Anyone looking for a MOTH?
This was just sent to me - a litttle too deep for my pockets at the moment, but perhaps someone here might give it a home. I can send the contact info to anyone interested:
Signed, with Moth Contributors, and with note by the editor
King, Stephen. Moth. Orono, Maine: The Blanket Conspiracy, 1970. First edition. Stiff paper wrappers. Unpaginated. Author's first book appearance. The first appearance in book form of three poems by Stephen King, predating any commercial printing of his work. Moth was an anthology which evolved out of a poetry seminar at the University of Maine, where King was a student at the time. Other contributers include Tabitha Spruce, who not long after married Stephen to become Tabitha King. (In his autobiographical book, On Writing, King writes of falling in love with Tabitha during this poetry workshop-he also describes the workshop at some length in the book.) Another contributor was Michael Alpert, who later worked with King as co-founder of Philtrum Press, where he designed and composed the type for the ultra rare publication The Plant, and the limited editions of The Eyes of the Dragon, and Six Stories. The most important poem by King in Moth is the first: "The Dark Man," the genesis of his sprawling epic, The Dark Tower The second poem is titled "Donovan's Brain," inspired by the book and movie of the same name. King did other poems and stories for literary magazines before he was published commercially but this anthology represents the most important work of this form by King, as well as being the confluence for people of significance to King's life and work.
Signed by “Steve King,” Tabitha Spruce, Michael Alpert and 11 of the 12 contributors.
The signatures are on the verso of the front cover, including the two editors, Bruce Holsapple and George MacCleod, who also contributed to the anthology, and Diane McPherson, who drew the cover illustration as well as contributing a poem. This must have been signed soon after publication, before the contributors dispersed from the University of Maine campus. It's undoubtedly a very early copy as King signs his name “Steve” and Tabitha is still a Spruce. I've had Moth's with a few signatures in the past; I've never had a copy with nearly all the contributors signatures.
Pinhole indentation on front cover; some moderate soiling on the back cover, 3 small stains and a crease on the title page, light staining to the fore-edge else Very Good. $1,500 postpaid/insured
Also laid in to this copy - A typed note, signed, from Bruce Holsapple, one of the editors, to the publisher of another journal, asking to trade publications: "I honestly can't afford a single one." The publisher returned Holsapple's note, with a handwritten note agreeing to the trade. If, as is likely, Holsapple was trading Moth for another journal, that would have been a fine trade on one end.
*A contributor by the name of David Lyon did not sign this copy. J.J. Bishop, who wrote the introduction but did not contribute any poetry, also did not sign.
"When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes."
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus
"A real limited edition, far from being an expensive autograph stapled to a novel, is a treasure. And like all treasures do, it transforms the responsible owner into a caretaker, and being a caretaker of something as fragile and easily destroyed as ideas and images is not a bad thing but a good one...and so is the re-evaluation of what books are and what they do that necessarily follows." - Stephen King
Zero bids, 9 hours left. $575:
STEPHEN KING, DOCTOR SLEEP, SIGNED & #RD HC 1ST, #148 OF 750
$325 BIN:
Stephen King Legacies Traycased Signed Limited Edition Cemetery Dance
FOR SALE OR TRADE
Dark Tower 7 Artist Edition n/a
The Waste Lands 1st Edition in Shrinkwrap $200
1984 Grant Gift Edition of The Talisman $400
Lisey's Story ARC $50
.
.
WANTED
Signed 1st Edition of Storm of The Century (Paperback)
Lol I think he is shaddy, hehe
Wish List:
Any of the following flatsigned or inscribed-
It, Shining, Salem’s Lot, Mr. Mercedes, The Stand
Brother ARC, Seed ARC
I think this is overpriced, but cool to see a matching set of Talisman s/l, Blackhouse s/l and the Talisman/BH gift edition.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/STEPHEN-KING...item43c0f55423
Strange... This copy of Misery is for sale via Very Fine Books for $750. Meanwhile, Betts just sold a copy with the exact same inscription (To Pat and Carmen) for $225. Assuming it is the same copy, does VFBooks really think they can sell this for that much?
http://bit.ly/Lrh92Z
VFs prices are ridiculous. I don't look at the site either... This was on eBay.
I stopped looking at the VF Books site a long, long time ago. The prices were just ridiculous.
John
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CLUB STEPHEN KING (french website about STEPHEN KING, since 1992) : on : Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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It works for me. That is a book I'd consider bidding on but they don't ship overseas.
Signed on bookplate, but looks legit. $9.99:
Stephen King Insomnia Signed Autographed Book Hardcover Bookplate
3 bids, $103:
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King. 1st US. F/F. SIGNED
6 bids, $127.50 (and the worst signature-if legit, I have seen):
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, 1stUS, SIGNED, F/F (2013, Hardcover)
5 hours left, 46 bids, $105:
Stephen King Full Dark No Stars Signed 1st/1st
IT By Stephen King- Presentation Page Proofs
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201022167418
Has anybody ever SOLD to Very Fine Books?
Their prices are ridiculous, but they're fairly local to me, so might be a good selling option...I wonder if they actually have as much inventory as it seems, or are just consigners? Those prices are often absurd.
I did sell them a few books 6-7 years ago, but I don't know that he was in business at the time, or more of a collector.
I'd like to give a different perspective on VFB, one given to me by the Anonymous collector whose books I presented in a recent collection thread. Like most of the comments above, I also felt VFB's prices were a little OTT, however I have in the past made a purchase from them. (more on this later).
When Anonymous told me that most of his purchases were through VFB, I expressed suprise and commented on the prices. He told me that he had a very good relationship with Emmanuel (VFB proprietor) and that he purchased from him for the following reasons:
1. He is considered a favoured customer and is always given 'discount' pricing
2. The books he is sold are always of the finest quality
3. For the level of service he gets. Often Emmanuel will search for books on his behalf, acting as a proper dealer rather than just a bookstore. Anything he is not happy with can be returned without question
I think Emmanuel specialises in this type of customer, one who expects a very high level of service and is willing to pay extra for it.
With regards to my own purchase from VFB, I bough a signed copy of Misery during their recent sale (NOTE not the one in the ebay sale mentioned above). It was priced higher than the market value, but the sale included a number of other books including a gift edition of From A Buick 8 which I felt as a package justified the single book price. As some of you may be aware from other postings I have made, there was an issue with the book not being a 1st/1st as described (there were NO issues with the Sig). I contacted Emmanuel and not only did he refund the price of the book (including shipping) he also paid for the book to be shipped back and allowed me to keep the additional volumes. I doubt many dealers would offer this level of customer service.
As with all things in life, you pays your money and takes your choice...
"A real limited edition, far from being an expensive autograph stapled to a novel, is a treasure. And like all treasures do, it transforms the responsible owner into a caretaker, and being a caretaker of something as fragile and easily destroyed as ideas and images is not a bad thing but a good one...and so is the re-evaluation of what books are and what they do that necessarily follows." - Stephen King
FOR SALE OR TRADE
Dark Tower 7 Artist Edition n/a
The Waste Lands 1st Edition in Shrinkwrap $200
1984 Grant Gift Edition of The Talisman $400
Lisey's Story ARC $50
.
.
WANTED
Signed 1st Edition of Storm of The Century (Paperback)