I thought a special mention of a book of interest to collectors and buyers of First Editions alike, may be of some value. The value of First editions is always a keen subject amongst people in the book trade, and some peoples ideas of value vary from extreme to totally absurd! One of the best kept secrets amongst dealers in the UK is of the book I am now going to recommend to you. This is more of a recommendation than a review, but I feel will be none the less appreciated.
"The Guide To First Edition Prices 2006-2007" by R.B.Russell (Now the 6th Edition) is only available direct from Tartarus Press
(http://homepages.pavilion.co.uk/users/tartarus/guide.html)and contains the values of some 35,000 sought after books new and old. Having owned previous versions of this book, I am delighted it has now been fully updated. Containing the books of more than 600 authors and artists, it is fairly comprehensive, and titles after 1920 are given values with and without dustjackets, giving a listing of some 58,000+ books. Each book is covered in some detail listing information such as year of publication, publisher,
'points', variations, multiple printings, later printings etc. Superbly laid out, and easy to access any book, my last copy has to be the most 'thumbed' book at home. Priced at £19.95/$40.00 it must be one of the best investments anybody in the book trade can make. Many times I have purchased a book that looked 'interesting' but knew relatively little about, and could have easily misvalued it, and missed out on a decent sale. This book has paid for itself many times over, and anyone serious about their books, it is an absolute joy, and one I would consider a must buy. (Just dont tell too many people!)....
I hope this article has been of interest, and of use to the many book lovers out there!
Chris Beard
About the Author:
Chris Beard manages the online bookstore Woodgate Book Cabin which offers quality used books, with many Crime Fiction, Autobiography, True Crime and First Edition titles.
Guide To First Edition Book Values
