Bloody expensive limited edition books...

[Z/Sb]

...I hate them.
A couple of years back, Mick Rock had a limited edition Bowie book out which cost hundreds of pounds. Now there's another limited edition Bowie book called "Passenger" which has loads of rare photos and info about his "wander years" with Iggy Pop in 76 & 77. Limited to 2000 copies. It's 55 pounds - which isn't too bad compared to the Mick Rock book where only rich people could buy it but still... 55 pounds and limited to 2000 copies.

I had that 100 pound Star Wars book (basically unread/untouched) for years and I sold it on ebay a couple of months ago for just over 50 Euro. That's around 30 to 40 pounds (depending on current exchange rate). What a bunch of crap! Nobody wants to buy books for 50 quid, let alone a hundred!

Two books which got the price just right and are brilliant and am glad I got:
"The Beatles Anthology" & "The Pythons by The Pythons". Other publishers should take note if you ask me - the money-grabbing bastards.

Thought never originally entered my head but I just thought I'd set a poll to see, out of interest, what the highest amount people would pay for a book...
I just voted 50 to beyond because, even though it makes me sick, I'd pay the price for something I know I'm gonna love...

[Baxter]

I buy quite a few photo books for example my last two buys were mario testino's 'portraits'  and  david lachappele's 'Hotel lachapelle' now both of these were well worth the 30 odd pounds they were asking as they are both huge A2 beasts with lovely glossy pages, (even if portraits binding is a bit shoddy).

[imitationleather]

A2! Crumbs, I bet you didn't order that off Amazon. Royal Mail would collapse under the strain of attempting to deliver such a parcel.

I'm not sure really. I often forget just how much books cost, even normal ones. A hardback is going to set you back the best part of £20 these days and it's something that will probably put a lot of people off reading, I know it does me. Well, that and being a lazy bastard. Although I like the idea of owning masses of books I know I'd never read them and even if I did it'd just cost me hundreds and hundreds of pounds. Perhaps if I cut down on the Starbucks I'll be able to afford some (and be able to get to sleep).

If you tried to steal books from a bookshop wouldn't they take pity on you for being a poor little urchin trying to better himself? They'd probably just ruffle your hair and say, "Okay, I'll pretend my back's turned" and send you on your way.

[Baxter]

I'm allways slightly guilty about keeping books after i had read them, i mean it's not as if i'm going to need to back up any arguments with a direct quote from ece homo any time soon.

I think it's a mixture of wanting to show of "look at all the books i've put inside my head" and "i really should be a good socialist and pass these on to someone who will enjoy them as much as i once did just like kind old mr bevan would have done"

p.s. i'm tired and tipsy.

Moderator edit:  Please don't use text below size 9

[Munday's Chylde]

I paid £110 for a signed limited edition once, I'm currently considering paying more than that for another one currently on auction. (when I say 'considering' what i really mean is 'definitely')

But I dont spend money on other things people do, thats how i justify it, I have a shit car, a shit tv, and work pays for my laptop.

I like books, I think they're attractive... But I also like my shelves to look neat so I would never buy something like the beatles anthology because its just a silly size.

Hope this helps.

[The Region Legion]

The most I've ever paid for a book is bang on £50 - an art book by David Byrne, about A2 i think, of powerpoint presentations. It also had a DVD of the presentations themselves set to original music, only one of which has made it onto his most recent album.


Oh, and I have that Bowie book you're talking about, personally signed by Mick Rock as well, but I didn't pay for that. Absolutely gorgeous and, judging from eBay, a good investment.

[Leila]

I am a total print slut.

If I see a book for sale and really really want to read it I will buy it regardless of the price. on saying that, most of the books I get are ragged dog-eared affairs from charity shops for a measly euro or two. but they contrast nicely with the shiny new just published hardbacks on my shelf.


does anyone collect 1st editions of books? umm...I actually don't but I wouldn't mind getting some at some stage. the first edition of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom I would quite like a copy of, for example.

[Munday's Chylde]

does anyone collect 1st editions of books?.

Guilty.

[Ambient Sheep]

I picked "£20 to £30" as normally £25 is about my absolute maximum limit.

Having said that, I did consider buying that limited-edition Bill Drummond book for - what was it, £200? - a few years back.  If I'd been flush at the time I might even have done it.

I think I would spend more than £50 if it was something genuinely precious, but as a rule, no.

[Z/Sb]

Oh, and I have that Bowie book you're talking about, personally signed by Mick Rock as well, but I didn't pay for that. Absolutely gorgeous and, judging from eBay, a good investment.

Did you win it? The only Bowie thing I ever won was "The String Quartet Tribute to David Bowie"...

