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#11
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What's with fairly recent Modern Library prices?
"Gene Mierzejewski" wrote in message . .. Scott, To help pay off the bills from my older daughter's wedding a year ago and my younger daughter's college education (which included a stint at Oxford University last summer), I've been selling off much of my 40-year-plus book collection at Amazon.com. To arrive at the prices I ask, I check not only third-party sellers at Amazon but also price listings at abebooks.com, alibris.com and addall.com. Some of the prices are not surprising, such as those for the Arkham House editions and specialty science fiction and fantasy titles I picked up in my youth in the late '60s and early '70s. (I had a chance to buy a mint copy of Lovercraft's "The Outsider" for $100 at a SF convention's hucksters room in 1970, but $100 might as well have been $100,000 for me back then.) I haven't begun to list these books for sale yet. While I've been stunned by the popularity and/or asking prices of some general titles I've listed, I've been floored by the prices of recent Modern Library editions. On the websites I mentioned above, at least a dozen of my books are listed with heftier than expected values, including several at $100+. I (almost) can understand the rage for hypermodern first editions, but the thought of hypermodern Modern Library editions will fry one's brain. And it's not BS. I've sold several ML titles at Amazon for sums beyond my wildest dreams, topping out with a copy of Hunter Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" for $75. I doubt if my first edition of "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail" would do so well (although I'd really have to be desperate to list that book). So I'm still baffled why recent Modern Library have hypermodern first prices. Thanks again, Scott Gene Mierzejewski Gene, I haven't noticed the trend you're talking about. There have been a number of early, scarce ML titles in dust jackets that have sold at fairly high prices, but not excessively so. - Scot Kamins "Scot Kamins" wrote in message ... In article , "Gene Mierzejewski" wrote: I know some regular posters (and, no doubt, some lurkers here) are interested in Modern Library editions, which I enjoy immensely. I'm baffled, however, by the prices commanded by recent Modern Library editions. Fairly recent ML editions of books by Anton Chekhov, Edith Wharton and even the Good Doctor, Hunter S. Thompson, are going for astronomical prices on line. One would think their books were hypermodern first editions. Would anyone know if the situation is a case of low supply or high demand? I can't imagine paying $100 or more for a ML edition that's less than a decade old. Many thanks in advance, Gene Mierzejewski ----------------------------------------------------------- Reposted so as to help clear some of the rubbish from the listings and cache, which may otherwise deter casual readers |
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#12
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What's with fairly recent Modern Library prices?
"Scot Kamins" wrote in message ... In article , "Gene Mierzejewski" wrote: While I've been stunned by the popularity and/or asking prices of some general titles I've listed, I've been floored by the prices of recent Modern Library editions. On the websites I mentioned above, at least a dozen of my books are listed with heftier than expected values, including several at $100+. I (almost) can understand the rage for hypermodern first editions, but the thought of hypermodern Modern Library editions will fry one's brain. I've also seen MLs listed at preposterous prices, Why anybody would pay that much is beyond me, since most newer ML titles are on eBay at frequent intervals for reading copy prices. And it's not BS. I've sold several ML titles at Amazon for sums beyond my wildest dreams, topping out with a copy of Hunter Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" for $75 You got lucky. It happens. I remember just after Thompson died that MLs -- nearly all reprints -- were going for top rates, but just for a couple of weeks when idiot speculators realized that recent MLs are printed in seriously high numbers So I'm still baffled why recent Modern Library have hypermodern first prices. There is no good reason. Sometimes people are just stupid. ----------------------------------------------------------- Reposted so as to help clear some of the rubbish from the listings and cache, which may otherwise deter casual readers |
#13
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What's with fairly recent Modern Library prices?
