is likely. I have a copy of The Gunslinger inscribed to Chris in 1982. According to accompanying documentation from Stu Tinker it is Chris Morgan who was nanny for the King's children for a while.

My other thought would be Chris Chesley, one of King's friends from childhood.

[Bev Vincent]

Chris Chesley was one of King's childhood friends -- he was the guy who was at dinner the night they talked about Dracula coming to America, a discussion that planted the seeds for 'Salem's Lot. He was also King's collaborator on "People, Places, Things."

[Pasiuk57]

I think you guys might be right! Chris Chesley makes a lot of sense! I would like to ask Marsha if we think records were kept on who is who in the list!

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

I think King lost touch with Chris Chesley long before these were printed. I have an interview with Chesley somewhere, I can check that.

[carlosdetweiller]

I have read elsewhere that people were looking for matching number sets of The Plant, but all my research has concluded that they were not matched to the same number each year, but merely random. Any matching numbers is purely coincidental. Enjoy. Gerald

There was no numbering system for who got what number of The Plant series as far as I know and from what I have read and heard. Your set, Gerald, is interesting in that "Michael" received a higher number each year. Every other set I have seen has smaller numbers as the years went by. Bill Thompson, for example, got #22 for the first issue and worked his way up to #3 for Part 3. Kay McCauley had #20 for the first issue and got #2 for Part 3. Kirby McCauley got #1 for Part 3. I have never seen a set with progressively higher numbers before. I always attributed this to the likely scenario of how hard it was to stay in King's good graces for four years back then (maybe today too, I don't know). As he eliminated friends and acquaintances the Christmas list got shorter and the remaining recipients moved up the list. Just my hunch.

And yet, in the back of my head, I seem to recall someone offering up a matching set of numbered or lettered copies of The Plant years ago but I don't remember the details. Maybe I'm am wrong on this.

[EXPLORER]

I would have assumed Chris Chesley as well from his Triad Publishing days prior to Philtrum Press. However was not aware of the nanny named Chris.

[EXPLORER]

I think King lost touch with Chris Chesley long before these were printed. I have an interview with Chesley somewhere, I can check that.

That is an interesting thought I had not considered..

[carlosdetweiller]

I think King lost touch with Chris Chesley long before these were printed. I have an interview with Chesley somewhere, I can check that.

Interesting discussion. Would like to read the interview if you can find it.

King did a signing and gave a talk in Truth Or Consequences, NM in November, 1983. I lived in El Paso then and was lucky enough to attend. As the story goes (this was told the night of the event) a lady shows up at the library in Truth Or Consequences and asks for King's newest book which was probably Different Seasons or Christine. She says that for some reason King didn't send a copy to her family as he usually did. The librarian was astonished and asked "Do you really know Stephen King?" She said that her husband was an old friend. One thing led to another and King eventually showed up in Truth Or Consequences to do the event as a fundraiser for the TOC Friends of the Library. I always thought that the old friend was Chris Chesley. If that were the case then Chesley was still in touch during that time period.

[Pasiuk57]

My numbers are
part 1 #170
Part 2 # 154
Part 3 #81
yep-all three went lower in number...

[biomieg]

Doesn't (or didn't) Rahfa own a set of The Plant inscribed to Chris Chesley?

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

Found this on my record of sales at Betts...

"The Plant S/L matching set: I - #179, II - #116, III - #141 all inscribed to Chris, Stephen King's babysitter. All 3 books Fine. Comes in custom made black leather title stamped " - $6600

My set is inscribed to Dennis Etchison and includes a letter of providence from him.

[Pasiuk57]

Not mine then....time to email Marsha!

[neo_trinity]

There was no numbering system for who got what number of The Plant series as far as I know and from what I have read and heard. Your set, Gerald, is interesting in that "Michael" received a higher number each year. Every other set I have seen has smaller numbers as the years went by. Bill Thompson, for example, got #22 for the first issue and worked his way up to #3 for Part 3. Kay McCauley had #20 for the first issue and got #2 for Part 3. Kirby McCauley got #1 for Part 3. I have never seen a set with progressively higher numbers before. I always attributed this to the likely scenario of how hard it was to stay in King's good graces for four years back then (maybe today too, I don't know). As he eliminated friends and acquaintances the Christmas list got shorter and the remaining recipients moved up the list. Just my hunch.

