Is there any way to determine what edition this is with it being sealed? I know it's not BCE.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/173863728863
Is there any way to determine what edition this is with it being sealed? I know it's not BCE.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/173863728863
No, but I’m betting a later printing given someone applied the “factory” seal after publication.Originally Posted by TnTzDad
It does look like a BCE. There isn't foil stamping on the dust jacket.
Wanted: Human skin edition of The Book of the Dead. Will accept PC copy.
What can be said about the artist signed editions of Drawing of the Three (i.e. number made and reason)?
I remember some of Donald Grant's news letters stating that Phil Hale had stopped by there office and signed stacks of them. The price remained the same. There seem to plenty of the signed copies out there.
"Once again Phil Hale visited the United States and stopped by the office (he lives in London). He signed our remaining copies of the First Edition, First Printing of THE DARK TOWER II: THE DRAWING OF THE THREE which he illustrated in 1987.
These are available on a first-come-first serve basis. We are not charging anything extra because of the autograph. He signed copies for us last time he visited and these sold out very quickly." Sept 2016
Looking for FAB8 CD Number 439
Very good to know... thanks!
Newbie collector here with a rather vague question. I've been following this corner of the world for a bit over a year, and delving into collecting a bit more seriously as of the last few months. I've learned so much from members here and in other groups. So my question is this: What are some things you wish you'd known as brand new collector? Advice you would give someone just starting off in this particular area of interest? What would you go back and tell yourself at the beginning of your journey? Anything is helpful. I'm just trying to be a knowledge sponge. To provide a little background, I am very far from wealthy but do have a small bit of disposable income; enough to save for and make purchases of a few hundred dollars a month. I'm mostly into Stephen King, but have an interest in all horror, and a particular love for Cemetery Dance. Thanks for anything you all come up with.
What are some things you wish you'd known as brand new collector?
Not everyone is honest and not all King signatures are equal
Advice you would give someone just starting off in this particular area of interest?
Ask questions (just like you're doing). This site is full of the top collectors in the world. Also, don't be afraid to play the upgrade game. Example: I've owned several First Editions of Night Shift throughout my collecting since the 80's, I would pickup a better copy along the way and sell the lesser of the two and so on and so on. I'm not afraid to sell a book to get another.
What would you go back and tell yourself at the beginning of your journey?
You're in for one hell of a ride. Strap yourself in, put some dark sunglasses on, turn the radio volume to 10..........and hit the peddle.
Mulleins
I'm the caretaker of Room 217..............I've always been the caretaker of Room 217
The one I always struggle with is focus as far as collecting. If you can maintain a great focus, your dollar will be better spent. Some names here that come to mind as far as focus are Kris, Chad, Peri, Alec, and Simon just to name a few. Patience is another key. Don't settle for less than you'd be satisfied with. At any moment and time, especially around here, your grail could pop up for sale. Most importantly, collect what you like and have fun! Don't allow this to become a chore. And to echo Ralph, ask a million questions. Also, the catalog is your friend
You don't know my kind.....You don't my mind.....Dark necessities are part of my design.....
Collect what you like.
Don't spend a lot of $$ on impulse purchases.
Make a plan.
Go to Betts Books. Ebay and facebook tend to have higher prices. One person does not dictate price, one sale does not dictate price.
Watch, Wait, learn Then POUNCE on a good deal. IF that is what you want.
Don't buy flat signed books off of ebay. This does not apply to experienced collectors.
Signed Limiteds are fun to collect.
Collecting all CD books sounds like a great start for you! Other than King books some should be a good deal!
Do you like Neil Gaiman? If so, I can send you the CD book about his works and maybe a few other CD books taking about space from a grab bag deal a few years ago.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub is totally rare and I will sell you one of mine for $1,000
Condition, condition, condition.
Great advice from all. I have learned a ton from this site and I'm sure to have asked a silly question or two but no one seems to mind.
I would add don't get yourself in debt over collecting. Pay only what you can and if layaway is an option do it if needed. It's helped me out!
Don't try and keep up with the masses. There are people here who have every thing you can imagine(Alec and the absent Bob Jackson come immediately to mind but there are many others!) Their collections are stunning. Don't even attempt to keep up with others. Collect what YOU like. I have sold one S/L to buy another S/L that I would rather have. I have done that several times. For me it's the particular book and whether or not it's a favorite of mine. I collect limiteds, flatsigned, inscribed, whatever I fancy. Only buy from trusted members here, Bett's, or a reputable seller. ANYTIME I see something on ebay I ask people here for signature help. I've gotten better with sigs and sometimes it's obvious one way or another but I still ask. I'd rather ask a dumb question and get expert confirmation than not ask and buy something fake.
Like Brian said, have fun!
