Rarest book?

[Dust Jacket Collector]

I don't think they sold well. I've always assumed this was due to a lack of desire to read about war with another one clearly looming. Unfortunately many of the great classics were published late in the day & so are among the scarcest - Dunn's 'War the Infantry Knew' 1938, Hitchcock's 'Stand To' 1937, Lloyd's 'Trooper in the Tins' 1938, Lucy's 'Devil in the Drum' 1938, Eyre's 'Somme Harvest' 1938, etc, etc.

[Black Maria]

Yes , they certainly published some classic memoirs in the three years before the start of the second world war, it's funny how quickly the sale of war books seems to have

declined after the high water mark of the tenth anniversary of the war's ending, even a classic memoir like 'Up to Mametz' published in 1931 is a hard book to

find in the first edition.

One of the rarest of the post-war memoirs, in my opinion, is 'Going Across' by M. St Helier Evans , a very hard book to find, especially in the superb jacket, saying that two

copies , both in their jackets, did turn up on e-bay within a few weeks of each other not that long ago.

[MartH]

I think many where pulped in the recycling drives during the war.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

It looks as if the rare book market may be picking up. According to today's Telegraph the book dealer Shapero Rare Books is being floated on the Stock Market to raise £10m. They probably don't do much in our line however as their average sale is £6,100! I doubt any of the books mentioned here ever cross their sacred portals. I went in once, many years ago, & they were very sniffy, said they didn't have that sort of thing.

[seaforths]

I wonder what will make a rare book of the future? I ask the question because I was bought a book as a gift a few days ago. It is Paxman's 'Great Britain's Great War'. When I was given the book I was told that when he bought it, the lady in the bookshop explained that the dust jacket was different to the others in the window but not to worry because it is exactly the same book.

I went to see the shop window and sure enough the cover is very different to the copy I have been given. As this is a relatively new book I wonder why the dust jacket was changed? Possibly a sales pitch to the public. However, I also thought that the books in the original cover might become rare in time.

There have been some strange things to make a book rare. Not WW1 but I recall one of the Harry Potter books was printed with an error. It had JK Rowling's full name printed and several thousands of copies were produced and sold before it could be halted, withdrawn and corrected. I understand that these are quite rare. When I found out, I dashed off to look at my copy and it had her name in full.

[MartH]

Many things make a book rare, or scarce, autographed annotations, low print runs, scraping, different bindings, different dustjackets, and mistakes corrected or not. Court cases forcing pulping such as SOE in France do also. I would have thought Paxmans book with the display dj is the one to have.

German great war books did come out in 5 different bindings, card, half cloth, full cloth, half leather and full leather.

[MartH]

It looks as if the rare book market may be picking up. According to today's Telegraph the book dealer Shapero Rare Books is being floated on the Stock Market to raise £10m. They probably don't do much in our line however as their average sale is £6,100! I doubt any of the books mentioned here ever cross their sacred portals. I went in once, many years ago, & they were very sniffy, said they didn't have that sort of thing.

Alan Bernard Shapero started out dealing in travel guides, he himself is always very polite and likes to chat. He also long ago sold the travel guides especially for the front which came out in the 20's.

I believe the business needs finance for various reasons.

[connaughtranger]

De Bello Germanico by Blunden 275 copies printed

[Black Maria]

I think what I like about original memoirs written when the author's were still alive is that they seem to bring the reader closer to those events described somehow, something

I don't think you can get from a modern reprint. Therefor it's hard to say what WW1 books will become rarities of the future because I suppose it depends on how you class a

rare book, is it by scarcity, cost or both? and is it because it's a first edition, because if it's just the information you want once a book is reprinted or digitalised it no longer becomes

rare and the cost of an original copy drops also. For example 'Pillboxes on the Western front' by Peter Oldham (1995) were selling for over £100 before it was reprinted in 2011 and

now you can pick up a reprint for £6 and an original for £30 or less.

I expect those copies of 'The Last Fighting Tommy' signed by Harry Patch may become a sought after book of the future and any modern book that has not been reprinted like

'Terriers in the Trenches' (1982) and 'Surrender be Damned' (1995) will remain rare and pricey until that time comes.

[MartH]

We have discussed this earlier in the thread, and did a classification too, rarity is purely scarcity not what someone is prepared to pay for it. Just because it's reprinted does not make a first edition any less scarce.

Cost is another classification, we all get bargains when the seller does not know its rare and sought by people.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

De Bello Germanico by Blunden 275 copies printed[/

Strangely, with these limited signed editions, they almost become less rare with time. They're always recognised as being special and so tend to be kept where other books are discarded. Over the years I must have seen dozens of copies (although the price always stays high). This morning I ordered a copy of Haydn Hornsey's 'Hell on Earth' in a jacket - now that is a rare one.

[MartH]

Very true, the numbers of signed copies of Beckes' Orders of Battle I have seen is substantial when compared to the "rare" unsigned.

[Black Maria]

We have discussed this earlier in the thread, and did a classification too, rarity is purely scarcity not what someone is prepared to pay for it. Just because it's reprinted does not make a first edition any less scarce.

Cost is another classification, we all get bargains when the seller does not know its rare and sought by people.

That's why it is difficult to say what modern books will become rarities of the future.

De Bello Germanico by Blunden 275 copies printed[/

Strangely, with these limited signed editions, they almost become less rare with time. They're always recognised as being special and so tend to be kept where other books are discarded. Over the years I must have seen dozens of copies (although the price always stays high). This morning I ordered a copy of Haydn Hornsey's 'Hell on Earth' in a jacket - now that is a rare one.

