posted on April 10, 2001 01:32:50 PM
Hello,
So the great thread by bibliophile (plus others recently) got me thinking that maybe I should give book selling a try. So I went out yesterday & today and found tons of books. 5 grocery bags full actually, and only spend about $20.
But one of the books that I found is very different from any other book I have ever found or seen. It appears to be a first printing. The book is paper back. The cover is very basic made out of what appears to be just thick construction paper.
Here is what the cover says:
BEFORE THE WALL
Berlin Days 1946-1948
George Clare
UNCORRECTED PROOFS
Publication Date: September 25, 1990
Pages: 320
Trim Size: 5 1/2" X 8 1/2"
Tentative Price: $18.95
Imprint: Dutton
ISBN:0-525-24896-X
All of that info is in regular print (not fine print hidded at the bottom or in the corner).
Then there is writing. The publication date has a line through it and a new date written next to it. And the tentative price has a line through it and $19.95 next to it. "A William Abrahams Book" is written at the bottom.
So I did some searching on the internet to get more info. This is what I found:
The real published copy has a completely different cover. And less pages. It is now out-of-print. It was previously published in Britain titled "Berlin Days".
What do you guys think? Is this something rare and worth something more than $1? What do I have on my hands here? Because I have absolutely NO idea.
I can email pics if you'd like to see for yourself. [email protected]
What would a good starting bid be? How about an auction title?
posted on April 10, 2001 02:09:04 PM
Hi - Some Uncorrected Proofs are valuable, and some are not - you probably can get a reasonable idea by what a First Edition of the book sells for. Uncorrected Proofs and Advanced Reading Copies (often referred to as ARC's) are sold on eBay - search for those words and you'll see how other sellers list them.
posted on April 10, 2001 03:37:45 PM
Here's a good place to start learning more about books -
http://www.rarebooks.org/toc.htm
Advance Reader Copies are softcover copies printed up in advance of publication to give to booksellers, reviewers, etc. in hopes of getting good reviews and building interest in the book.
