Book Collection: Hunchback Jack

[Brian861]

Nice Outsiders, Peter! Looks like mine will probably be the last to leave the nest. And Simon is done renting them out of course.

[Hunchback Jack]

Thanks for the correction, Simon. I haven't seen that UK Regulators sticker before.

I've updated my original post to refer to your post.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

My UK REGULATORS does not have that sticker either.

[Hunchback Jack]

My latest purchase: a U.K. Regulators 1/1 - with the sticker:



After Simon brought it to my attention, I decided to upgrade my copy.

HBJ

[peripheral]

Very nice. Congrats, Peter

[Father Cody]

Congrats, HBJ! Interesting story there about the sticker. I suppose in this case the sticker will not be removed.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

Some people are sticklers for stickers.

[Brian861]

Nice, Peter! My long ago copy didn't have the sticker either.

[Hunchback Jack]

Thanks a lot, guys!

Yeah, it seems crazy to buy a book just to get the cover sticker, but
a) this copy is in much nicer condition generally than what I had, and
b) U.K. Editions are my jam. Having the sticker was necessary.

[Brian861]

Thanks a lot, guys!

Yeah, it seems crazy to buy a book just to get the cover sticker, but
a) this copy is in much nicer condition generally than what I had, and
b) U.K. Editions are my jam. Having the sticker was necessary.

+1 UK Editions "are" the Jam!

[MikeDuke]

Man that looks really cool. Congrats.

[HONKYTONKSMASH]

Thats a nice looking copy! (mine also is lacking the sticker haha)

[Hunchback Jack]

+1 UK Editions "are" the Jam!

I can only agree!

Man that looks really cool. Congrats.

Thanks, Mike.

Thats a nice looking copy! (mine also is lacking the sticker haha)

Thanks Chad. What are you waiting for?

[lotuz]

My latest purchase: a U.K. Regulators 1/1 - with the sticker:



After Simon brought it to my attention, I decided to upgrade my copy.

HBJ

That is a very pretty book! Congrats!!

[Hunchback Jack]

Just acquired: Rose Madder Hodder S/L:




Just one more Hodder S/L to get: Insomnia.

(I believe there are Hodder trade editions with signed bookplates - e.g. Lisey's Story - but they are not numbered. I may pick up one at some point, but my focus is on editions with a specific limitation. )

HBJ

[Father Cody]

Congrats, HBJ! Beautiful edition you have there. One more to go huh? Exciting!

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

Nice! That's one I'd like to have.

[peripheral]

Very nice. One on my want list too. Congrats

[Brian861]

Congrats, Peter!

[MikeDuke]

Great pick up Peter. I only have one Hodder but you make me want to try and find some more.

[Hunchback Jack]

Congrats, HBJ! Beautiful edition you have there. One more to go huh? Exciting!

Thanks, Adam. Yes, it's a nice copy; a few minor smudges on the slipcase, but the book is in good condition. The bleeding of the signature and number is not ideal, but I'm hoping that confirms it's a real signature.

Insomnia will be a tough nut to crack. I don't think it came in a slipcase, so finding a copy with a clean page block will be next to impossible. I've only seen one on the market since I've started looking, and it had just a few too many condition problems for me to pull the trigger, given the asking price.

Nice! That's one I'd like to have.

Very nice. One on my want list too. Congrats

Thanks, guys.

Recently, there were a few copies available on ebay and ABE in the $800-900 range, but it looks like they sold. Not that I would pay that, incidentally; $600 is more reasonable. Just be patient, I guess.

Congrats, Peter!

Thanks, Brian!

Great pick up Peter. I only have one Hodder but you make me want to try and find some more.

Thanks a lot, Mike.

I like Hodder S/Ls a lot, but they are a bit of a mixed bag. On the plus side, they tend to have smaller printing runs, and the earlier titles are quite nicely made, both books and slipcases being bound in leather. On the downside, the later titles are a bit cheaper, with the slipcase bound in cloth, and the book not being any different in construction from the trade edition. Many of the signatures through the "series" are on bookplates, too, not on the title page.

So a lot of collectors don't really find them that desirable. I really like them, because UK editions are "my thing", and I like the look of them.

[HONKYTONKSMASH]

That is awesome, man. I love the classy look of the UK limiteds

[Hunchback Jack]

I've been moving some books out of storage and re-discovered this, so I thought I'd take a few pics and post them.

Knowing Darkness, edited by George Beahm, from Centipede Press:





It's hard to convey how nice this book is, from the photos. It's HUGE, and HEAVY. The slipcase and book are bound in this gorgeous printed silk, incredibly soft to the touch. The book spine is covered in black velvet. The pages are glossy, and there are many fold-out illustrations. I've heard that this edition has problems with the binding cracking from the weight of the pages, but I've been very careful with this copy, and it still looks okay.

I actually have two copies of KD. That I have this book at all, though, is just dumb luck.

Cemetery Dance was offering new copies for $150 back in 2011. Even at half price, that was more than I would normally pay for almost any book back then - I didn't have a single signed King book in my collection - and I hesitated for a full day before deciding to take a chance on it. A year later, CD had a few dinged copies for $99, and I picked up one of those as well.

(BTW, I'm not confusing Cemetery Dance and Centipede Press; CP was the publisher; CD was selling it through their website on CP's behalf)

These pictures are of the dinged copy; the slipcase is damaged, but the book itself is completely fine. The pristine 2011 copy is still in shrinkwrap on my bookshelf, fresh out of storage.

HBJ

[Father Cody]

$150 for that in 2011? It seems like not more than 5-10 years ago the cost of collecting King was considerably less prohibitive. What happened? Or am I mistaken? What did, say, a lettered Green Mile go for upon release? Or The Stand (coffin) or CP Salem’s Lot? Asbestos Firestarter? Do those have list prices anywhere near their current values?

[Hunchback Jack]

That is awesome, man. I love the classy look of the UK limiteds

Thanks, Chad!

$150 for that in 2011? It seems like not more than 5-10 years ago the cost of collecting King was considerably less prohibitive. What happened? Or am I mistaken? What did, say, a lettered Green Mile go for upon release? Or The Stand (coffin) or CP Salem’s Lot? Asbestos Firestarter? Do those have list prices anywhere near their current values?

Well, I don't know if $150 was market price for Knowing Darkness in 2011. Perhaps the title was not selling well at the list price of $295, and CD decided to heavily discount it as a result. After it had sold out, it might have sold for higher than $150 on the secondary market - although not $295, presumably.

Having said that, the King market is crazy right now. Others can probably say why better that I can, but my opinion is that the increased demand for King collectibles is caused by a combination of two things: social media groups raising awareness of King editions to a wider group of collectors, and speculators in the market buying items to flip because it's hot. So some of the price increases of the past few years are legitimate, caused by the increase in "real" demand, and some of it is due to a speculative bubble, which may see a correction some point in the future.

HBJ