Stephen King Collecting Questions

[jhanic]

Also, some publishers indicated a remaindered book with stippling. I always remembered it on the top of the book, however. I could be wrong.

John

[needfulthings]

What would cause the bottom of the page block to end up like this? The seller said it was like that when he purchased it from a used book store.

That is the way they used to spray books..... when they were remaindered.

[bdwyer19]

What would those spots do to its value?

[jhanic]

I think they would degrade the book's value very slightly, if at all.

John

[Room 217 Caretaker]

I have a beautiful 1st Edition of The Shining with the same remainder spray. The book and jacket are so mint I wouldn't trade it for anything. In other words, the remainder spray doesn't bother me or the value. My opinion of course.

Mulleins

[zelig]

I have a beautiful 1st Edition of The Shining with the same remainder spray. The book and jacket are so mint I wouldn't trade it for anything. In other words, the remainder spray doesn't bother me or the value. My opinion of course.

Mulleins

Would it bother you any more if the remainder mark wasn't the spray, but the black marker line you see today..? Just curious about this because when I see a remainder, my first reaction is to disregard it.

[Room 217 Caretaker]

I have a beautiful 1st Edition of The Shining with the same remainder spray. The book and jacket are so mint I wouldn't trade it for anything. In other words, the remainder spray doesn't bother me or the value. My opinion of course.

Mulleins

Would it bother you any more if the remainder mark wasn't the spray, but the black marker line you see today..? Just curious about this because when I see a remainder, my first reaction is to disregard it.

As mint as my Shining is, even if it had a black remainder line or rolled on remainder number it would still be in my collection.

Mulleins

[zelig]

Okay, good to know. And an interesting perspective.

[jhanic]

I think the black remainder would devalue the book more than the spray, although not that much. I do have one book in my collection with the black remainder mark--a first/first hardback of the US The Green Mile, but it's remarqued with Mr. Jingles by Marc Geier.

John

[Room 217 Caretaker]

I think the black remainder would devalue the book more than the spray, although not that much. I do have one book in my collection with the black remainder mark--a first/first hardback of the US The Green Mile, but it's remarqued with Mr. Jingles by Marc Geier.

John

I have three remaindered marked books in my collection. I'm OK with it.

I also have a couple x-library books.

Mulleins

[jonp]

I've never heard of this remainder spray before. Does it tend to be isolated to one side of page block or all over? Does it come in certain colours? I've heard of the black marker stripes and 'R' in circles stamps, are there any other ways of remaindering books?

[herbertwest]

It's interesting to read about remainders marks in books, because we don't have that in France. Actually, in France, when a book is new there is only 1 price. It cannot be discounted (except 5% off the price written on the backcover). Therefore the price is often 5% cheaper.
So I am always surprised to see, when I am in the UK for instance, that Tesco or other chains sometimes offers books to half the price, or 2 for £10 or something.

In France there is 1 price for books (therefore any major chains cannot increase their sales of a specific title by reducing their margin and the final price), and I dont really know how that works, but some books that are not selling very well are returned to be destroyed and recycled.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

Prices of goods in the UK are marked RRP - Recommended Retail Price. You can sell it for anything you like. Higher or lower.

[burial]

It's interesting to read about remainders marks in books, because we don't have that in France. Actually, in France, when a book is new there is only 1 price. It cannot be discounted (except 5% off the price written on the backcover). Therefore the price is often 5% cheaper.
So I am always surprised to see, when I am in the UK for instance, that Tesco or other chains sometimes offers books to half the price, or 2 for £10 or something.

In France there is 1 price for books (therefore any major chains cannot increase their sales of a specific title by reducing their margin and the final price), and I dont really know how that works, but some books that are not selling very well are returned to be destroyed and recycled.

I think it is a matter of local law. There are such plans i Poland... they want to block discounts on books for the first 12 months since premiere. During that time price of the book can't be changed

[carlosdetweiller]

I've never heard of this remainder spray before. Does it tend to be isolated to one side of page block or all over? Does it come in certain colours?

I'm not in the publishing or book business so I can only comment on what I have seen. The only two King related books that I have seen this remainder spray on are first edition copies of The Shining and the Shadows anthology edited by Charles Grant that has the first appearance of King's story "Nona." Both were published by Doubleday in 1977 and 1978, respectively. So it may have been an in-house Doubleday thing from that time period. Anyway, the remainder paint spray is located on the lower page edges with some occasional spotting on the lower edge of the boards. Like they had a stack of books and sprayed the bottom edges several books at a time with some overspray to the boards.

There are quite a few of each of these books out there (esp. Shadows) so you should ask before you buy if there is any doubt. Personally I think it is a deal breaker for Shadows. I'd search for one without it since the book is so much less costly than The Shining. I have a couple of copies of The Shining in my collection with the spray and it really doesn't bother me that much on those. Weird, huh?

[jonp]

Thanks for the info Bob, very interesting!

[Room 217 Caretaker]

One more thought on the remainder sprayed The Shining copies. The mint copy I own, and a couple others I've seen, almost remind me of an uncirculated coin. I wonder if my copy went from the Doubleday remainder stack, to employee, to me.

Sort of makes it cool in my mind.

Mulleins

[Dan]

This was mentioned on a collection thread, but I didn't want to hijack it. Is this considered a promo? proof? something else? The book on the left is the normal trade paperback movie tie in version.



The left one is normal version. The middle looks the same as the right one, but has a reflection.


Closeup of the promo


closeup of "normal"

[burial]

Can you tell me - is it an original magazine or some kind of reprint? (are there any magazine reprints?)
Weird Tales Magazine 298/1990

[jhanic]

It contains a reprint of King's story The Glass Floor, first published in Startling Mystery Stories in the Fall, 1967 issue.

John

[burial]

It contains a reprint of King's story The Glass Floor, first published in Startling Mystery Stories in the Fall, 1967 issue.

John

yes, i know...
but in the description of the magazine there is a publication year of 2003.
My question is if it is a 2003 reprint of Weir Tales Magazine 1990? (Is it possible?)

[jhanic]

I'd say the seller made a mistake in the listing. The only other King reprint in Weird Tales was "It Grows on You" in the Summer, 1991 issue. As far as I know, neither issue was reprinted. If I remember correctly, each issue was also issued as a limited hardback. I don't own those.

John

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

If I remember correctly, each issue was also issued as a limited hardback.

See, there's nothing wrong with your memory after all

[George at C-Springs]

I have three remaindered marked books in my collection. I'm OK with it.

I also have a couple x-library books.

Mulleins

I only have one ex-library copy, but it's a beautiful Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. I definitely wouldn't give it up and is one book that I would love to have King sign.

[zelig]

I've looked around recently for this one, and the The Breathing Method one, and they're hard to find. Can't find any actually.