Black Maria Posted 28 February , 2014 Share Posted 28 February , 2014 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. That's okay , yes i noticed the Luard ( i put a wants in on ABE) but as i have a copy and only wanted it for the jacket i will wait and see if a cheaper one comes along one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 28 February , 2014 Share Posted 28 February , 2014 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. Ah there I suppose lies the difference. Some books are just so special. They may of course also be rare but not necessarily - just special. I did forget to post that it was 'A Medico's Luck in the War' by David Rorie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 28 February , 2014 Share Posted 28 February , 2014 Nice book, Sassoon lived till 1967 and I know of a least one (dormant) forum member who met him. Talking of rare books I have copies of France and Flanders 1917 Vol II and III, used by a certain Michael Carver for reviews in the RTR magazine, they are nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 1 March , 2014 Share Posted 1 March , 2014 Ah there I suppose lies the difference. Some books are just so special. They may of course also be rare but not necessarily - just special. I did forget to post that it was 'A Medico's Luck in the War' by David Rorie. That's very true. Yes I was wondering which book you purchased , I assumed it was WW1 related, a very nice buy and certainly a very 'special' book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 1 March , 2014 Share Posted 1 March , 2014 Nice book, Sassoon lived till 1967 and I know of a least one (dormant) forum member who met him. Talking of rare books I have copies of France and Flanders 1917 Vol II and III, used by a certain Michael Carver for reviews in the RTR magazine, they are nice! Yes, it's one of the 750 signed copies ( No 49), to have actually met him must be a very special memory for them, I would think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 1 March , 2014 Share Posted 1 March , 2014 Yes, it's one of the 750 signed copies ( No 49), to have actually met him must be a very special memory for them, I would think. It is, Sasson was an Honorary fellow at Clare College Cambridge and met him at a garden party in the Masters grounds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 1 March , 2014 Share Posted 1 March , 2014 I have a nice copy of Sassoon's privately printed (200 copies) 'Picture Show' which contains many of his best war poems. There's a short letter from the great man slipped inside in which he declines an invitation to address a literary circle. "I'm a reluctant public speaker" he says "and seldom come to London these days". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connaughtranger Posted 1 March , 2014 Share Posted 1 March , 2014 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. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connaughtranger Posted 1 March , 2014 Share Posted 1 March , 2014 He only signed 25 & it won't be reprinted until 2044. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 1 March , 2014 Share Posted 1 March , 2014 He only signed 25 & it won't be reprinted until 2044. True, but he subsequently signed quite a few more. Of the 6 copies currently being offered on ABE, 4 are signed, only one of which is from the special 25. I suppose for the most expensive books there is a fairly limited clientele and they stay on dealers lists for longer. I'm put in mind of Isaac Rosenberg's 'Moses' only 50 copies of which were printed, & of which presumably relatively few survive. But as it's usually priced at around £2,000 there are always copies for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 10 March , 2014 Share Posted 10 March , 2014 My copy of Haydn Hornsey's 'Hell on Earth' has arrived. As it shares its jacket image with Mahon's 'Cold Feet' I've long wondered if this was meant to be a series of War Books but haven't previously found any other candidates. However listed on the rear of the jacket is one such - 'Ill Wind' by H.E.L.Mellersh, which is described as the story of an English village lad pitched into the war. It even comes with a recommendation from none less than H.G.Wells who says of it 'You get the atmosphere of that period with, what seems to me, great exactitude'. Now this is a new book to me so I suspect it's rather rare as I can find no copies for sale anywhere. Have any of you ever seen a copy, know of its contents & best of all have seen the jacket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 10 March , 2014 Share Posted 10 March , 2014 I'd add Jeff Noll's magnus opus, "German Regimental Markings", 2nd edition, about 1,250 printed in 1995 (I think), and you won't get one - signed or not - for much less that USD 650... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 10 March , 2014 Share Posted 10 March , 2014 I'd add Jeff Noll's magnus opus, "German Regimental Markings", 2nd edition, about 1,250 printed in 1995 (I think), and you won't get one - signed or not - for much less that USD 650...I'm not sure if we should equate expensive with rare. A book published that recently and in those numbers is a relatively common book in terms of surviving copies despite what the dealers may be asking. Check back in 20 - 30 years time & it may be a different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 10 March , 2014 Share Posted 10 March , 2014 Take you point, but the price certainly indicates that its a rare sought after item! As it, the latest one I could find was going for USD 750... And if I am still around around in 20-30 years, then I might get a copy to take to the next place with me and so decrease the numbers in circulation even further! