Eaton Press, et al

"BobFinnan.com" wrote in message
oups.com...

The Easton Hardy Boys books (leather bound in illustrated slipcovers)
issued in the late 80s now sell for 5 to 10 times the issue price and
are hard to locate (some turn up on eBay with out the slipcover at
lower prices). Not a bad investment!
Easton is now releasing several volumes of the original Tom Swift books
in leather bindings at about $50 each, in which I have so far resisted
"investing".


I already got well caught out on here, in not realising they
issued a deluxe Leather edition of "Winnie the Pooh" back in
1926. The same year as the trade edition.

quote

MILNE, A A
WINNIE - THE - POOH
With Decorations By Ernest H Shepard
London. Methuen & Co. 1926 1st edition. 158pp. 13 x 19 cms Original
full limp leather. There is faint wear to the top and bottom of the
spine and corners. The endpapers are slightly discoloured. There is
a little spotting to random pages. Two pages have a short tear. Overall
a very good copy of the deluxe edition. This deluxe edition is the
first edition and there were 3,000 copies issued.

$2500.00 AUD

quote

michael adams




.................................................. .
Bob Finnan
The Hardy Boys Unofficial Home Page
http://hardyboys.bobfinnan.com
New & Out Of Print Books, Tapes, DVD's, CD-ROMs and More For Sale
http://hardyboys.bobfinnan.com/amazon.htm
.................................................. .

The Folio boxed set of Jan (James) Morris PAX BRITANNICA is(are) truly nice
book(s) to have and read. Maybe not leather, but a damn sight better than
Penguin!!! Ditto for some of the classics. However, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A
NOBODY remains poor no matter what the edition...

Willow


"michael adams" wrote in message
...

"John Machin" wrote in message
...
michael adams wrote:
[snip]

These books aren't imported in large quantities to the UK in any
case. Maybe because the UK is relatively snowed under with genuine
old leather in various states of decrepitude already, with Victorian
Leather Sets by the yard all destined to fall victim to rot red.
While nobody wants to emulate successful Victorians any more in any
case. Except Oil Sheiks in tweeds. Nowadays those seeking to impress
are more likely to purchase ever-larger plasma TV screens.

And anyway we had the Heron Library - a seemingly never ending
succession of truly excerable sets, bound in richly "decorated" (sic)
"Skivertex" (sic)- an imitation plastic leather. i.e not even
genuine plastic leather. Series of these were sold off of garish
full page ads in TV Listings magazines, supplements and the like.


Where does the Folio Society rank in your bestiary?


As I said in my original post in respect of Easton and Franklin,
having classic texts in a "deluxe" format, can prove useful for people
looking for an acceptable copy of a much-loved text where originals
are out of the question. As I said there, my own objection to
Easton and Franklin is mainly to do with the modern leather bindings =
which are more like leather coverings as I understand it - complete
with fake raised bands. As I doubt these are as robust as traditional
leather.

One big plus with Folio Society books is the slipcase - which is
usually still present in second-hand offerings and can make a
significant contribution to maintaining pristine condition in
books bought to be re-read over ensuing decades. Also the fact
that Folio Society books aren't setting out to consciously mimic
any other format, other than 20th century, cloth bound Private
Press books gives them more legitimacy IMO.

There are differences of opinion regarding the illustrations -
both in general, for particular illustrators, and for particular
titles. Apparently the cognoscenti rate the earlier letterpress
editions rather more highly than the subsequent offset productions.
As I never follow the market I wouldn't know if this translates
into prices. And when exactly the changeover happened - maybe in
the 80's.

There's probably no better way of obtaining a nicely produced edition
of say Jane Austen, than in a second-hand Folio Edition set. Which are
as possibly as authoritative as the Oxford Standard Authors edition,
although I wouldn't swear to it. Complete with slipcases there's
100's of years of reading of nicely printed, snow white pages there.

As to subscribing rather than buying second-hand, that's another
matter.


michael adams

...