Establish rules for yourself that govern your collection and try to follow them.
Stephen King Collecting Questions
Facebook does NOT have higher prices. eBay and ABE... yes. Betts no. What Facebook group are you seeing the pricing on? Most have commenting allowed to stop any gouging or too high price. One of the best places is HERE... in the classified thread.
Collect what you like.
Don't spend a lot of $$ on impulse purchases.
Make a plan.
Go to Betts Books. Ebay and facebook tend to have higher prices. One person does not dictate price, one sale does not dictate price.
Watch, Wait, learn Then POUNCE on a good deal. IF that is what you want.
Don't buy flat signed books off of ebay. This does not apply to experienced collectors.
Signed Limiteds are fun to collect.
Collecting all CD books sounds like a great start for you! Other than King books some should be a good deal!
Do you like Neil Gaiman? If so, I can send you the CD book about his works and maybe a few other CD books taking about space from a grab bag deal a few years ago.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub is totally rare and I will sell you one of mine for $1,000
Agreed signed Limited’s are the way to go over flat.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
HELP ME FIND
Insomnia #459
ANY S/L #459
Just buy everything you see, borrow from loan sharks, what's a few broken bones compared to a lettered edition! Steal candy from a laughing baby's mouth, and then sell it for nickles and dimes to schoolkids so you can have enough for that red numbered chapbook. Go into bookstores and slip those first editions under your coat, nobody'll notice! Buy limited editions on E-Bay and pay with phony accounts! Buy a firearm and.....
Oh, wait, you wanted good advice...never mind.
I'm sure if there is intelligent life somewhere out there in the universe, they are wise enough to stay away from us.
And the people bowed and prayed, to the cell phone god they made...
too funny
Some good advice above..Condition is everything. Here and Betts are the best place to buy. FB prices are typically higher than those avenues and more aligned with ebay (but generally better than ABE) Do your research and learn the market(will save you tons in the long run)..Focus on what you enjoy to collect, make mini goals and try to achieve them.Build relationships with collectors that you trust...ask questions. Dont use bubble mailers...ever
I don’t use Facebook guys so I don’t know who’s correct here.
Me and chad love to agree. Sometimes. Haha we Love each other though. LolI don’t use Facebook guys so I don’t know who’s correct here.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
HELP ME FIND
Insomnia #459
ANY S/L #459
Best way to be, Kris!
I think there's been lot of great advice here so far - and lots that applies to people who have been collecting for awhile also. My own collecting has evolved since I started 7-8 years ago, and I'm sure that's true for a number of people here. Part of that is due to changing circumstances - more/less money available over time, more/less space available over time... In fact, I'd love to hear some more details from collectors who have been doing this for decades! What were your collecting habits like 10 years ago? 20? 30? How were these changes related to your life circumstances versus your preferences?
I'll refrain from writing a long and convoluted post here and distill my meager advice (based on my own experiences) into, say, three main points. I think they're largely in line with what people have been saying, maybe with some nuance or slight disagreement about details.
For context, I am not primarily a King collector, though King is an important part of my collection. Probably more than ever since joining these boards - the love for fine King books is infectious! I collect primarily S/L small press books in the weird/horror/sci-fi/noir genres, with a touch of fantasy. So the output of Centipede Press, Subterranean Press, Cemetery Dance, Suntup Editions, Zagava Press, and some other ones keeps me really happy (not that I collect all books from all of those presses - far from it). I also collect first editions of books I love, and other random editions that are in some way unique - good cover art, nice materials, etc.
1. Collect books that make you happy. I'm no Marie Kondo devotee, but the biggest change that I made in my collecting habits was realizing in 2017 that while my book collection overall made me happy, there were certain parts of it that I enjoyed more than others. There were certain books that I gravitated to, books that made me really happy to own, and, especially, books I want to see every day! Of all the bookcases in my house there is one that brings me special joy - the one I keep in my office and for which the theme is simply: books I like to look at every day. Not take out and read, but just rest my gaze upon and feel contented. Because I'm a collector, and collectors are crazy, I never wanted to part with any of my books, ever. But in 2017 I flipped a switch and decided that there were a large number of books I'd be willing to sell in order to get a small number of books that I really loved.
Also, when you collect books that make you happy, you can often find cheap or reasonably-priced books that fulfill this criteria because they are not particularly collectible by other standards. I have a number of mass market paperbacks, regular paperbacks, and foreign editions that have art I really like or are unique in some way. Most of them weren't particularly expensive and I like to rotate which ones I display. Very few of them are going to command a premium on the secondary market - in fact, most I would be lucky to sell for what I paid - but for a bunch of <$20 books, they were well worth it to me.
2.I agree with this 100%.
