Book and materials collection to be sold

[joeobrien22]

I've posted in another topic thread, but decided to start a new one.

I've got a collection of a few hundred books related to The Great War including books of clippings, memorial stamp album, service record compilations, videos, maps, etc.

I have a few first editions, a few privately published works, some documents.

I've gotten a little advice on selling on ebay, and searching abebooks.

I have been researching some of them on abe, biblio, and ....well the other antiquarian site is escaping me, nonetheless, there are a few books that I cannot find on any of these sites, some show in a university's collection or digitized at some point and then "lost in transit" so finding out what a good asking price would be is difficult. that goes for the other items that are just collections of materials, documents, etc.

What would be the best way to research these things, just start a thread and post pictures?

Another question:

I have a first edition or two that got wet on a corner or on the back in a spot, I wiped them down dry carefully, and the pages aren't stuck, the damage isnt bad, but I didn't do any restoration, there is a spot that looks like mold on the cover but not inside really, its dry and it's been years since this water issue, the blue pigment is washed from those corners. Should I attempt to sell it still, or is it toast as far as any value? If it wasn't a first edition i'd just give it away or toss it. but it's still intact and in relatively decent condition.

The main one i'm wondering about is a copy of Pillbox 17 by Karl Broger. It really doesn't look good under the light. here are pictures of that one.

http://www.voidstudiosny.com/books-for-sale

click on the picture to slideshow

[joeobrien22]

The service record; le journal des exploits du Compagnie C. 303rd Field Signal Battalion, American Expeditionary Force, produced by members of Comapny C-303rd Field Signal Battalion, Harold O. Mohr, editor & publisher.

First Publishing

[Dust Jacket Collector]

There are 4 copies of the Broger on ABE priced from £125 - £285, all without jackets. So if your copy is slightly damaged then I'd guess you might get £50 on EBay. Most serious collectors would want it in its jacket.

[Black Maria]

I purchased my copy on e-bay about three years ago for £35 , it's a first edition x-lib with only one stamp and in very good condition, no jacket of course but it does have

the nice art deco style cloth with brown spine.

[joeobrien22]

Thanks guys, guess it'll go into the budget pile. I see some stark differences depending how I search on Abebooks.

I am trying to price my first edition Storm of Steel, and There's a Devil in the Drum as well. What kinds of prices has anyone seen in the past few years?

[joeobrien22]

Lord Roberts memorial fund Stamp album, one stamp missing....figures!

[seaJane]

Am I right you're in the USA?

The ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America) has a page for finding booksellers local to you who will buy or appraise books:

http://www.abaa.org/booksellers/

[joeobrien22]

Am I right you're in the USA?

The ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America) has a page for finding booksellers local to you who will buy or appraise books:

http://www.abaa.org/booksellers/

Thank you, I will check that out. Yes, in the USA. Kingston, New York area. I'll head to that site and see who I can't find in the area.

[Black Maria]

I spent about ten years looking for a first edition copy of 'There's a devil in the drum' , Tom Donovan had a V.G copy in a 2003 catalogue for £120 which was too much money

for me to pay out at the time and I had many more memoirs to find . About three years later he had an x-lib copy for sale, I forget how much that was but I didn't try and buy it

as i didn't particularly want an x-lib copy although i knew it may well be years until another turned up. Then about four years ago i missed out on a signed copy which appeared

as a buy now item on e-bay for around £65 , to say i was gutted would be an understatement. Then luckily it turned up in the next Tom Donovan catalogue, and although i had

to pay an extra £100 for it i was more than happy to do so.

If i were selling a first edition copy i would not let it go for under £100 +, although because it has been widely reprinted it will only be the serious collectors who will be after it and

many of them may well already own a copy, it is however one of the hardest memoirs to find because many unsold copies were destroyed in the war when a warehouse they

were stored in was bombed. The junger is a more common book in the early editions and I think I paid around £50 for my first edition ( 5th impression ) copy.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

As mentioned elsewhere the big money is usually reserved for jacketed or signed books. The Junger is variously priced on ABE at a reasonable £65, a hopeful £500, & £2,250 for a jacketed one. The same dealer sold one at that price a couple of years ago, but this copy has now been online for quite a time. I'd certainly expect to pay at least £100 for Devil,maybe 10 times that or more in a jacket. Sadly you'll find that many members of this forum regard even a free download as being a tad overpriced!

[joeobrien22]

OK, I have a much better idea of the market now and it helps a lot, hopefully the dust jackets will show up, as some eye kept separate, otherwise I'll just sell them all at lower than standard. I'm always amazed with things like books and stamps how huge the differences are in prices. Hopefully they will at least end up in appreciative hands. Much appreciated folks!

[Black Maria]

Sadly you'll find that many members of this forum regard even a free download as being a tad overpriced!