Current Market Value-Experts assess yours, or other's collectible King item

[Br!an]

I remember the debate about a month or so ago about the custom-made edition of "The best 2007 american short stories", which from what I understood was an unofficial custom from signed paperbacks... therefore a custom rebound thing for about a hundred copy or so.
I am still convinced that doing so would be infringing copyrights, but...

Books have been rebound for centuries. There is no copyright on the title. You aren't reproducing the content. It's perfectly legal.

The "value" is what the market will bear. Almost all rebound books I've seen were curiosities, but people are known to pay a lot for unique things.
I doubt the trouble and expense to convert a 1/600 'salem's Lot would be worth it. If the book up for auction sells for quite a bit (more than ~$1K), it might be easier to look for one of the other 29 in existence than trying to create one.

It may well be whatever the market will bear but the fact that anyone can have one of their own for the page block and binding restrains the market, or at least should. If Sai King had them bound himself then I could see a premium. Stu, not so much. The page blank is worth what?, $300?, and an awesome leather binding?, another $300?.

One of the wonders of book collecting is that no two collectors are alike. Some will value this more highly than others. I'm perhaps too much a realist.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

I have a hardback rebound copy of the Pocket Books paperback issue of "Storm of the Century". It's the only hardback I have seen of this volume.

[herbertwest]

I am still convinced that doing so would be infringing copyrights, but...

How so (USA CR law)?
If I buy a Toyota Camry and put gull-wing doors on it, paint it a garish non-factory puke green, stick decals on it that say Atoyot; I can legally sell the individual car I modified.
P.S. No I don't actually own such a POS.

If you do it for one, yeah sure. But what about acquiring several hundreds of a limited edition car, and then change the whole car design and name it "Randall Flagg's limited car"?

Anyway, it's probably me but the whole thing sounds.. weird

[needfulthings]

I have a hardback rebound copy of the Pocket Books paperback issue of "Storm of the Century". It's the only hardback I have seen of this volume.

There is a Hardcover Book Club Edition.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

There is a Hardcover Book Club Edition.

Not the same thing though.

[needfulthings]

NOT THE SAME AS WHAT?

1st EDITION PAPERBACK, 1st EDITION BOOK CLUB or 1st EDITION STEPHEN KING LIBRARY?

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

I have a hardback copy of the Pocket Books edition. (The one on the left of your picture) Not the common Book Club versions you picture. Its on blue boards.

[Br!an]

I have a hardback copy of the Pocket Books edition. (The one on the left of your picture) Not the common Book Club versions you picture. Its on blue boards.

Perhaps the library edition?

[stroppygoblin]

Is it library bound or does it still have a separate DJ?

[Br!an]

Is it library bound or does it still have a separate DJ?

I couldn't tell from the picture. The prebound library edition has "An ABC Television Event!" on the cover just like the one pictured though.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

Its the Pocket Books paperback rebound on blue hardback boards.

[Randall Flagg]

If you do it for one, yeah sure. But what about acquiring several hundreds of a limited edition car, and then change the whole car design and name it "Randall Flagg's limited car"?

Cutom car makers do it all the time. Usually with a few vehicles.
If I named the cars "Randall Flagg's" modified Camry it would be fine.
Foose Customs modified 5 Plymouth Prowlers calling them "Hemisfear" and all was legal.
http://www.chipfoose.com/ws_display....lter=Hemisfear

CR laws in the USA are extremely complicated-keeps 1000's of lawyers busy every year.

We could debate the issue forever. I we decide to do that, a dedicated thread would be best.

[Rahfa]

I'll just offer this last observation about copyright infringement...

The infringement is when you reproduce something without giving up control of the original.

The problem with Napster is people were effectively copying/recopying a song thousands of times without giving up the song themselves.

If you sold a CD - or an IPod loaded with music - yeah, you've profited from the music, but you can only do it ONCE.

With books, you can do whatever you want to your own physical property - rebind, or whatever. Then sell it.

But you could NOT reprint the story ad nauseum and THEN rebind it - it has to be the original book that was your property. You can do whatever you want with the physical object - but obviously have no rights to the writing itself.

Same with cars. Buy 100 cars...buy 1000 cars...buy 10,000 cars and remodel them however you want - they are YOUR property but each sale your inventory drops by one.

If you cut and paste an image of a book cover and post it here, it is THEORETICALLY infringement of the designer's work. However - it clearly falls under fair use where we are all commenting and talking about it.

That's the fine line that photographers/artists/etc run into sometimes - they're trying to protect the image from mass (free) distribution while not violating our rights to talk about it.

But - if you took a book cover image, and silk-screened it on to a totebag and resold it as a mass-produced product, that's clear-cut infringement.

And then of course you get into why karokae bars have to pay a licensing fee to allow barflys to use the published lyrics. Because the lyric is now part of a 'performance,' and if you perform a work publicly, the writer gets a cut if there's money being made. Bar charges for booze, therefore the artist gets a cut; or, if you bought an in-home video game, again, the artist got a cut.

