Stephen King Library - Q&A and Complete List?

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

I found a First edition Carrie a few years ago with a VERY early inscription. Unfortunately the boards were warped and torn pretty bad. It didn't have any damage to the pages so I asked Malcolm at Mustang Bindery to put together the following for me. Done in Full Calf Leather. I think it turned out pretty nice. Is it a Collectable? It looks good in mine.

Greg that is truly great. Best of all, you have preserved a story which will outlast all of us and this message board.

Our history as humanking will rely on preserved books and not cd-rom, flash drives or any new media we may invent over the next 1000 years. (Dead Sea Scrolls etc are examples)

[carlosdetweiller]

Any idea what it would cost to have custom binding done?

No, but it is expensive. Obviously it depends on the materials used, time spent and expertise of the artist and those factors would vary widely. A couple of thousand dollars would be my guess if that copy of THE STAND were for sale.

[carlosdetweiller]

And, Greg, that is a really beautiful book. I know you are proud of it.

[Randall Flagg]

Both of those custom books are outstanding. Beauty (and value) are in the eye of the beholder, and my eyes say "WOW!"
BTW, I would never rebind a good first edition, but as mentioned, if the boards are greatly damaged, this type of repair is wonderful.


Edited 02/13/2021 to reflect that I have in fact rebound good first editions.

[carlosdetweiller]

BTW, I would never rebind a good first edition, but as mentioned, if the boards are greatly damaged, this type of repair is wonderful.

I think it would be a good project to find ex-library copies of King's first five Doubleday books. If the library markings were limited to the fixed endpapers and dust jacket and the pages were pretty good you would be in business to do a set with matching bindings which would be pretty cool. Or each could be unique. And it wouldn't cost much to get started.

I have also seen some binderies sand and put gold gilt (sp?) on the page edges. This would be necessary if there were library stamps on the page edges.

Dang, I'm starting to get excited thinking about this.

[carlosdetweiller]

Back to the topic of red leatherette SK Library books: Are any really worth more than others?

I only have two in my collection, SECRET WINDOWS and THE STORM OF THE CENTURY. Both of these books were issued in hardcover only by the BOMC and it seemed to me (at the time) that these red leatherette editions would be more desirable in the long run since they are a little more "special" than the regular HC editions. Anyone agree? Disagree?

[Hutch]

GMTA... Those are the only two I consider collectible.

Back to the topic of red leatherette SK Library books: Are any really worth more than others?

I only have two in my collection, SECRET WINDOWS and THE STORM OF THE CENTURY. Both of these books were issued in hardcover only by the BOMC and it seemed to me (at the time) that these red leatherette editions would be more desirable in the long run since they are a little more "special" than the regular HC editions. Anyone agree? Disagree?

[wizardsrainbow]

And, Greg, that is a really beautiful book. I know you are proud of it.

Greg-
Good to see you and as you have shared those pics with me previously, I am glad you shared them here. Now I can drool over them without having to hunt them down in my own rats nest of a filing system. That Carrie is very nice and the inscription is indeed extremely early.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

That's a great inscription.

[herbertwest]

really nice books!

what do you think about the BOMC edition of Lisey?

[Randall Flagg]

Any update to the list?

[e_taylor]

Not from me... I think its safe to say that the list of 37 titles on page one is correct.

[Tatts4Life]

Randall Flagg directed me to this because I have never heard of these books before. Question do they make red cover books of his new books or did they stop a while ago? I looked on Google and it looks like they don't and the sign up for the list was a long time ago.

[herbertwest]

On the official board, i remember reading Marsha saying that 10 books were published.
Justin Brooks told me that actually only 4 books had been published and the other must have been planned then canceled or something like this

[Cutter]

Randall Flagg directed me to this because I have never heard of these books before. Question do they make red cover books of his new books or did they stop a while ago? I looked on Google and it looks like they don't and the sign up for the list was a long time ago.

Nope, sorry they don't. The last one was from a Buick 8. Now if you join the Stephen King Book club you just get book club editions that look just like the regular trade editions that are sold in the stores.

Too bad, I would be a member of the Stephen King Book Club if they still did them in the faux red leather.

[Tatts4Life]

Randall Flagg directed me to this because I have never heard of these books before. Question do they make red cover books of his new books or did they stop a while ago? I looked on Google and it looks like they don't and the sign up for the list was a long time ago.

Nope, sorry they don't. The last one was from a Buick 8. Now if you join the Stephen King Book club you just get book club editions that look just like the regular trade editions that are sold in the stores.

Too bad, I would be a member of the Stephen King Book Club if they still did them in the faux red leather.

Thanks now I know what to look out for if I ever decide to get any.

[Randall Flagg]

Archive?

[biomieg]

Yes, but not before Greg reposts his rebound CARRIE picture!

(I only read about it just now and the picture's not there anymore...)

Oh yeah, and I think Bob's idea about a custom rebound set of ex-library Doubleday books is very interesting.