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 10 March , 2014 Share Posted 10 March , 2014 No the price is purely what somebody thinks you should pay for it, often a book dealer. Often rare or very rare books are expensive, Price can be governed by many things, It works both ways I recall once a Godalming auction when a book dealer payed the list price for a volume of Anglesy and he received a round of applause because it was still in print. He just did not know and payed what he thought he could make money on, alas he was wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 10 March , 2014 Share Posted 10 March , 2014 I stand corrected... I sadly don't have a copy of the 2nd edition of my own book on the emperor I follow, and saw one advertised in the US of A once for USD 100, so passed that one up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 10 March , 2014 Share Posted 10 March , 2014 However listed on the rear of the jacket is one such - 'Ill Wind' by H.E.L.Mellersh, which is described as the story of an English village lad pitched into the war. It even comes with a recommendation from none less than H.G.Wells who says of it 'You get the atmosphere of that period with, what seems to me, great exactitude'. Now this is a new book to me so I suspect it's rather rare as I can find no copies for sale anywhere. Have any of you ever seen a copy, know of its contents & best of all have seen the jacket? I realise now that Mellersh wrote 'Schoolboy into War' which I used to have but seem to have mislayed. It would be interesting to compare the two should they turn up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 10 March , 2014 Share Posted 10 March , 2014 Alan I tho I realise now that Mellersh wrote 'Schoolboy into War' which I used to have but seem to have mislayed. It would be interesting to compare the two should they turn up Alan, I thought you moved house to avoid this? I have misplaced 2 Canadian GW ones, the Canadian Forestry Corps one and the last 100 days with the CAMC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 10 March , 2014 Share Posted 10 March , 2014 Alan, I thought you moved house to avoid this? I have misplaced 2 Canadian GW ones, the Canadian Forestry Corps one and the last 100 days with the CAMC. Towards the end of the move, after I'd filled 140 packing cases, I started to panic that I'd never get it all done so I called a local charity shop & offloaded nearly 1,000 of them, mostly modern. I fear the Mellersh may have been amongst them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 13 March , 2014 Share Posted 13 March , 2014 That's okay , yes i noticed the Luard ( i put a wants in on ABE) but as i have a copy and only wanted it for the jacket i will wait and see if a cheaper one comes along one day. I have the Luard book. I received it today and intended to post something on it to the effect it had been listed as scarce with interesting ephemera and noticed your post just now. I have literally just unpacked it. I will transcribe the letter at some point in the next few days and post. I had been looking for a decent first ed. of the book and although pricey, I thought it was too good to pass up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 13 March , 2014 Share Posted 13 March , 2014 If people are looking with peeled eyes for books, I am desperate for a Casualties and Medical Statistics non library first edition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 13 March , 2014 Share Posted 13 March , 2014 Honestly Martin you're making it too tough for yourself. All the Medical volumes I've ever seen have been ex-library. My Stats volume is from the Ministry of Defence Library which can't be too bad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 13 March , 2014 Share Posted 13 March , 2014 Alan, I must have over 20 medical volumes all non library, all my other GW UK OH's are non ex library Though one of my Der Weltkrieg sets is the ex Reichsarchiv Library . Please I am getting jealous of others buying books on their wants list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 13 March , 2014 Share Posted 13 March , 2014 I bow to your greater experience. I suppose I manage to find so many because my wants list is huge. The great majority never turn up - not in their jackets anyway. My jacket fetish is probably akin to your non-library one! I'm confidant a lot of stuff is going to emerge over the next 4 years. I'd be surprised if the major auction houses & dealers aren't storing things up for some special sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 13 March , 2014 Share Posted 13 March , 2014 I bow to your greater experience. I suppose I manage to find so many because my wants list is huge. The great majority never turn up - not in their jackets anyway. My jacket fetish is probably akin to your non-library one! I'm confidant a lot of stuff is going to emerge over the next 4 years. I'd be surprised if the major auction houses & dealers aren't storing things up for some special sales. We collect slightly differently, and I guess you are more experienced than me, having collected longer, when was you first dj GW book? I had not thought about all the stuff coming out of the cupboard. I look forward to that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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