posted on July 21, 2001 07:13:31 AM
My Hubby and I have different ideas about where to obtain inventory... He was not raised in a thrifing family, and I was. I started my business by goint to thrift shops and selling what I found. He eventually decided this was a great thing...Now he loves it.
About two years ago I started walking up and down alleys and searching for free stuff... This made him sick and really embarassed him.
I have sold many smaller things I found, but still he could not understand..(my family has furnished many a home with alley stuff! Grandma has a house full of antiques and stuff, all from the alley.)
Well, last night I went in the alley and saw a pile of books. All were in perfect condition, all are 1st editions, all have dust jackets. Hubby said "Oh Great, more books..."
I was taking pictures this morning and discovered that half of the books are signed by the authors (all the signed editions have the Barnes & Nobel ad for the book signing inside).
I was pretty happy, but then I discovered a signed autobiography by "Joe Frazier"! Woo Hoo!
I found a signed autobiography by Chuck Berry once for $4.00! Mint condition, hardcover, dust jacket, the works. I got $76.50 for it. Probably sold too cheap though. I wish I had it back.
Edited to add:
Perhaps I did get a good price for it. An unsigned copy is on ebay now for $4.00 or a $7.50 BIN price, and did not sell on the first go around. I'm tempted to get it. I didn't read the other one of course. I was afraid of putting wear on the book.
[ edited by loosecannon on Jul 21, 2001 07:57 AM ]
posted on July 21, 2001 07:54:38 AM
Congratulations! Now...I have a question. How do you tell a first edition? I've been told that you don't have to have a very old "first edition" for it to be valuable, but I just don't know what I'm looking for in the front of the book. I buy quite a few boxes of books at auctions, and try to get ones that are in good condition, but might have let some get by that are FE's without knowing it.
posted on July 21, 2001 07:55:30 AM
I just adore Chuck Berry! I saw him in concert last month, he still rocks! He still does the Duck Walk, just a bit slower. What an inspiration! In my mind he is the King of Rock and Roll (I guess that would make Little Richard the Queen...I think he'd like that!)
posted on July 21, 2001 08:12:28 AM
when we lived in S Calif I used to sell at a cumminity collage parking lot swap meet I got to know two guys who would cruise the alleys of newport beach on trash day
They would set up one saturday a month with a truck load they had pulled from the trash you should have seen the stuff they had they would sell it cheap they leave around two and whetever they didn't sell they just left
they used to then take off for vegas and spend sat night and sun blowing their take.
My wife still uses a designer purse they left .
Nothing wrong with picking trash
spock here......
posted on July 21, 2001 11:58:35 AM
Bet, just because a book is a first edition (or old) does not make it valuable. One of your best free resources is the book chat board on Ebay, where alot of the "dealers" hang out. There, you will find links to alot of the information that will help get you started--look for the red and blue boards, you'll see them there when you scroll down far enough.
posted on July 21, 2001 07:38:43 PM
Search for ABE that is a book website and there they will tell you what a first edition is. I could tell you but it would take a lot of writing and anyway when you find what your looking for you will want to print it. Today I got at an estate sale a booklet on the King Family and on the cover is written autographs, at least I think they are autographs. Hazel King, Carolyn, Alvino Rey, Yvonne, Bob Clarke, Phyllis and Maxine. Now how do you find out if the autographs are authentic? It was printed in 1965 by the Kingfam productions. Great 60's hairdos.
posted on July 21, 2001 08:11:12 PM
LOL! Though I have never used the stuff we have found for auction we do much the same thing for our yearly garage sale.
Our neighborhood has "big pick up" day once a month where they take anything and everything that you can drag to the curb.
To stock up for our annual garage sale we usually go out on the night before big pick up and collect stuff for a few months...then we have the sale and sell it all back to them.
I really get a charge out of selling them there stuff back!
I know it's bizzare but it is really fun and we have made thousands doing it too!
posted on July 21, 2001 10:49:12 PM
mcjane, thanks for that information although the autographs that I have weren't on there I did bookmark it for furthur use.