wrote in message oups.com... Scot Kamins wrote: In article , "Gene Mierzejewski" wrote: While I've been stunned by the popularity and/or asking prices of some general titles I've listed, I've been floored by the prices of recent Modern Library editions. On the websites I mentioned above, at least a dozen of my books are listed with heftier than expected values, including several at $100+. I (almost) can understand the rage for hypermodern first editions, but the thought of hypermodern Modern Library editions will fry one's brain. I've also seen MLs listed at preposterous prices, Why anybody would pay that much is beyond me, since most newer ML titles are on eBay at frequent intervals for reading copy prices. If you used Addall.com frequently, you would not 'be surprised by preposterous prices. With a great many contemporary first editions, it is common to see someone asking anywhere from $75 to several hundred dollars for a book someone else is trying to sell (in identical condition) for $20 or less. When I check on a book in Addall and get my listings in descending price order, if I see there are 95 copies listed for sale, and the highest priced one is listed at $300, then I immediately realize the book is not worth much, and scrolling down the listings usually proves me right, because if there are 95 copes listed starting at $300, there there are going to be many in the same condition at far lower prices. On the other had, if there are THREE copies listed beginning at $300, then the book might be valuable. As far as someone trying to sell a book for several hundred dollars when there are many dozens of copies on sale, including what looks like the identical book for ten or fifteen dollars, then it is hard to conclude anything other than that the person at the top of the descending price list is looking for those suckers who are supposed to be born every minute...Face it folks, there are some shady operators out there. [Memo from the upstairs office.] ----------------------------------------------------------- Reposted so as to help clear some of the rubbish from the listings and cache, which may otherwise deter casual readers |
#14
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What's with fairly recent Modern Library prices?
"Gene Mierzejewski" wrote in message ... I've been a book collector since the dinosaurs ruled Earth (or so it seems), so I can see and -- especially -- smell B.S. when I come across it. When I check prices at abebooks, alibris and addall, I ignore any whacky high prices that are listed. I want to sell my books at a fair price, not hope that some idiot will pay 15 times the value of a book because a website told him or her to make the purchase. I usually find an equitable collector-to-collector price. My goal is to find a good home for a good book. A friend of mine retired about 20 years ago and sold his book collection of about 700 harcover titles -- nearly all first editions -- for a buck apiece to a local shop. I swore then that would never happen to me and it hasn't, thanks to Amazon.com. As for Modern Library titles, I'm not sure they are wanted or needed.But I like 'em. wrote in message oups.com... Scot Kamins wrote: In article , "Gene Mierzejewski" wrote: While I've been stunned by the popularity and/or asking prices of some general titles I've listed, I've been floored by the prices of recent Modern Library editions. On the websites I mentioned above, at least a dozen of my books are listed with heftier than expected values, including several at $100+. I (almost) can understand the rage for hypermodern first editions, but the thought of hypermodern Modern Library editions will fry one's brain. I've also seen MLs listed at preposterous prices, Why anybody would pay that much is beyond me, since most newer ML titles are on eBay at frequent intervals for reading copy prices. If you used Addall.com frequently, you would not 'be surprised by preposterous prices. With a great many contemporary first editions, it is common to see someone asking anywhere from $75 to several hundred dollars for a book someone else is trying to sell (in identical condition) for $20 or less. When I check on a book in Addall and get my listings in descending price order, if I see there are 95 copies listed for sale, and the highest priced one is listed at $300, then I immediately realize the book is not worth much, and scrolling down the listings usually proves me right, because if there are 95 copes listed starting at $300, there there are going to be many in the same condition at far lower prices. On the other had, if there are THREE copies listed beginning at $300, then the book might be valuable. As far as someone trying to sell a book for several hundred dollars when there are many dozens of copies on sale, including what looks like the identical book for ten or fifteen dollars, then it is hard to conclude anything other than that the person at the top of the descending price list is looking for those suckers who are supposed to be born every minute...Face it folks, there are some shady operators out there. [Memo from the upstairs office.] ----------------------------------------------------------- Reposted so as to help clear some of the rubbish from the listings and cache, which may otherwise deter casual readers |
#15
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What's with fairly recent Modern Library prices?
"Scot Kamins" wrote in message ... In article , "Gene Mierzejewski" wrote: As for Modern Library titles, I'm not sure they are wanted or needed.But I like 'em. Are you insane? Of course they're wanted and needed!!!!! ----Scot Kamins Webmaster, Dogeared.com (soon to be ModernLib.com), Home of the Modern Library Collector on the Interne ----------------------------------------------------------- Reposted so as to help clear some of the rubbish from the listings and cache, which may otherwise deter casual readers |
#16
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What's with fairly recent Modern Library prices?
