Appraisal Synopsis
Silent Spring
Rachel Carson
Appraised by: Between The Covers
Appraiser Comments: "... inscribed copies of this important book have always sold well"
Estimated Appraisal: $1,500 - $2,000
The Posthumous Papers Of The Pickwick Club
Charles Dickens
Appraised by: Daniel Farr Books
Appraiser Comments: "In the nineteenth-century “Pickwick” was the most popular of Dickens novels"
Estimated Appraisal: $900 - $2,500
The Mystery Of Edwin Drood
Charles Dickens
Appraised by: Daniel Farr Books
Appraiser Comments: "...the last work from the pen of Charles Dickens"
Estimated Appraisal: $600 - $1,000
After the Fall
Arthur Miller
Appraised by: Second Story Books
Appraiser Comments: "...after the death of prominent authors, signed or first editions spike in value"
Estimated Appraisal: $350 - $400
Anecdotes Of Painting In England
Horace Walpole
Appraised by: Daniel Farr Books
Appraiser Comments: "...an important primary art history source"
Estimated Appraisal: $350 - $800
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The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Appraised by: Between The Covers
Appraiser Comments: "... several minor textual errors corrected between the first and second printings"
Estimated Appraisal: $1,000
Thirteen Poems
Wilfred Owen
Appraised by: Second Story Books
Appraiser Comments: "... limited edition of 400 illustrated by Ben Shawn..."
Estimated Appraisal: $750
Night Shift
Stephen King
Appraised by: Between The Covers
Appraiser Comments: "...has always been accordingly difficult to obtain"
Estimated Appraisal: $500 - $1,000
Master Humphrey's Clock
Charles Dickens
Appraised by: Daniel Farr Books
Appraiser Comments: "...one of the most readily available of Dickens works"
Estimated Appraisal: $400 - $1,600
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
Tennessee Williams
Appraised by: Daniel Farr Books
Appraiser Comments: "...highly sought after high-spot collectible"
Estimated Appraisal: $300 - $450
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Appraisals
Silent Spring
Rachel Carson
Appraised by: Between The Covers
Appraiser Comments: Signed and inscribed copies of this important book have always sold well.
The accompanying ephemera is interesting but will not greatly affect the retail value. However, if laid in the book it should be sandwiched between sheets of acid free paper to ensure that the articles do not offset onto the text of the book (it may be too late). Copies often turn up in somewhat worn condition such as this, with a premium placed on inscribed copies that are also fine. This copy would probably retail for $1500-2000 depending on condition.
Estimated Appraisal: $1,500 - $2,000
The Posthumous Papers Of The Pickwick Club
Charles Dickens
Appraised by: Daniel Farr Books
Book Owner Comments: The book was in an attic and found about 8 years ago.
Appraiser Comments: In the nineteenth-century “Pickwick” was the most popular of Dickens novels. A scarce two volume issue from the same publisher – there is no copy in the Gimbel collection at Yale, but one is recorded at the University of Texas in the VanderPoel Collection for instance - has suggested to some bibliographers that it may have preceded the one volume edition, but was abandoned before many copies were distributed, and did not appear in publisher’s cloth.
