Intriguing Stephen King/King Related/Dark Tower Auctions-Sales

[Theli]

the signature looks legit to me, but was he doing the looped crossed T in 75? its a long shot, but is it possible he just had the date wrong when he signed it?

If you check a calendar, he signed the correct DAY for the date. The earliest picture of a dated inscription that I have where King crosses a 7 is in November 1978.
It's commonly believed that King didn't start to cross his 7's until after he and his family went to England briefly in 1977.

Yeah I just looked into that myself actually. Quite strange really... For what it's worth the next Tuesday the 16th of September was 1980. This book really is a mystery.

[wizardsrainbow]

What I've learned is NEVER to be surprised by what King does, or departures from his norm. I agree this book is a bit of a mystery...how can a pre-publication inscription (correct date) be NOT a 1st edition. What captures MY interest is until this book surfaced, I believed I owned the earliest inscribed/dated Salem's Lot out there....two weeks prior to publication...a true 1st edition (2nd state DJ) inscribed to King's college roommate and his wife. This date is EARLIER than mine.

[Randall Flagg]

1 bid, $9.99:
Don Maitz: DESPERATION Stephen King 1st gift ed. 1996 D.M. Grant NM/NM + JVJ

[Randall Flagg]

What I've learned is NEVER to be surprised by what King does, or departures from his norm. I agree this book is a bit of a mystery...how can a pre-publication inscription (correct date) be NOT a 1st edition. What captures MY interest is until this book surfaced, I believed I owned the earliest inscribed/dated Salem's Lot out there....two weeks prior to publication...a true 1st edition (2nd state DJ) inscribed to King's college roommate and his wife. This date is EARLIER than mine.

How could King date and sign a book 9/17/1975 that physically wasn't printed until 1978?

More and more I am of the belief that if the inscription is legit (and it sure looks good to me other than the crossed "7"), then the inscription page was glued into a book printed in 1978.

[Brian861]

the signature looks legit to me, but was he doing the looped crossed T in 75? its a long shot, but is it possible he just had the date wrong when he signed it?

If you check a calendar, he signed the correct DAY for the date. The earliest picture of a dated inscription that I have where King crosses a 7 is in November 1978.
It's commonly believed that King didn't start to cross his 7's until after he and his family went to England briefly in 1977.

Completely unrelated to the discussion at hand but, my freshman high school algebra teacher insisted that we cross our 7s or be downgraded. Been crossing them ever since. In case you guys run across one of my early sigs

[Theli]

What I've learned is NEVER to be surprised by what King does, or departures from his norm. I agree this book is a bit of a mystery...how can a pre-publication inscription (correct date) be NOT a 1st edition. What captures MY interest is until this book surfaced, I believed I owned the earliest inscribed/dated Salem's Lot out there....two weeks prior to publication...a true 1st edition (2nd state DJ) inscribed to King's college roommate and his wife. This date is EARLIER than mine.

How could King date and sign a book 9/17/1975 that physically wasn't printed until 1978?

More and more I am of the belief that if the inscription is legit (and it sure looks good to me other than the crossed "7"), then the inscription page was glued into a book printed in 1978.

Seems like the most feasible explanation, though it is not evident from the picture... but still a damn early inscription at any rate.

[divemaster]

What I've learned is NEVER to be surprised by what King does, or departures from his norm. I agree this book is a bit of a mystery...how can a pre-publication inscription (correct date) be NOT a 1st edition. What captures MY interest is until this book surfaced, I believed I owned the earliest inscribed/dated Salem's Lot out there....two weeks prior to publication...a true 1st edition (2nd state DJ) inscribed to King's college roommate and his wife. This date is EARLIER than mine.

How could King date and sign a book 9/17/1975 that physically wasn't printed until 1978?

More and more I am of the belief that if the inscription is legit (and it sure looks good to me other than the crossed "7"), then the inscription page was glued into a book printed in 1978.