wrote in message oups.com... Scot Kamins wrote: In article , "Gene Mierzejewski" wrote: As for Modern Library titles, I'm not sure they are wanted or needed.But I like 'em. Are you insane? Of course they're wanted and needed!!! He made some good points in a thoughtful post, but I did not go along with that comment either, nor understand why he would make it. By the way. most serious collectors of Modern Library editions want books published no later than the mid-1960's and they want their books to have dust jackets. Unless they merely want reading copies, that is, and if they do they are not serious collectors in the first place. By the way, does anyone know of a good Modern Library collectors' website which has a great many pictures of Modern Library covers prior to the mid-1960's? I noticed posters here touting various Modern Library sites, but the ones I have visited were sadly skimpy regarding cover photographs of older Modern Libraries. They only had a few such pictures, whereas they should have had several hundred. [Memo from the upstairs office.] ----Scot Kamins Webmaster, Dogeared.com (soon to be ModernLib.com), Home of the Modern Library Collector on the Interne ----------------------------------------------------------- Reposted so as to help clear some of the rubbish from the listings and cache, which may otherwise deter casual readers |
#17
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What's with fairly recent Modern Library prices?
On Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:31:57 +0100, "reposter"
wrote: Reposted so as to help clear some of the rubbish from the listings and cache, which may otherwise deter casual readers You don't have a ****ing clue as to how Usenet works, do you? You probably don't even know what Usenet is. Go Google it. Hint: it ain't Google Groups. |
#18
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What's with fairly recent Modern Library prices?
"R. Totale" wrote in message ... On Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:31:57 +0100, "reposter" wrote: Reposted so as to help clear some of the rubbish from the listings and cache, which may otherwise deter casual readers You don't have a ****ing clue as to how Usenet works, do you? Before the reposted material was posted, the Current Views Column of my Newsreader was filled with posts with the following thread titles. I WANT TO -F U C K- someone IN THE A S S ! ! ! F U C K Y O U A L L ! ! ! ! ! Why does everyone hate me??? I'm going to kill myself!!! I WANT TO DIE ! ! ! I want to do porn!!! These are more than enough to dissuade any casual readers from wanting to read any more Now it isn't. I can only assume that you yourself are an imposter, adopting the identity of a regular poster on this NewsGroup, simply in order to adopt an abusive tone and cause even more dissention on this group. __________________________________________________ _____________ Warning: please try not to antagonise or openly confront the imposters, trolls, spammers, or other malcontents infecting this NewsGroup at the present time - or otherwise openly discuss the issues involved. As this only gives such people the recognition they so desperately crave. Or if, despite this, the temptation is still too great, then please remove all crosspostings and check any follow-ups which may have been set before replying. As this at least should prevent too many other malcontents from being drawn in. Thank you. You probably don't even know what Usenet is. Go Google it. Hint: it ain't Google Groups. |
#19
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What's with fairly recent Modern Library prices?
On Fri, 14 Jul 2006 08:20:59 +0100, "reposter"
wrote: "R. Totale" wrote in message .. . On Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:31:57 +0100, "reposter" wrote: Reposted so as to help clear some of the rubbish from the listings and cache, which may otherwise deter casual readers You don't have a ****ing clue as to how Usenet works, do you? Before the reposted material was posted, the Current Views Column of my Newsreader was filled with posts with the following thread titles.... Now it isn't. How nice for you. You really =don't= have a ****ing clue as to how Usenet works, do you? |
#20
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What's with fairly recent Modern Library prices?
"R. Totale" wrote in message ... On Fri, 14 Jul 2006 08:20:59 +0100, "reposter" wrote: "R. Totale" wrote in message .. . On Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:31:57 +0100, "reposter" wrote: Reposted so as to help clear some of the rubbish from the listings and cache, which may otherwise deter casual readers You don't have a ****ing clue as to how Usenet works, do you? Before the reposted material was posted, the Current Views Column of my Newsreader was filled with posts with the following thread titles.... Now it isn't. How nice for you. You really =don't= have a ****ing clue as to how Usenet works, do you? I can only assume that you yourself are an imposter, adopting the identity of a regular poster on this NewsGroup, simply in order to adopt an abusive tone and cause even more dissention on this group. __________________________________________________ _____________ Warning: please try not to antagonise or openly confront the imposters, trolls, spammers, or other malcontents infecting this NewsGroup at the present time - or otherwise openly discuss the issues involved. As this only gives such people the recognition they so desperately crave. Or if, despite this, the temptation is still too great, then please remove all crosspostings and check any follow-ups which may have been set before replying. As this at least should prevent too many other malcontents from being drawn in. Thank you. |
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