The following price estimate would be for a rebound copy of mixed earlier and later states of issue with the two suppressed plates by Seymour Buss in very good plus condition without excessive foxing of the text or plates. Estimated Appraisal: $900 - $2,500
The Mystery Of Edwin Drood
Charles Dickens
Appraised by: Daniel Farr Books
Appraiser Comments: Although no reliable press numbers of the book edition are available we can guess that as the first number in parts sold 50,000 copies when issued, and as this was the last work from the pen of Charles Dickens then the world’s most popular novelist a large printing would have been issued. Both binding (A) and (B) appear on the market frequently enough, the extremely rare binding (C) would command a much higher premium. Estimated Appraisal: $600 - $1,000
After the Fall
Arthur Miller
Appraised by: Second Story Books
Appraiser Comments: Signed, limited edition of 500. Described as new but lacking DW and no mention of the slipcase.The book calls for a tissue dust wrapper and slipcase. As usual after the death of prominent authors, signed or first editions spike in value. Copies with the DW and slipcase in very good or better condition should sell for between $450-$650. This copy lacking the DW and slipcase but in fine conditon is worth $350-$400
Estimated Appraisal: $350 - $400
Anecdotes Of Painting In England
Horace Walpole
Appraised by: Daniel Farr Books
Appraiser Comments: Often offered by book dealers as a partial set. As you have the first two volumes, it can be the beginning of a great hunt for yourself or someone else if you decide to sell your volumes to complete the set. If the volumes are in fine original publishers boards as the information you’ve supplied could suggest, then the evaluation could rise above the high end of my estimate. If on the other hand the original wrappers are damaged or rebound or there is considerable damage such as foxing or damp-staining to the pages and or plates this would affect any price in the market. Most copies after purchase were immediately rebound from the publishers wrappers in more substantial bindings. The more attractively a copy has been rebound will also add value to your volumes. Estimated Appraisal: $350 - $800
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The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Appraised by: Between The Covers
Appraiser Comments: First editions of this title have no statement on the copyright page, but they do have Scribner's seal on that page. There were several minor textual errors corrected between the first and second printings. For example, on the first printing line 16 of page 60 has the word "chatter" which was changed to "echolalia" for the second and subsequent printings. The stain you mention naturally will affect the value greatly -- just how much depends on the size and how much discoloration it causes. A first edition, first printing with some moderate condition problems still might retail for close to $1000, while a second printing with those problems is not likely to sell for much more than a 10th of that. Estimated Appraisal: $1,000
Thirteen Poems
Wilfred Owen
Appraised by: Second Story Books
Appraiser Comments: Limited edition of 400 illustrated by Ben Shawn with a portrait of Owen wood engraved by Leonard Baskin from a drawing by Shawn and printed from the wood block signed by Baskin and Shawn. This copy was described as being 1 of the35 specially bound copies with an extra proof. But this copy lacks the extra proof and is not numbered. Being an out-of-series copy lacking the extra proof but in the deluxe binding estimate value would be $750.
Estimated Appraisal: $750
Night Shift
Stephen King
Appraised by: Between The Covers
Appraiser Comments: At present I know of no priority assigned to collation codes -- first edition is stated on the copyright page and the jacket is priced $8.95 for correct copies of this elusive title. It had a much smaller first printing than any of his early novels and has always been accordingly difficult to obtain. Near fine copies range in retail value from $500 to $1000 depending on the condition of the book and especially the dustjacket.
Estimated Appraisal: $500 - $1,000
Master Humphrey's Clock
Charles Dickens
Appraised by: Daniel Farr Books
Appraiser Comments: “Master Humphrey’s Clock” is one of the most readily available of Dickens works, with rebound volumes reasonably available sometimes with more than one volume together sharing a binding. If your copy is in original publishers cloth in good plus or better condition then the upper end of the price estimate would be most correct. If the copy is rebound, then such factors as attractiveness of the binding style and internal damage such as foxing would be more of a factor in deciding the price with lesser unattractive copies valued at the lower end of the estimate Estimated Appraisal: $400 - $1,600
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
Tennessee Williams
Appraised by: Daniel Farr Books
Appraiser Comments: Williams one of the most artistically and commercially successful American playwrights of the twentieth-century. Three American editions of “Cat” were published in 1955, the same year the play premiered on March 24 on Broadway at the Morosco Theatre. It also subsequently won the Pulitzer Prize for best play that year, Williams' second Pulitzer, he had won previously in 1947 for “A Streetcar Named Desire”. While not as highly valued in the marketplace because of the large printing as some earlier first editions of Williams plays, it is nevertheless a highly sought after high-spot collectible. In copies like yours only three criteria matter, ‘Condition, Condition, Condition’. The better a copy is, the better the price will be. Estimated Appraisal: $300 - $450
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