Ciaran Byrne Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 What's the most anyone here has spent on a book. I am very reluctant to tell anyone here until I see other replies. One book which is not the most expensive by a long chalk, I spent £250.00 on was an original copy of History of 5th Royal Irish Lancers by Walter Temple Wilcox (published in 1908) In fact it is his copy, signed by him with articles from magazines of the time. About 4 weeks after, N & M Press brought a reprint of the exact same book out for £35. Gutted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 Not as much as you obviously. £160 I think, for the 15th Scottish Division's History. Even though you can buy the same from N&MP, the original is still worth the money for the red binding, the inserted maps and the pages carefully turned by a previous owner. Go on, what did you buy and how much? As long as you cherish it, does it matter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 Brave man to admit that you paid £250.00 but worried that you say it is not the most by a fair way!!! A signed original owned copy is a good book to have, it does not compare in 'quality' to a N&MP copy, though the price difference must be gutting I guess To my memeory the most i have paid is probably around £30./£40 I am not at home at the moment so can not cast my eyes around the study to see if anything catches my eye. I think my wife once bought me a book from around 1880's about Railways built and operated in the area of our village and it mentioned our house. She paid in the region of £40, I have never read it and we both admit it was a waste of money, but alas. I am well intrigued to know which book you bought and how much? Come on spill the beans. Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 Funnily enough, I'd not be sorry to have the original, even if I had to sell the wife to get it. It's something to treasure, keep, look after, and leave to the nation. Unlike the wife. Anyway, for myself, the most is Ward's Welsh Guards history, which I bought for £95 a year or so ago. Most of my humble collection is quite old - children cost too much to be able to afford heavy spending. The good side is, though, that I can now look at lists and compare what i spent to what they cost now. How does £9 for the 23rd Div history sound? Or £8 for both volumes, annotated by an ex-officer, of the 2nd Divn? I'm quite old, you know....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle bill Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 quality remains, theprice you can forget. I'd much rather have an expensive signed original than a modern reprint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMcNay Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 £85 for the Boer War Casualty Roll. My Society paid for it though. I, however, paid I think the same amount for "In Memoriam" by Steve Watt. Once I finally work my way to it after all the other books I need to go through, it'll be money well spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zooloo Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 £75 for Ludendorf's memoirs, 2vols so not "a" book really. zoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 Hello all, £65 for the "C.E.F. Roll of Honour", by E.H.Wigney & £50 for "Uniforms & Equipment of the British Army in World War 1" by S.J.Chambers, both of which are modern publications. Whereas all of my Battalion Histories to the Northumberland Fusiliers and associated Divisional Histories cost far less as I began picking these up early on. The most I ever spent on books was nearly £250 for all the volumes of the "St. Georges Gazettes"(the Regimental Magazine) that I didn't have and was given first offer on them. I now only need 6 volumes to complete a run from 1883 - 1968. I followed this up by subscribing to the follow-on magazine "The Fusilier" and have a full run of them from 1968 - today. What you would have to pay for them if you were just starting is anyones guess. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 $95 for an autographed copy with a picture of him in training in a US uniform of Alexander McClintock DCM ( see below ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 I am in awe of those brave men who have answered; I dare not for fear of repercussions. it's not just my allowance that will be cut off Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Clay Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 ...I dare not for fear of repercussions.... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> And you a Yorkshire man, Roger - for shame Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ciaran Byrne Posted 21 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 21 October , 2005 Right... here goes. £450.00 for a book on the history of the 5th Lancers which was published for the officers only. Its in pristine condition for a book published in 1922, looks like it was hardly ever opened at all. The only three copies I know of in existance are at the Imperial War Museum, The Lancers Museum in Grantham and the one I am getting. The one in the Imp War. Museum has gone missing so that leaves only two that I know of. I wouldn't normally do this sort of thing but my missus took a lot of persuading. She keeeps telling me to photocopy it and sell it on. OK cue the abuse :-)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 I can handle a bit of shame Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 £85 for the 8th Bn DLI by Veitch. However, if I had the money I see that Turner Donovan are offering the OH 26 vols , all first eds except two vols for a snip at £1,850.00. Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob carman Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 Ciaran, ....history of the 5th Lancers.... Was that written in part by John Robert Harvey? Rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 £85 for the 8th Bn DLI by Veitch. However, if I had the money I see that Turner Donovan are offering the OH 26 vols , all first eds except two vols for a snip at £1,850.00. Regards David <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If only it was the complete OH in originals at £1,850. It's actually just the Western Front. The sideshows tend to be quite scarce, especially with maps or map cases. The War in the Air in originals is also a pricey desirable with 6 vols; appendices and two map cases often seen selling for £1000 - £1400. I did once spend £150 on the Aussie Official History - but it was the complete set of 12 ........ and now it's available on line ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themonsstar Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 Hi All £375 for a photo album to the 2/6 Batt Manchester with 140 photos all with names. 3 weeks later paid £23 pound for an album to the 2 Batt with 250 photos. well with it for both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyford Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 The most I ever spent on books was nearly £250 for all the volumes of the "St. Georges Gazettes"(the Regimental Magazine) that I didn't have and was given first offer on them. I now only need 6 volumes to complete a run from 1883 - 1968. What you would have to pay for them if you were just starting is anyones guess. Graham. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Graham 2 preWW1 years of St. George's Gazette were on ebay recently and went for £56. I have seen them in a local bookseller for £100 per year Volume which would make your 79 year run worth £7,900. Even the ebay price makes them about £1,900. I'll swap you for all the back issues of PC World, which I have seen in our garage and which my husband insists must be kept. I'll even throw in a replica cap badge. Kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 22 October , 2005 Share Posted 22 October , 2005 Hi All, Well here goes £325 for digest of services of the First Battalion, P.C.O. (Prince Consorts Own) from its formation in 1800 until its arrival in Bombay 1880. Printed by the Battalion Press 1885. Rarest of all RB Histories & the most detailed source record for the 1st Battalion. Marvelously detailed book of the Battalions campaigns, also it's movements, arrivals and departures of officers, changes in equipment etc etc. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ciaran Byrne Posted 22 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2005 Ciaran, ....history of the 5th Lancers.... Was that written in part by John Robert Harvey? Rob. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thats the one. Go on. Your probably going to tell me they are selling it in the local charity shop for a pound or something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 22 October , 2005 Share Posted 22 October , 2005 Probably the most I have ever paid for a single volume is £25 (new hardback) and I tend to regard that as a ripoff price. If I can resist the urge to buy, I tend to wait for the paperback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 22 October , 2005 Share Posted 22 October , 2005 No matter what the price, assuming you have bought even semi-wisely, these Great War books are surely an investment if kept for a number of years. You have the pleasure of perusing them over the period you keep them and then pass them on to a new collector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 22 October , 2005 Share Posted 22 October , 2005 You have the pleasure of perusing them over the period you keep them and then pass them on to a new collector. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Personally, I am not a collector (of anything), but I do read history. I think there are two sets of values to be taken into account: 1. The value of some books as "collectables", seen as valuable artefacts in their own right. 2. The value of books as books, where the value lies in the content. For instance, as long as I am satisfied that the content is accurate, I would always go for the modern reprint rather than the valuable first edition. Therefore, my concern is the price of new and recently second hand books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted 22 October , 2005 Share Posted 22 October , 2005 I have been guilty of spending over the top a few times for books I really wanted, but if one was to ask what was the smartest book purchase I ever made, it would be no contest. Ted Wigney's magnificent "The C.E.F. Roll of Honour" cost $135.00 (Canadian) but has paid for itself many times over. I refer to it constantly and as a result have added many casualty groups to my CEF collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 22 October , 2005 Share Posted 22 October , 2005 hello most ever spent was £100 for 3 books on the cold guards now could easily spend that on a night out with the missus ... so puts into perspective really ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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