Copyright is a very complicated issue - what seems like "freedom of speech" is sometimes theft.

[Merlin1958]

Excellent explanation. I don't think I could have done better had I tried and I too have had CR experience in the past. Though, present technology makes it even more complicated than it was in the past.

[Br!an]

I'll just offer this last observation about copyright infringement...

[herbertwest]

Thanks for this interesting explaination.
Now, let's get back on track with the thread

[webstar1000]

Great question for you. The CD Artist signed Carrie... hard to say what it will be when it comes out.. but how much do you think it would add to have Carrie flatsigned? What if you had matching numbers... and the whole Double Day set flatsigned as well? I have been mulling getting my Carrie signed in Florida (if your allowed to take a book.. which I will try anyway.. lol). Dont know what to do... Its that or IT... my wife is doing Gunslinger 1st....

[stroppygoblin]

Great question for you. The CD Artist signed Carrie... hard to say what it will be when it comes out.. but how much do you think it would add to have Carrie flatsigned? What if you had matching numbers... and the whole Double Day set flatsigned as well? I have been mulling getting my Carrie signed in Florida (if your allowed to take a book.. which I will try anyway.. lol). Dont know what to do... Its that or IT... my wife is doing Gunslinger 1st....

If you are looking to add value, I would say a flat-signed NICE copy of the Doubleday 1st is going to fetch more than a flat-signed modern AE.

[webstar1000]

Great question for you. The CD Artist signed Carrie... hard to say what it will be when it comes out.. but how much do you think it would add to have Carrie flatsigned? What if you had matching numbers... and the whole Double Day set flatsigned as well? I have been mulling getting my Carrie signed in Florida (if your allowed to take a book.. which I will try anyway.. lol). Dont know what to do... Its that or IT... my wife is doing Gunslinger 1st....

If you are looking to add value, I would say a flat-signed NICE copy of the Doubleday 1st is going to fetch more than a flat-signed modern AE.

I would agree however.. that my good friend, was not my question. I am not exactly looking to increase value but rather give it a touch of "rarity"... I was curious what you guys thought...

[stroppygoblin]

Great question for you. The CD Artist signed Carrie... hard to say what it will be when it comes out.. but how much do you think it would add to have Carrie flatsigned? What if you had matching numbers... and the whole Double Day set flatsigned as well? I have been mulling getting my Carrie signed in Florida (if your allowed to take a book.. which I will try anyway.. lol). Dont know what to do... Its that or IT... my wife is doing Gunslinger 1st....

If you are looking to add value, I would say a flat-signed NICE copy of the Doubleday 1st is going to fetch more than a flat-signed modern AE.

I would agree however.. that my good friend, was not my question. I am not exactly looking to increase value but rather give it a touch of "rarity"... I was curious what you guys thought...

Oh, in that case, stick a razor blade between the pages somewhere near where SK would hold it when offered. That way you may get a copy splashed with his blood. That will certainly make it rare!

Argument for the defense

Dear Mr Stephen Kings Lawyers, this was a JOKE, if Kris or any other crazy nut actually does this, I am not responsible for their actions....

[webstar1000]

Great question for you. The CD Artist signed Carrie... hard to say what it will be when it comes out.. but how much do you think it would add to have Carrie flatsigned? What if you had matching numbers... and the whole Double Day set flatsigned as well? I have been mulling getting my Carrie signed in Florida (if your allowed to take a book.. which I will try anyway.. lol). Dont know what to do... Its that or IT... my wife is doing Gunslinger 1st....

If you are looking to add value, I would say a flat-signed NICE copy of the Doubleday 1st is going to fetch more than a flat-signed modern AE.

I would agree however.. that my good friend, was not my question. I am not exactly looking to increase value but rather give it a touch of "rarity"... I was curious what you guys thought...

Oh, in that case, stick a razor blade between the pages somewhere near where SK would hold it when offered. That way you may get a copy splashed with his blood. That will certainly make it rare!

Argument for the defense

Dear Mr Stephen Kings Lawyers, this was a JOKE, if Kris or any other crazy nut actually does this, I am not responsible for their actions....

lol

[Jimimck]

And when we have his DNA we can clone him!!!!

[Randall Flagg]

A signed 1st of a nice copy of IT is always a good way to go. Gunslinger is good too, and half the weight.

[webstar1000]

A signed 1st of a nice copy of IT is always a good way to go. Gunslinger is good too, and half the weight.

So you would not bother with the Carrie RF? My first two choices (me and my wife) if we can was those two at first... than I thought of Carrie... wanted some input... I think there are a lot of signed copies of those books... I wonder how many of the CD Carrie will appear...

[Randall Flagg]

You should get the book you want signed, signed. Whatever feels best.