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Authenticity is Everything
first editions
Is it a sensible idea to buy a first edition book signed many years later by the author or wait? It could be a long wait
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mark Saunders on
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Buy what makes you happy.
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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on
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+1
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I once had a discussion about Moden Art with Norman Mailer in the 1990's and he was happy to sign an original copy of Barbary Shore.
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Permalink Reply by JK on
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I am not sure I understand the question. Wait for what?
Do you mean wait to find a first edition that was signed near the publication date? In that case I'm not sure it really matters when it was signed, or if you can necessarily tell.
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Again, it depends very much on the book and the author in question. There are too many variables to be able to answer the OP’s question definitively.
As a general rule, book collectors prefer to own first edition/first impressions over later printings. They also prefer any signature or inscription to be made as close to the publication date as possible. Some authors will add a date to their inscription. Other times, you can tell by the handwriting style, the type of pen used, or other contextual information. Sometimes, you can’t tell when it was signed at all.
A later inscription on a first edition can still hold value, as can a still-early inscription on a slightly later impression of the book. Again, it all comes down to who and what. When an author’s signature is very rare, it may not matter hugely what edition it is signed on. Then you have presentation copies, association copies, etc.
The world of book collecting is a vast ocean, and, while the above may hold true as a general rule, there are always going to be individual exceptions.
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Permalink Reply by michelle on
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Umm its actually Susan Cooper & I have been trying for years to get vintage sigs on early editions of all 5 books from The Dark is Rising Series which is really difficult to find. I have found one first edition but Susan has signed it 40 years after publication and it is expensive
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I’m guessing this is the book you’re considering?:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264812307921
That seller does err on the expensive side, and the later signature is not going to be as desirable to collectors as one signed in the year of publication. Still, it’s a nice book, and the author isn’t getting any younger. In my experience, it’s better, when possible, to obtain an author’s signature whilst they are still alive.
As for price and rarity, this isn’t an author I collect, so I haven’t followed the market for her stuff. If she’s that difficult to obtain, you might want to just go for it. The initial sting of the outlay will fade in time.
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This is a nice looking association copy of the same book, for not a lot more money:
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31196352707&...
Association copies are not for everyone, but personally I love them. The ones I have are amongst my most treasured books.
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That is super! Very nice find Steve.
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Happy to help, as always.
If it were me, I’d go for the association copy over the one Michelle is considering. It’s not a lot more money, and it’s a much more desirable book, IMO.
Btw, Eric, my latest find for my own collection is a beauty. If I have time, I’ll post it elsewhere on the forum later.
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