I think King is a special case here, because a lot of collectors here have the same story as Mulleins - the ability to pick up a not-great copy, find a better one, and sell the not-great copy to help pay for it. And with the King community being so large, and lots of people trying to get in at different price points, this makes sense.
But for non-King books, I have never had success "trading up". What I have almost always found is that the very fine book that I want keeps going up in price over time, while the mediocre copy stagnates. So if I buy a book with the hope of "trading up" later, my book has not really appreciated, but the very fine book has, so I'm actually behind where I was when I got the mediocre copy. As such, I tend now to avoid books for which I later intend to trade up. There are exceptions, of course - mostly to fill a gap in my collection that's bothering me...
This goes doubly with S/L books. Unlike first editions of many books, which were printed for a mass audience and which can be found in all sorts of conditions, S/L books were printed for collectors. This means that a much higher percentage of them are in very good to pristine condition. In my experience (and other people may disagree), it's very very hard to sell a less than VG S/L book for what you "think" it should be worth.
3. Don't buy books with the intention of flipping them until you get much, much better at identifying what books are worth and what the market is. This is like any other hobby/investment. There are people who have been doing it a lot longer and are vastly better at it, and the chance that you are going to stumble upon the "deal of a lifetime" that one of those guys missed is slim-to-none, especially on the internet. If there's a book with a price that's too good to be true, and it's publicly available on eBay or something, an expert is going to find it very quickly. If it hangs around, it's because you're missing something that they saw.
The exception to this is the "Intriguing Stephen King..." thread and some other threads around here. Because this is an awesome site, there are lots of people here who will alert the other collectors to a book that's available at a nice price instead of jumping right on it and reselling it themselves. It's a really kind thing to do that allows newer collectors to expand their collections with books they might otherwise not be able to get. If one of the more experienced collectors here points to a book and says "this is a deal" then it probably is.
Soooooo.... it looks like I still managed to write a long and convoluted post, which is a sure sign that I'm actively shirking some responsibility somewhere else...
The one I always struggle with is focus as far as collecting. If you can maintain a great focus, your dollar will be better spent. Some names here that come to mind as far as focus are Kris, Chad, Peri, Alec, and Simon just to name a few. Patience is another key. Don't settle for less than you'd be satisfied with. At any moment and time, especially around here, your grail could pop up for sale. Most importantly, collect what you like and have fun! Don't allow this to become a chore. And to echo Ralph, ask a million questions. Also, the catalog is your friend
Collect what you like.
Don't spend a lot of $$ on impulse purchases.
Make a plan.
Go to Betts Books. Ebay and facebook tend to have higher prices. One person does not dictate price, one sale does not dictate price.
Watch, Wait, learn Then POUNCE on a good deal. IF that is what you want.
Don't buy flat signed books off of ebay. This does not apply to experienced collectors.
Signed Limiteds are fun to collect.
Collecting all CD books sounds like a great start for you! Other than King books some should be a good deal!
Do you like Neil Gaiman? If so, I can send you the CD book about his works and maybe a few other CD books taking about space from a grab bag deal a few years ago.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub is totally rare and I will sell you one of mine for $1,000Condition, condition, condition.Facebook does NOT have higher prices. eBay and ABE... yes. Betts no. What Facebook group are you seeing the pricing on? Most have commenting allowed to stop any gouging or too high price. One of the best places is HERE... in the classified thread.
Collect what you like.
Don't spend a lot of $$ on impulse purchases.
Make a plan.
Go to Betts Books. Ebay and facebook tend to have higher prices. One person does not dictate price, one sale does not dictate price.
Watch, Wait, learn Then POUNCE on a good deal. IF that is what you want.
Don't buy flat signed books off of ebay. This does not apply to experienced collectors.
Signed Limiteds are fun to collect.
Collecting all CD books sounds like a great start for you! Other than King books some should be a good deal!
Do you like Neil Gaiman? If so, I can send you the CD book about his works and maybe a few other CD books taking about space from a grab bag deal a few years ago.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub is totally rare and I will sell you one of mine for $1,000
Agreed signed Limited’s are the way to go over flat.
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkI don’t use Facebook guys so I don’t know who’s correct here.Me and chad love to agree. Sometimes. Haha we Love each other though. LolI don’t use Facebook guys so I don’t know who’s correct here.
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkAnd so, now that we have "advised" the living shit out of the poor man............................................... .................... lol lol lolI think there's been lot of great advice here so far - and lots that applies to people who have been collecting for awhile also. My own collecting has evolved since I started 7-8 years ago, and I'm sure that's true for a number of people here. Part of that is due to changing circumstances - more/less money available over time, more/less space available over time... In fact, I'd love to hear some more details from collectors who have been doing this for decades! What were your collecting habits like 10 years ago? 20? 30? How were these changes related to your life circumstances versus your preferences?
