Great story! You sure lead an interesting life.
Great story! You sure lead an interesting life.
Thanks VERY much for the interesting story, Gerald. I'm adding that proof to the listing on post 1 of this thread. Amazing how such rare items eventually turn up!
John
Wow! Amazing story and proof as usual, Gerald. John will to change the proof list again!
These posts are one of the reasons I love checking in here so often.
Gerald, if you don't mind my asking: do you miss the way things were back then? My collecting salad days are long since over, but there was something there that seems to have gotten lost.
"One day you're going to figure out that everything they taught you was a lie."
Happy New Year Gerald. This is one of the most amazing stories to date and a perfect one to start the year off. Incredible that there are still more proof states that have been unknown to us until now. Thanks for sharing.
You didn't direct your question to me but I had some similar thoughts when I was reading Gerald's post. I don't travel much but when I did one of the first things I would do (back in the pre-internet days) after checking into a hotel was to look at the Yellow Page directory and see what used/rare bookstores were near my hotel. I would almost always find many books to add to my collection and make my suitcase very heavy on the trip home. Now I have been collecting so long and spend so much time searching on the internet that such bookstore trips are usually frustrating, fruitless and, quite often, boring.Originally Posted by mkberger
As I have posted here before, my collecting was mostly fueled by catalogs that came in the mail. When I saw one in the mail I would stop what I was doing, sit down and quickly scan the listings with one hand (figuratively) reaching for the phone. Haste was of the essence as collectors all over the country were receiving the catalog at approximately the same time and a lot of the time an item would already be sold (perhaps to that dastardly Gerald Winters!). I get very few printed catalogs these days but when I do I still scan it pretty darned quickly mostly out of habit.
Collecting (and many other things) is much easier now with worldwide book listings just a mouseclick away but I think it might have been a bit more fun in the old days. I know that finding a rare item was more rewarding. Or maybe I am just getting old and reminiscing about the good old days as old people always do.
Amazing story Gerald - Happy New Year !!
As always, an amazing story and finding!
So the harshness of the guy, was because you managed to buy a book that he really wanted?
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Good morning all,
I am glad I didn't bore you with my novella. I didn't realize I had a lot to say. To answer some questions:
herbertwest: Yes, the collector's angst with me was based solely on the fact that I walked into a store and bought a book that later appeared in a catalogue for New Year. As the bookseller did not keep my details private, he had a name to put to his hatred, but it took me nearly 16 years to find out why. It was just an unfortunate coincidence that another dealer gave me his name so that I could write to him.
mkberger: Yes I do feel that the time period from the late 90s to mid 2000s were much more rewarding for book collecting than today. Don't get me wrong, I am all for progress and for advancing mankind. However, the expression "Time and tide wait for no man" is definitely true. You can't live in a certain time period, no matter how good it is. I only wish I had started reading King earlier because I didn't read my first book until early 1998, and by that time, the rarest of items had already been around a long time. I think the early 1990s was an even better time for finding rare King memorabilia. John Mclaughlin had his store, and was selling some amazing pieces that have not surfaced again. Christie's in New York sold the King Doubleday Archive that had another great treasure trove of items from some of Stephen's iconic novels. I have been buying on eBay for over 15 years now and my feedback is less than 100. Getting burned, 2nd printings, damaged books just put me off trying to find rare items that way. I search Old School style and it works for me. Sadly, the rise of digital books has all but closed the used book stores in most countries. That and exorbitant rents, the joy of discovery with meeting and talking with people that have devoted their life to dealing in books is much harder than ever. I think book values will not decrease, because there are new collectors being formed every day, and any place that is safe to park surplus funds in will always be attractive. As art prices go into the stratosphere, collectors will look at cheaper alternatives, and it trickles down the line. It's funny when I saw your avatar, as that was one that got away. I was at the London auction in Christmas 2007 when "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" Moonstone Edition was being offered. I only managed to get one bid in the room for it, before it became Unobtanium. I knew the dealer that was going to be bidding on it, and there was no way I would outbid him, so I stopped. He usually bought for billionaires in the Middle East and Japan at the time. To see it in person was something that I will remember forever. Now, unless you get an invite to Jeff Bezos' home in L.A. the best alternative is to see the photos, but it's not the same.
Happy New Year everyone.
Gerald
That is a GREAT story!! Unbelievable story and of course a proof never seen before?
Simply amazing.....