Nice buy!

[barkalotloudly]

is this a rare book? a typed diary of a nurse who served with the Harvard Medical Unit 1916-1919 at various British base hospitals privately printed by her and issued by some obscure family history society in Utah in 1970 perhaps unlikely to see another?at one time I used to make an effort and buy a copy of the small publications that were reviewed in the back of "Stand To" as once gone they seemed to disappear into the abyss!

[Dust Jacket Collector]

Alan Bernard Shapero started out dealing in travel guides, he himself is always very polite and likes to chat.

I must admit it was some 25 years ago when the shop was still in Holland Park & it was only an assistant I spoke to.

[MartH]

I must admit it was some 25 years ago when the shop was still in Holland Park & it was only an assistant I spoke to.

My farther once got questioned accompanying me into Maggs, I had to vouch for him, he's never been allowed to forget!

[Dust Jacket Collector]

is this a rare book? a typed diary of a nurse who served with the Harvard Medical Unit 1916-1919 at various British base hospitals privately printed by her and issued by some obscure family history society in Utah in 1970 perhaps unlikely to see another?!

We need to know the full title before the committee can can issue a certificate of rarity.

[barkalotloudly]

Harvard unit...An American nurse with the British Troops in France Nov 1916...Feb 1919 Helen Jordan Lamb

[Dust Jacket Collector]

Harvard unit...An American nurse with the British Troops in France Nov 1916...Feb 1919 Helen Jordan Lamb

It looks as if Amazon had a copy for sale at some time, listed as 1981. I suppose you could only consider it rare after several people have looked for it for some time without success.

I wonder if it would be wothwhile starting a topic where we could point out to fellow collectors rare books that we've spotted but don't personally want to buy? Or would it fall foul of the moderators?

[Black Maria]

It looks as if Amazon had a copy for sale at some time, listed as 1981. I suppose you could only consider it rare after several people have looked for it for some time without success.

I wonder if it would be wothwhile starting a topic where we could point out to fellow collectors rare books that we've spotted but don't personally want to buy? Or would it fall foul of the moderators?

Talking of which, I noticed a book the other day that may be of interest to you on Amazon , it was 'Black Tab's' 'On the Road to Kut' in a jacket (bit worn though).

[Dust Jacket Collector]

Thanks so much for that. I've ordered it.

The 2 I noticed today which prompted my idea were on ABE. Scanlon's 'God have mercy on us', UK 1st in jacket for £20 & Katherine Luard's 'Unknown Warriors' UK 1st in jacket, rather pricey at £179 but with an important letter from the author. Both scarce books.

[MartH]

Harvard unit...An American nurse with the British Troops in France Nov 1916...Feb 1919 Helen Jordan Lamb

Two sold on ebay in the last year, last one for 25 Australian Dollars about £12.50. I think the buyers got a bargain, and it was cheap because it was so rare no one knew it was rare.

[seaforths]

I think what I like about original memoirs written when the author's were still alive is that they seem to bring the reader closer to those events described somehow, something

I don't think you can get from a modern reprint. Therefor it's hard to say what WW1 books will become rarities of the future because I suppose it depends on how you class a

rare book, is it by scarcity, cost or both? and is it because it's a first edition, because if it's just the information you want once a book is reprinted or digitalised it no longer becomes

rare and the cost of an original copy drops also. For example 'Pillboxes on the Western front' by Peter Oldham (1995) were selling for over £100 before it was reprinted in 2011 and

now you can pick up a reprint for £6 and an original for £30 or less.

I expect those copies of 'The Last Fighting Tommy' signed by Harry Patch may become a sought after book of the future and any modern book that has not been reprinted like

'Terriers in the Trenches' (1982) and 'Surrender be Damned' (1995) will remain rare and pricey until that time comes.

I agree, I think there is something special about having an aged first edition in your hands. I have a couple of books that have recently been digitised and made available on line. I haven't checked to see if the price of the books has dropped they are scarcely seen for sale and it was difficult enough to get the ones I wanted. I had a long wait. But there is something about having and holding that piece of history in your hands and I agree, it is something you don't get from a reprint.

Yesterday I purchased a first edition book, published in 1929 and signed by the author. The book is still available in modern print runs via N & MP and I have had a modern print copy for a few years. However, it is one of my most read (three times) and most 'dipped into' book for information. I guess it is definitely one of my favourites. There were no other first editions of it for sale and I guess it won't come up too often, especially not signed. However, I am looking forward to its arrival and when I read it again - maybe it will feel like meeting an old friend.

[barkalotloudly]

"Unknown Warriors" I have a copy with a lovely inscription in the front describing the owner landing in France and meeting a column of marching soldiers who were allowed to break step and sing a song to their group of nurses!

[Black Maria]

Yesterday I purchased a first edition book, published in 1929 and signed by the author. The book is still available in modern print runs via N & MP and I have had a modern print copy for a few years. However, it is one of my most read (three times) and most 'dipped into' book for information. I guess it is definitely one of my favourites. There were no other first editions of it for sale and I guess it won't come up too often, especially not signed. However, I am looking forward to its arrival and when I read it again - maybe it will feel like meeting an old friend.

I'm sure it will and even more special since it was signed by the author, one of my most expensive purchases was 'Memoirs of an Infantry Officer' signed by Sassoon, i was a bit

reticent to spend so much money but have never regretted it and to be honest i feel privileged to own it even though it is not a rare book even being signed and a limited edition.