$8.99 2 New from $8.99 A reproduction of the original book Lawyers, Doctors and Preachers; a satirical survey of the three learned professions by George Bruce originally published in 1912.
An autographed book from your favorite author can turn an item of personal value into a cherished keepsake of financial worth. Whether one of hundreds or one of a kind, a signed book is a wonderful addition to any book collection.
One way to check if your copy is a reprint is to compare the name of the publisher on the book's spine to the name of the publisher on the title page. Reprints will often have the original publisher's name on the pages in the book, but the book binding will identify the name of the reprint publisher. Later printings: Publishers don't use any ...
A few things to keep in mind: Condition means everything in a book's value. A book that has significant damage is likely not worth much. A book collector wants an attractive copy. Dust jackets. Most hard cover books published since the early 20th century were sold with a dust jacket.
You probably don't need to include every word of the title and author's name. A couple of words from the title, and the author's last name are generally enough to get a list of matches. Filling out too much can cause you to miss a copy that was listed slightly differently from what you are using.
Sometimes the signature of a famous illustrator can be as important as that of the author. Quentin Blake has illustrated and signed many of Roald Dahl's books, as has Hunter S. Thompson's illustrator Ralph Steadman. A book signed by both the author and illustrator is especially prized. › Read More About Collecting Signed Books.
For the book's owner, an author's signature can instantly transform a mass-produced item into a personal treasure. Getting a book signed-in person provides the opportunity to meet a favorite author and usually includes the chance to hear them read.
Common books like the works of William Shakespeare, prayer books, bibles and encyclopedias were printed in huge quantities during the Victorian era and usually have little value. AbeBooks is very useful for finding an approximate value of a book but don't use that value for insurance purposes.
A beaten-up old book that is falling apart will have little value. First editions are sought-after by book collectors and a first edition is usually more valuable than a later printing. A first edition signed by the author will have even greater value. Scarcity influences value.
For hardcover books published from the 20th century onwards, the presence of a dust jacket and its condition also greatly affect value. If you are having difficulty understanding some of the terms used by rare booksellers, refer to our glossary, which also includes a guide to used book conditions and book sizes.
In 1924, French publishers Three Mountains Press released In Our Time, a collection of short stories by Ernest Hemingway. Only 300 copies were printed during its initial run. However, due to a printing mistake, only 170 of those copies were released and sold. The frontispiece is a woodcut portrait of Hemingway, which bled through the next page during printing. The remaining 130 copies were given away to friends and family and as review copies. Hemingway famously wrote, “In order to write about life you must first live it.” Check out these other inspirational Ernest Hemingway quotes. Due to its very limited numbers, In Our Time is considered one of the rare books for book collectors around the world. In April 2004, a first edition copy sold at auction for a whopping $321,600 at Sotheby’s New York.
Ulysses by James Joyce (worth $355,000 ) The first edition of James Joyce’s labyrinthine sophomore novel Ulysses sold at auction in 2009 for £275,000 (about $355,000 today), which was the highest price for a 20th-century novel recorded at the time. The book was well-preserved and was numbered 45 of the first 100 copies ever printed.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (worth $55,000) British publishers Bloomsbury released the first book in the Harry Potter series in June 1997. Believe it or not, only 500 copies were printed during its initial run, with 300 of those going to libraries and schools across the United Kingdom.
The London publishers of The Hobbit, George Allen & Unwin Ltd., printed only 1,500 copies for its initial run. The children’s book quickly sold out three months after its release. However, newer editions would also be rare to come across at the time, due to a paper shortage caused by rationing during World War II.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (worth $180,159) The first edition of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was first released as three volumes, which sold for only 18 shillings (about $1.16 today) in 1813. Only 1,500 copies were printed and sold, perhaps as it was considered a fashionable, yet disposable novel when it was first released.
William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies, the First Folio is a collection of 23 plays by William Shakespeare, including The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, and Romeo and Juliet. It was first printed in 1623, seven years after the iconic playwright’s death, and is considered the reason why his work lives on ...
Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby with the original dust jacket is one of those rare books to track down. It wasn’t a best-seller when it was released in 1925 with only about 25,000 copies sold by the time of the author’s death in 1940.
Hard Pivot: Embrace Change. Find Purpose. Show Up Fully. (Signed Book)
The ultimate must-have item for bibliophiles! This gorgeous limited edition hardcover of Go Set a Watchman is signed by Harper Lee and comes in a beautiful velvet-lined keepsake box.
Hard Pivot: Embrace Change. Find Purpose. Show Up Fully. (Signed Book)
According to AbeBooks a signed first edition was sold in May of 2006, the year the movie came out, for over $4,000 — the highest price ever paid for a copy of this bestselling thriller.
A Signed First Edition of 'The Lovely Bones' by Alice Sebold. One of the most acclaimed books of the decade, Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones was published in 2002 and adapted for film in 2009. According to AbeBooks, If you have a signed first edition, it could fetch up to $575. First editions are on sale now for up to $120.
The most expensive first edition was sold on AbeBooks for almost $3,000, and signed first editions are now being sold on the site for up to $1,350.
A Signed Copy of 'Middlesex' by Jeffrey Eugenides. Jeffrey Eugenides' Middlesex was published in 2002 and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2003. Copies have sold for as much as $350 on AbeBooks and you can find some online now for up to $150.
The most expensive copy of Eragon sold on AbeBooks for $2,550 , and copies on sale now include a signed, self-published first edition for $2000.
A Signed First Edition of 'No Country For Old Men' by Cormac McCarthy. Published in 2005, No Country For Old Men later became an Oscar nominated film, which upped its popularity among collectors. Signed first editions of the book have sold for up to $1,000 on AbeBooks.
J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter book was published in the U.S. in 1998, and by 2000 she has become an international literary superstar. As Rowling's fame skyrocketed, her book tours became much shorter, and spots in her signing lines became much harder to come by.
In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen. Henri Nouwen was a spiritual thinker with an unusual capacity to write about the life of Jesus and the love of God in ways that have inspired countless people to trust life more fully. Most widely read among the over 40 books Father Nouwen wrote is In the Name of Jesus.
With his prophetic and pastoral wisdom, Peterson shows how the psalms teach us to grow in worship, service, joy, work, happiness, humility, community, and blessing.
Preaching remains relevant even as America becomes less Christian. Preaching Sticky Sermons is a practical and accessible book for pastors young and old. Kelley and Hoagland reveal how to make your sermons stick. They focus on four main areas of creating a sermon: Preparation, writing, delivery, and evaluation. This book will help you write sermons that stick not only on Sunday but also throughout the week.
In a time when pastors are leaving the ministry in record numbers due to cynicism, disillusionment, weariness, and personal scandals, there is an urgent need for soul care in the private lives of leaders. Replenish helps leaders focus on the back stage, the interior life, in order to remain spiritually healthy.
It’s easy to dream about the “perfect” church―a church that sings just the right songs set to just the right music before the pastor preaches just the right sermon to a room filled with just the right mix of people who happen to agree with you on just about everything.
Most widely read among the over 40 books Father Nouwen wrote is In the Name of Jesus. For a society that measures successful leadership in terms of the effectiveness of the individual, Father Nouwen offers a counter definition that is witnessed by a “communal and mutual experience.”. For Nouwen, leadership cannot function apart from the community.
His formula for success is more maturity, not more data; stamina, not technique; and personal responsibility, not empathy. A Failure of Nerve was unfinished at the time of Friedman’s death and originally published in a limited edition.