Scenario: In 1978 or thereabouts, a pretty girl ("Dawn"), perhaps known to King or perhaps just able to bat her eyes fetchingly, approaches him with a book and a story. "Steve! Remember 3 years or so ago when you signed my book, and wrote a nice note just for me? Well, (I lost the book/it fell in the gutter/the dog ate it), and I'm so bummed! Could you do me a HUGE favor and sign this new book I got and back-date to 1975, just like before? I'm sure you remember what a cool time we had that day! Pretty Pleeeease?"

King, unable to resist a pretty face, takes the book and signs it like we see here. Neither Dawn nor King notices or cares that the book is a later edition.

Plausible?

[herbertwest]

What I've learned is NEVER to be surprised by what King does, or departures from his norm. I agree this book is a bit of a mystery...how can a pre-publication inscription (correct date) be NOT a 1st edition. What captures MY interest is until this book surfaced, I believed I owned the earliest inscribed/dated Salem's Lot out there....two weeks prior to publication...a true 1st edition (2nd state DJ) inscribed to King's college roommate and his wife. This date is EARLIER than mine.

How could King date and sign a book 9/17/1975 that physically wasn't printed until 1978?

More and more I am of the belief that if the inscription is legit (and it sure looks good to me other than the crossed "7"), then the inscription page was glued into a book printed in 1978.

Or she bought the '78 book recently, went back in time and got it signed prior to release?

[Beverly Marsh]

the signature looks legit to me, but was he doing the looped crossed T in 75? its a long shot, but is it possible he just had the date wrong when he signed it?

If you check a calendar, he signed the correct DAY for the date. The earliest picture of a dated inscription that I have where King crosses a 7 is in November 1978.
It's commonly believed that King didn't start to cross his 7's until after he and his family went to England briefly in 1977.

Completely unrelated to the discussion at hand but, my freshman high school algebra teacher insisted that we cross our 7s or be downgraded. Been crossing them ever since. In case you guys run across one of my early sigs

sorry to interrupt this otherwise fascinating discussion but this made me chuckle. Thank you Brian.
Carry on all!

[zelig]

I still say it has something to do with this...

Spoiler:

And here's the proof

Spoiler:

[Tommy]

Ya'll are a trip!

[Theli]

Nice one Paul!

For what it's worth I contacted the seller, though I've cut some of the unimportant details here's what he said about the possibility of pasting an old sig on a newer book:

"Thank you. You have placed into exact words the issue I have listing this book. All the data does not add up.

When I did my research, the book seems to be a latter production, but the signature is before the printing date.

I want to let everyone know what I am offering. I do not want to sell junk. I will send you pictures, but I have three pending offers and ebay will not allow me to update the listing.

The answer to the great question you asked is No. It appears to be one page of paper, that was bound in the book when it was made. Nothing taped or pasted inside the book. Please see photos I added for you."

I do have the photos, but I can't attach them at the moment. If the intrigue continues I will post them when I get off work. I tend to agree with him from what I can tell though.

[Randall Flagg]

I asked the seller if it states First Edition on the CR page.
No answer yet.
The seller seems to know a bit about a 'Salem's Lot first Edition.

[Randall Flagg]

Too expensive (IMO), but if you have to have one, $79 BIN:
Stephen King Rare 1st Printing ANOMALY Edition Dark Tower CHARLIE THE CHOO CHOO

[Randall Flagg]

Things that are either "wrong" or puzzling about with the pre-publication 'Salem's Lot:

• The DJ is not correct for any of the 3 states that are known for a true 1st edition.
• The gutter code seems to be from a book printed in 1978.
• We have yet to be told or shown that the CR page says "First Edition".
• The inscription has a crossed "7". No prior King inscriptions are well known that have a crossed "7" prior to the year 1977.
• Seller has zero feedback. Opened account December 4, 2016. Comes across as very coy about knowledge concerning a 1st edition 'Salem's Lot.