6 hours left on these 3 items:
9 bids, $39:
Everything's Eventual by Stephen King - Advance Uncorrected Reader's Proof
1 bid, $10:
Lisey's Story by Stephen King Advanced Reader's Edition
Zero bids, $10:
On Writing : A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King - Advanced Reader's Copy
Grant DT III ARC with prints:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Advance-Revi...gAAOSw0e9UutTx
John
Procured a bunch of new proofs. Pet Cemetery, Nightmares Dreamscapes and some more coming too!
I also just got Bazaar of Bad Dreams but it's a Hardcopy evidently. Is that true? I didn't get a chance to really check before pulling the trigger and it's being shipped to me now.
Footfall by Larry Niven.
Also got Orson Scott Card's 1st book ARC which is a 1st/1st with a sticker from the publisher. Weird!
Have some "other" things that will get posted in a Pride and Joy and One of a King (I mean KIND) section, but need to make sure I exhaust all avenues of locating more before announcing or I KNOW some of you will try and get them before ME!!!
Yes, that's a HUGE teaser and you will have to wait!
If you get a hardcover BOBD proof then that is very unique. Could it be the one that was glimpsed briefly on the Colbert interview back in September.
I believe there is the regular trade edition of BOBD with a letter.
Not sure. I was out hunting and ran across someone selling the regular 1st/1st and I need a copy still that's mint for my bookcase, so was doing my due diligence researching to minimize me getting a 2nd printing or whatever (you know how that goes I'm sure) and then I realized the guy was saying it was an advanced copy. Evidently still has the publisher letter or something, so we'll see. Might be a scam b/c I paid pretty much nothing. I should have it soon and then I can update the boards one way or the other.
I have a "NEW" "Still Wrapped" Salem's Lot coming that I paid @$50 for and I just know it's a BCE from recent times, but worth a swing since nobody knew if it was a 1st or not since it was sealed...blah blah. haha! shrug...it's part of the hunt for me. In this case, they listed a publication year, so if they shrunkwrap it themselves then the year won't be the correct publication year and I will return it. If it turns out to be somehow a 1st/1st then that would be a good deal. Either way, I got my excitement of opening it and hoping.
I bought a signed Salem's Lot for $10 2 years ago. It was a book club edition but the small oldest one and still an amazing deal. Stumbled into one of the "70" proofs for 11/22/63 by just researching and taking a chance and that's the excitement for me. I have lots of weird items like that. I like the really unique stuff. Doesn't have to be pricey. My Under the Dome that has 1 more page than every other 1st/1st Under the Dome isn't worth mass money, but the fact that the publishing company erred by including an extra King signature page for 2 signatures and a book that goes 1 louder (Spinal Tap!) than everyone else's makes me smile.
Cannot wait to let everyone know what I was able to get recently. Probably nobody will think it's as neat as me, but to me...I cannot even believe my luck.
How is that for an epic tease?! Sounds like this girl I knew back in college...but that's a whole other story....
I think that is probably it. I needed the book anyway, so figure that it gives me a chance at something cool and if not an advance copy then I have my 1st/1st I need anyway. win/win!
Ah okay. Yeah I think you're right there Dan. Sounds like the trade edition which they send out early to reviewers. Nice to have the letter though Curt. Congrats on all the new items!I think that is probably it. I needed the book anyway, so figure that it gives me a chance at something cool and if not an advance copy then I have my 1st/1st I need anyway. win/win!
Nice, Curt! I don't have a HC ARC of Bazaar (yet).
John
Been looking for that one, on and off, for the last few years. Was it super hard to find?Just got this one in today.....Publisher Letter included!
I got lucky. Connected with a former book dealer on the West Coast who is resurrecting his business. I bought the DT III Blue Wrapped Plume and asked if he had a DT II Orange wrapped one as well. Lucky for me, he did.
In new condition and the Publisher Letter was a bonus!
$200 or best offer:
Stephen King "The Dark Half" Bound Galley
$250 or best offer:
Stephen King "Misery" Bound Galley
Seller listed these again for me last night after we agreed to an OBO including both books, but I went to a birthday party (adult "at the club" bday party, so was out until the wee hours and got to buying them this morning). Both sold now. Not perfect but $300 for both was good enough deal for me since I don't have either yet. Now if I can just find The Dark Tower Series, Carrie, Salem's Lot, Night Shift proofs for $100 or so total b/c I'm out of my 2016 book money already, then I will be set.
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