And yet, in the back of my head, I seem to recall someone offering up a matching set of numbered or lettered copies of The Plant years ago but I don't remember the details. Maybe I'm am wrong on this.

Oh no! At least Michael stayed in the Top 39 thank goodness. It enabled him to design a few more projects for Philtrum in the future.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

I think King lost touch with Chris Chesley long before these were printed. I have an interview with Chesley somewhere, I can check that.

Interesting discussion. Would like to read the interview if you can find it.

I was way off. The interview I was thinking of was in The Shape Under the Sheet, by Spignesi. He interviewed Chelsey in 1998. Chris Chelsey said, "the last time I saw Steve he gave me one of Don Robertson's working copies of The Ideal, Genuine Man." (Published in 1987 by Philtrum Press).

[neo_trinity]

I have never seen a set with progressively higher numbers before. I always attributed this to the likely scenario of how hard it was to stay in King's good graces for four years back then (maybe today too, I don't know). As he eliminated friends and acquaintances the Christmas list got shorter and the remaining recipients moved up the list. Just my hunch.

I had never really thought about that before, but I guess it makes sense. Out of curiosity, I threw up a quick calculation to estimate the maximum number of complete sets possible, and I got 84 (not including Lettered for which I don't know the qualification for being a recipient).

This is putting an approximate attrition rate at 25% for people falling 'out of grace' with Mr. King over the 4 years.

This is just a hypothetical scenario. Gerald

[carlosdetweiller]

(not including Lettered for which I don't know the qualification for being a recipient).

I'd like to know how and to whom the lettered editions of The Plant and TEOTD were distributed. I have never heard either Alpert or King address that. They all seem incredibly hard to find. Even if given to close friends, relatives or whatever you would think more would have eventually landed in the hands of collectors than we have seen.

[AKC]

A lot of talk recently about the complete Plant Series (w/EOTD) and the 'Salems' Deluxe Red Roman.

From a collecting perspective, which is coveted more?

AKC

[Lot guy]

A lot of talk recently about the complete Plant Series (w/EOTD) and the 'Salems' Deluxe Red Roman.

From a collecting perspective, which is coveted more?

AKC

Well Tim you know for me its the Red Roman, I think it's probably personal preference. What do I know though

[Randall Flagg]

A lot of talk recently about the complete Plant Series (w/EOTD) and the 'Salems' Deluxe Red Roman.

From a collecting perspective, which is coveted more?

AKC

Easy.

Both.

[EXPLORER]

I think Chris was the King's babysitter?

I think that is likely. I have a copy of The Gunslinger inscribed to Chris in 1982. According to accompanying documentation from Stu Tinker it is Chris Morgan who was nanny for the King's children for a while.

My other thought would be Chris Chesley, one of King's friends from childhood.

ANOTHER option: Could be Chris Spruce... especially since last name was not included. Perhaps someone close as family may not need last name attached.
Christopher Spruce, Tabitha's brother was involved with and eventually took over editorship of Castle Rock newsletter.

[needfulthings]

The Matching Un-numbered Set all signed to me (and the wife)


This one was sent to us from King.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

I don't think Chris Chelsey is much of a King fan. Here's what he also said during the interview with Spignesi...

"I haven't read all of IT yet. But I understand that there's a clown figure in the novel?"

[webstar1000]

Does anyone know if there was any signings done for Eyes of the Dragon? My buddy says there was but I say there were not.. Thought I'd ask the experts! Thanks!

[Kingfan24]

I'm

The Matching Un-numbered Set all signed to me (and the wife)


This one was sent to us from King.

Can I ask how you were on the list?

[needfulthings]

I NEVER said I was on THE list!
CLUE

Spoiler:

LOOK AT THE DATES