Yet another newbie... (signed first Post Office, paper)

[fredrock]

...new here, but I'm 51 yrs old, used to live in LA and saw Buk 3 times at readings:

Once at the Troubadour (Los Angeles,) once at the Golden Bear (Huntington Beach,) and once I don't remember (I was as drunk as Bukowski, and he was in no mood to read any goddam poems, regardless.)

Back in the mid-70s, i was at a bookstore in Santa Barbara (forget the name) that specialized in Black Sparrow. I got a first edition Post Office (in paper wrappers) for $35 or $50--I forget-- it was a long time ago.

Anyway, you can see pix (of this book) at
http://cgi.ebay.com/Post-Office-Charles-Bukowski-1971-Paperback-signed_W0QQitemZ160364674883

I started the bidding at $99.90, and it hasn't budged from there. You can see another copy of the same book (mine is in better condition) at Royal Books:
http://www.royalbooks.com/store/99140.htm

I'm happy to answer questions, and sad to sell my last signed
Bukowski. I had all sorts of cool stuff, but have sold it all over the years. At this point, I'm desperately broke, hence the "clearance sale."

you can email me at fkepler@att.net
I'll try to answer all legit questions.

 

[bospress.net]

You will have to wait till the end to see what happens. I'm not sure if you have sold things on ebay before, but most people wait until the end to bid. By us just throwing up bids now, it raises your price, but we are after a deal. Why bid it up to $500, when someone can get it for $300?

I think that it will sell for a fair amount, but no one will know until the end.

Rest assured that those interested on this board saw the listing before you posted it here. We are just waiting, waiting......

Bill

p.s. Also, posting the Royal Books price is a bit deceptive. They have WAY overpriced this book. In my opinion, a signed first paperback of Post Office is probably worth $400-$600. Pricing it at $1500 does not make it a $1500 book.

 

[fredrock]

Not to worry, I know how ebay works... and I know that Royal Books is out of line on their price. If someone wanted it and made a reasonable offer, they might sell (but if I'm thinking of the right place, they were a little snooty even years ago when I'd get off my bike, a sweaty fifteen-year old and browse their shelves. If it *is* the same store, they were overpriced then, too.

Thanks for the tips, Fred

(Oh, and $400-$600 would really help right about now, so I'm looking forward to closing day on the auction, whatever it goes for. Sad to lose it, but it'll get a good home, I'm sure.)

 

[mjp]

fredrock, the book is almost 40 years old and you waited until photographing it for eBay to crease the first page with your finger. Nice work.

Just saying.

---

As for Royal Books, laughable price aside, I like this part of the description: "A touch of toning at the spine."

Really. Just a touch. I see. Okay.

 

[fredrock]

Actually, I think the book survived without damage. I'll double-check tonight and add a note on ebay *and* post here if I did inadvertently leave any creases on the page. Good eye, though, mjp, and that faux pas (unless it was more than just a faux pas) does deserve special mention. I didn't notice until after I posted the pic (and felt like a real asshole when I did see it (we all read Buk, so I assume a little well-aimed off-color language won't ruffle any feathers....))

Anyway, you're right, just saying or not.

Fred
(my copy, at least, has a touch less toning than the Royal copy.)

 

[mjp]

That book is prone to discoloration on the spine, but it's just funny the way booksellers describe things. "Slight" usually equals significant in reality.

 

[Rekrab]

I was looking at some old books on the British eBay and the bookseller called a book "grubby", which I thought was refreshingly honest. Or maybe "grubby" means "slightly toned" when it's used over there.