[Z/Sb]

does anyone collect 1st editions of books?.

I used to make sure I always managed to get the first editions of graphic novels (comic book shops make a lot of money out of first editions). I'd bought "Batman: The Killing Joke" back in the late 80s and someone borrowed it from me and gave it me back and I noticed in the small print it had said something like "3rd edition" and I could swear it was originally a first edition. I think my comic-book collecting mate had pulled a fast one on me but I never said anything because I had too much respect for him.

[Jemble Fred]

I'd pay over £20 for a rare or antique book, but I voted 'under £20' because I seriously resent even paying £12 for a new title. I have both the Beatles and Python autobiographies, but my god it hurt to buy them. Shouldn't be allowed. Especially when you know they'll be flogging them for a tenner in a few months.

[SetToStun]

I voted in the £30-£40 bracket because that's the most I can ever imagine myself paying. And then I'd see something totally stupid and useless going for £100 and buy it because I was pissed. But that doesn't count. Oh no.

On the flipside, I tried for years to get a copy of "Rude Tales and Glorious" without success until I got an imported American first edition (it's OK - it had proper spelling and evrything) from an Amazon-listed bookshop for the grand total of £4.00 including p&p. Was I made up? Too bloody right.

[slim]

Other publishers should take note if you ask me - the money-grabbing bastards.

I was just pondering the logic of this. Surely, the publishers, as you say, are money grabbing bastards.

(Yes, yes, slim, do carry on pointing out what's already been said)

So, would it not be in their interests to publish and sell as many as possible? The Bowie book, for instance: 2000 x £55 = £110000. If they were to sell at £12, they would only have to shift 10000 copies to make more money, would it not sell that many?

This leads me on to my next point, if it's not in the publisher's interests to flog it limited edition and expensive, who made the choice? Knowing Bowie's reputation, I'd say perhaps him.

Am I way off the mark here?

[Jemble Fred]

Dear old dead George Harrison was a bugger for this – there was an outcry when he first published his barely-written autobiography 'I Me Mine' for (I believe) three figures twenty years ago. It was still expensive when I got it on its first re-print just after he died. Then it came out in paperback. And I screamed.

And now they're releasing a special limited edition book of his tribute show at the Albert Hall. Won't be buying that, even if the show itself was too good for words.

[Z/Sb]

Actually I made a mistake. The book is 55 Euro not pounds and I've just ordered one! :) Look forward to that... Good price really...

In answer to slim's question: I'm not sure about Bowie's involvement with this (or any other) book. It's a good question and I've reahced a personal conclusion that, I reckon, with first editions certain large amounts of money are split to go to certain people and when the reprints come out later the majority of money probably goes to the publishers and the author(s).

The book is a collection of photographs and various written bits by the photographer and someothers. I think Bowie just gives approval to the book being released but, it's a known fact, he rarely has anything to do with books about him. There are exceptions of course - depends how close he is to the author...

[nixon]

it must have been 1997.  

I'm unemployed and have just  started using ebay.

The phantom menace has just come out, star wars mania hits me.

On ebay, a 1st edition , cloth bound, signed novellization of the film comes up.  

The bidding starts.  

Now, I only have £30 JSA.

At 2AM and me putting in bids of $350 plus (no idea where I would get the cash)

it gets to $400  

$450

I stop.  and am outbid by .. I think $5.

THANK GOD.

The following morning I get an e-mail from "anon"  with a link to the star wars website....

The SAME BOOK for $100

:-) :-)

Didn't buy it though.  :-)

[butnut]

does anyone collect 1st editions of books?

I don't really, but I have a few, and it makes me feel smug. Possibly my most prized one is a first English edition of Proust's Jean Santeuil which sounds impressive but was only about £50 and I still haven't read it... Some of his books go for a lot more than that.

I've got a few more recent books in first editions that I'm hoping, one day, might be worth something, but probably won't be and I'll have ruined them by then anyway!

Ooh, we've haven't had a proper book thread for a while. I might go and bump an old one soon.

[Regular John]

http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/books/artists_editions/all/facts/02602.htm

One of the most amazing books I've ever seen, but the pricetag for the "Collector's Edition" is £2,000! I believe the "Champ's Edition" was nearer £3,500 but came with 9 gallery quality signed photos

[Suttonpubcrawl]

http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/books/artists_editions/all/facts/02602.htm

One of the most amazing books I've ever seen, but the pricetag for the "Collector's Edition" is £2,000! I believe the "Champ's Edition" was nearer £3,500 but came with 9 gallery quality signed photos

Well, of course we couldn't risk the proles getting their hands on such a book. God forbid!