[Theli]

What I've learned is NEVER to be surprised by what King does, or departures from his norm. I agree this book is a bit of a mystery...how can a pre-publication inscription (correct date) be NOT a 1st edition. What captures MY interest is until this book surfaced, I believed I owned the earliest inscribed/dated Salem's Lot out there....two weeks prior to publication...a true 1st edition (2nd state DJ) inscribed to King's college roommate and his wife. This date is EARLIER than mine.

How could King date and sign a book 9/17/1975 that physically wasn't printed until 1978?

More and more I am of the belief that if the inscription is legit (and it sure looks good to me other than the crossed "7"), then the inscription page was glued into a book printed in 1978.

Scenario: In 1978 or thereabouts, a pretty girl ("Dawn"), perhaps known to King or perhaps just able to bat her eyes fetchingly, approaches him with a book and a story. "Steve! Remember 3 years or so ago when you signed my book, and wrote a nice note just for me? Well, (I lost the book/it fell in the gutter/the dog ate it), and I'm so bummed! Could you do me a HUGE favor and sign this new book I got and back-date to 1975, just like before? I'm sure you remember what a cool time we had that day! Pretty Pleeeease?"

King, unable to resist a pretty face, takes the book and signs it like we see here. Neither Dawn nor King notices or cares that the book is a later edition.

Plausible?

I am inclined to go with this theory. It is interesting that the specific day (Tuesday) is noted and the date corresponds. But maybe the story happened to be true, dog really did eat her pre-publication 'Salem's lot.

[divemaster]

My theory seems more and more likely! At least, it accounts for all the mis-matches.

[Randall Flagg]

BTW, the inscription is tied to the book.
From 'Salem's Lot:

Then she laughed and offered him the book. 'Will you autograph it?'
'A library book?'
'I'll buy it from them and replace it.'
He found a mechanical pencil in his sweater pocket, opened the book to the flyleaf, and asked, 'What's your name?'
'Susan Norton.'
He wrote quickly, without thinking: For Susan Norton, the prettiest girl in the park. Warm regards, Ben Mears. He added the date below his signature in slashed notation.

Tuesday September 16 is mentioned in the book:


He was sitting on a bench in the park when he observed the girl watching him. She was a very pretty girl, and there was a silk scarf tied over her light blond hair. She was currently reading a book, but there was a sketch pad and what looked like a charcoal pencil beside her. It was Tuesday, September 16, the first day of school, and the park had magically emptied of the rowdier element.

[Randall Flagg]

Here is my hypothesis:

• King wrote 'Salem's Lot in the present tense. It was not meant to reflect something long ago, nor terribly far in the future. Either King, or the editor looked at a Calendar for a Tuesday early in September of the expected publishing year-1975 (most schools in the USA started the school year the first or second Tuesday after Labor day which is the first Monday in September) The book specifically says "Tuesday September 16..." and " the prettiest girl in the park.."
• Someone either named "Dawn", or on behalf of "Dawn" presented a 'Salem's Lot that was printed in 1978 and thus had the $8.95 price that "The Shining" was issued at and being sold for (Line item pricing is what that's called) to King with a specified inscription directly lifted from the book with the name of the character (Susan) changed to the book recipient (Dawn).
• "The White Hart" is a novel by Arthur C. Clarke. I haven't read the book, so I'm not sure if there is a reference to a female that is the prettiest person, but the novel is real and I'm sure King and or Dawn had read it and thus referenced it.

Thus we have a 1978 printed 'Salem's Lot with an $8.95 DJ reflecting the price for the hardback in 1978 and having long before been corrected to state Father Callahan on the flap. In 1978 or later, "Dawn" requested a specific inscription from Stephen King in the book. King complied and essentially back dated the year to be correct for the novel itself.


FYI, I think the only value in the book is the quirkiness of the inscription. I made an offer on the book based on that alone.

[zelig]

That is the most plausible explanation for this. I'm convinced that is what happened.

[sharki69]

Posted in one of king FB groups

[Room 217 Caretaker]

Holy cow!

[Randall Flagg]

Holy cow!

Rep points for that.

[Randall Flagg]

I think the ad is bull....

[Randall Flagg]

Steer clear...