I'll refrain from writing a long and convoluted post here and distill my meager advice (based on my own experiences) into, say, three main points. I think they're largely in line with what people have been saying, maybe with some nuance or slight disagreement about details.
For context, I am not primarily a King collector, though King is an important part of my collection. Probably more than ever since joining these boards - the love for fine King books is infectious! I collect primarily S/L small press books in the weird/horror/sci-fi/noir genres, with a touch of fantasy. So the output of Centipede Press, Subterranean Press, Cemetery Dance, Suntup Editions, Zagava Press, and some other ones keeps me really happy (not that I collect all books from all of those presses - far from it). I also collect first editions of books I love, and other random editions that are in some way unique - good cover art, nice materials, etc.
1. Collect books that make you happy. I'm no Marie Kondo devotee, but the biggest change that I made in my collecting habits was realizing in 2017 that while my book collection overall made me happy, there were certain parts of it that I enjoyed more than others. There were certain books that I gravitated to, books that made me really happy to own, and, especially, books I want to see every day! Of all the bookcases in my house there is one that brings me special joy - the one I keep in my office and for which the theme is simply: books I like to look at every day. Not take out and read, but just rest my gaze upon and feel contented. Because I'm a collector, and collectors are crazy, I never wanted to part with any of my books, ever. But in 2017 I flipped a switch and decided that there were a large number of books I'd be willing to sell in order to get a small number of books that I really loved.
Also, when you collect books that make you happy, you can often find cheap or reasonably-priced books that fulfill this criteria because they are not particularly collectible by other standards. I have a number of mass market paperbacks, regular paperbacks, and foreign editions that have art I really like or are unique in some way. Most of them weren't particularly expensive and I like to rotate which ones I display. Very few of them are going to command a premium on the secondary market - in fact, most I would be lucky to sell for what I paid - but for a bunch of <$20 books, they were well worth it to me.
2.I agree with this 100%.
I think King is a special case here, because a lot of collectors here have the same story as Mulleins - the ability to pick up a not-great copy, find a better one, and sell the not-great copy to help pay for it. And with the King community being so large, and lots of people trying to get in at different price points, this makes sense.
But for non-King books, I have never had success "trading up". What I have almost always found is that the very fine book that I want keeps going up in price over time, while the mediocre copy stagnates. So if I buy a book with the hope of "trading up" later, my book has not really appreciated, but the very fine book has, so I'm actually behind where I was when I got the mediocre copy. As such, I tend now to avoid books for which I later intend to trade up. There are exceptions, of course - mostly to fill a gap in my collection that's bothering me...
This goes doubly with S/L books. Unlike first editions of many books, which were printed for a mass audience and which can be found in all sorts of conditions, S/L books were printed for collectors. This means that a much higher percentage of them are in very good to pristine condition. In my experience (and other people may disagree), it's very very hard to sell a less than VG S/L book for what you "think" it should be worth.
3. Don't buy books with the intention of flipping them until you get much, much better at identifying what books are worth and what the market is. This is like any other hobby/investment. There are people who have been doing it a lot longer and are vastly better at it, and the chance that you are going to stumble upon the "deal of a lifetime" that one of those guys missed is slim-to-none, especially on the internet. If there's a book with a price that's too good to be true, and it's publicly available on eBay or something, an expert is going to find it very quickly. If it hangs around, it's because you're missing something that they saw.
The exception to this is the "Intriguing Stephen King..." thread and some other threads around here. Because this is an awesome site, there are lots of people here who will alert the other collectors to a book that's available at a nice price instead of jumping right on it and reselling it themselves. It's a really kind thing to do that allows newer collectors to expand their collections with books they might otherwise not be able to get. If one of the more experienced collectors here points to a book and says "this is a deal" then it probably is.
Soooooo.... it looks like I still managed to write a long and convoluted post, which is a sure sign that I'm actively shirking some responsibility somewhere else...
Just kidding, there is very good advice to be had here. Something I wish I had access to when I started collecting those many years ago. Regardless, these are some of the pre-eminent King collectors around and they offer you sound advice to beginning your journey. I wish you the very best luck and be sure to have fun!!!!!
I have been collecting for a long time and there is some great advice here! Reiterations but wanted to throw in:
1. Narrow it down- Maybe collect first editions first? Much more affordable and will keep you busy. Then maybe do something like US Limited Gift Editions only or Just Stephen King Cemetery Dance (these are just examples)
2. Make relationships- It is fun and makes you feel part of a community and you have plenty of sources for help, purchasing, and showing off your new stuff.
3. Proper care- store your books correctly, take care of them, cover themn (mylar and slips), dust them, admire them.
Just do as I say, not as I do.
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