Value of rare book in poor condition - Post Office HB

Bukfan

Bukfan

"The law is wrong; I am right"
I would'nt spend all that money on such a flawed copy. I would rather wait for a better copy to turn up and pay some more...
 
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bospress.net

bospress.net

www.bospress.net
Nope, not worth it. For $2500 you can get a MINT copy. This is probably worth $750 MAX. Still, it would not surprise me if this sells at the $1875.

Anyone who buys this for $1875 will probably regret it and will have a hell of a tough time selling it....

Bill
 
roni

roni

Not being a collector, I think copies in poor condition are a wonderful chance to make a bargain for non-collectors.
But they need to be really cheap compared to the good or fine or mint ones. Else there's no use in buying a poor copy. (and this one is worse than poor.)

You know, I'm the first to prefer a 'good' copy against an 'as new'-one, if that makes a difference of 30-40%. But in This case ...
 
homeless mind

homeless mind

Thanks, Bill.

The jump in dinero is that much for a book with art "” i.e.: Post Office? Wish I would have bought it back in the day...with a shitload of other thangs I need. Never had (or created) the opportunity...Damn.

Pax
 
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scribbler

scribbler

The times I bought at auction I always bought stuff in real good shape. Because you have a choice. You'll be glad you did when it comes time to sell or trade. But I mostly enjoy the raw version of collecting which has me digging around all over the place. All luck...always cheap. The slow route.
 
marina del rey

marina del rey

I think that if something is a) so rare that it never comes to market, or b) significantly cheaper (like less than half of the typical ebay price of a fine or near fine copy), then it makes sense go after it in that kind of condition.

But neither of those apply to this particular book. For this one, my guess at a fair price would be maybe $500.

PBBUK said:
And more importantly, as far as collecting, do you include books in this condition?
Click to expand...
For me, if it fell into one of those two categories, I might include something in this condition as a placeholder until I could get a better copy. But it would probably drive me crazy because I am OCD about that stuff.
 
Rekrab

Rekrab

Usually wrong.
$500 max, but this is no where near poor. It's far too good to be poor, or even fair. It's good to very good, which means lousy but not completely trashed. It would make a great cheap copy of a rare book if it were, in fact, cheap -- say $100.
 
rageforst

rageforst

that's why i love to walk over the "librerias de viejo" (oldbook store) here in México bukoski is getting attention, but well... we don't have a "rare book" culture, but you might find a good copy or novel for less than a dollar...

Sorry for my english...
 
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jordan

jordan

lothario speedwagon
marina del rey said:
I might include something in this condition as a placeholder until I could get a better copy. But it would probably drive me crazy because I am OCD about that stuff.
Click to expand...

i'm exactly the same way... i examined each of the 7 copies of crucifix at the book fair (SEVEN), because i'm so anal about finding that book in nice condition. then, i found it in as nice condition as i've ever seen, WITH the band, for $280 and I STILL couldn't buy it because i knew i'd make myself crazy trying to keep it nice while still trying to read it. it's a great book and all, but i think i'm just going to have to pass.

plus, there were other, non-buk books i wanted to spend my money on as well.
 
mjp

mjp

Founding member
jordan said:
...I STILL couldn't buy it because i knew i'd make myself crazy trying to keep it nice while still trying to read it.
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Well that's the problem with the Loujon books, isn't it. You pull them out once a year to show them to someone, but other than that, they are just shelf candy.

I know people defend them as book art, but I still think they stand in the way of the words. If they were brand new books you could buy for $25 they'd still be a pain in the ass to read.
 
bospress.net

bospress.net

www.bospress.net
... if I had a copy of the Gutenberg Bible, I'd rarely take it out and would NEVER read it. If I was so inclined, I'd get a copy of it to read and keep the original in the same condition. Of course, we are talking tens of millions for a copy, not $400.

Plus, if I had one, I would display it open and not on the shelf.

In all honesty, if I had one, I'd sell it and retire, but I'm making an argument here...

Bill
 
homeless mind

homeless mind

mjp said:
Well that's the problem with the Loujon books, isn't it. You pull them out once a year to show them to someone, but other than that, they are just shelf candy.
Click to expand...

But delicious shelf candy. Funny, I showed one to my neighbor yesterday. I didn't let him touch it. Operative word being, showed.

But then again, I don't let anyone touch the rare bad boys. Maybe that's just me...

Pax
 
scribbler

scribbler

check this "Post Office" thats on E-bay. Man, is that book signed really commanding that kind of price these days. Christ, things change quick...no matter what the economy. post office
 
CRBSMILE

CRBSMILE

My Goodness, what a price!! I'd kill for it but I'd not pay for it!CRB:)

No, I'd pay for it if I had it...It's just easier to kill!;):eek:
 
chronic

chronic

old and in the way
Post Office does tend to be one of the pricier titles, but this copy is pretty well trashed and not worth the opening bid. I wouldn't pay more than a couple of hundred for it, and then only as a placeholder. Not that I can afford to buy anything right now.
 
CRBSMILE

CRBSMILE

Yes, but do you think they'll sell it for that price? It seems to me, from what you guys around here have said in the past, that much of Bukowski's stuff is pulling 'unexpected' $money$. I'm just saying, it seems like it's growing, and growing pretty fast.
And DO NOT GET ME WRONG! I know very little about the real collectible value of Bukowski books, but I know that you do. It just fascinates me that his books are already comanding the collectible value that they are. Smiles-CRB
 
chronic

chronic

old and in the way
No, I don't think they'll get that price but I suppose anything's possible. Post Office has a couple of things going for it on the collectible side -- the first edition, even including the paperbacks, was a relatively tiny print run and it was also his first novel. It's the book that pulled him out of relative obscurity and into the (somewhat-sorta-kinda) mainstream.
 
CRBSMILE

CRBSMILE

Agreed. That's what makes me think they have a shot at getting that price. Do you know how many copies went on the first run? I can't imagine that it was over several thousand??
 
CRBSMILE

CRBSMILE

Thanks Boys. Under three-thousand is a pretty small run. I'm not an e-bay watcher so I can only count on those of you more in the loop for this info. If I had any real $$ I would be looking for/buying books such as these, but alas....
well whatever. I still find info such as this incredibly interesting. Every Bukowski Black Sparrow edition that crosses my path- the first thing I do is look at the printing. Before coming here I would never thought it worth my time to check trade editions. Thanks.:)
 
roni

roni

it sure is a statement that Sounds good.
Like some aphorisms by Lichtenberg.
I really really like it for its provocative impact.


But as a statement, I ain't happy with it:
I think, it is somewhat important to know at least a bit about a movement, that has influenced the culture of a whole continent for over 2000 years and other continents for some centuries too.

*end smartass-lecture*
 
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