"Willow Arune" wrote in message
news:8rAwf.55982$tl.22259@pd7tw3no...
The Folio boxed set of Jan (James) Morris PAX BRITANNICA is(are)
truly nice book(s) to have and read. Maybe not leather, but a
damn sight better than Penguin!!! Ditto for some of the classics.
However, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A NOBODY remains poor no matter what
the edition...

Willow


Indeed. Although I much prefer "The Diary of a Nobody" myself.
The tone of which, is often more than amply mirrored in the
ramblings of our very own Charles Pooter, Chris Barker.


michael adams

....

And the funny thing is, even now you can buy autographed books by Pres.
Carter and Bush and original prices (then sell for $2000 to send your son to
Harvard, or, with any class, Oxford or Cambridge).

TTFN,
Willow


"BobFinnan.com" wrote in message
oups.com...
The Easton Hardy Boys books (leather bound in illustrated slipcovers)
issued in the late 80s now sell for 5 to 10 times the issue price and
are hard to locate (some turn up on eBay with out the slipcover at
lower prices). Not a bad investment!
Easton is now releasing several volumes of the original Tom Swift books
in leather bindings at about $50 each, in which I have so far resisted
"investing".
.................................................. .
Bob Finnan
The Hardy Boys Unofficial Home Page
http://hardyboys.bobfinnan.com
New & Out Of Print Books, Tapes, DVD's, CD-ROMs and More For Sale
http://hardyboys.bobfinnan.com/amazon.htm
.................................................. .

michael adams wrote:
"mdobson" wrote in message
...
Hi,

New to the hobby. :-)

I see a lot of books on eBay with the preface "Eaton Press" and
"Franklin Library."

Are these the modern day version of the Reader's Digest books?

Cheers,

Mike

...

Nope. Readers Digest Books are usually condensed versions of
popular books - the editorial content has been changed.

You are behind the times on this one. Readers
Digest has a nice line of inexpensive illustrated
classics which are complete and unabridged.
They compare favorably with other versions of
the same classics offered at a similar modest
price.

For instance, their version of Jack London's
THE SEA WOLF is very nice, and in fact it is
the only new edition of this powerful story that
I have noticed lately.

As to the notorious Readers Digest
condensations, I suspect I share the feelings
of most literate folks the You would
have to pay me a lot of money to take
them.

[From the upstairs office]

Willow Arune wrote:
Franklin goes to a writer - Nelson DeMille or Gore Vidal, and offers them
some cash if they allow their next book to be put out in a "limited
edition". Franklin then sells "memberships" so that members can or must
buy the next books to be released.

These are artificial "first editions", nicely bound in leather and tooled in
gold. But, they are not the limited boxed and signed books put out for
favourite writers by publishers (normally 250 or so)and the number of books
published is not released. Like trinkets at the mall, these are
manufactured collectibles and unworthy of any true collector, who always
goes for the first trade edition.

You are a bit too restrictive there. As I have
I argued in this group before, there are all
sorts of "true book collectors" and first
edition freaks are only one sort. I would
paraphrase your remark to something on
the order of, "Among collectors who
specialize in first editions, it is the first
trade edition which is most highly
valued."

Further, lets give Easton and
Franklin credit for publishing fine books,
which should never be equated with
"trinkets at the mall." While you are
right in noting that such books are not
good bets for investment speculation,
they look wonderful in libraries and
what's wrong with that?

Personally, I prize Heritage books
more. If I could choose, I would much
rather have a complete run of good old
cloth Heritages in fine condition than
a complete set of Eastons or
Franklins. The only thing I don't like
about Heritages is the slip-cases.

[From the upstairs office.]

Some Franklins can be had for half the original price.

True, and I just saw a complete set of
Great Books in fine condition at about
one-half the original price. Fifty
Modern Libraries of the same '50's
vintage would have proved a far better
investment.

Many at only the
original price at retail. I have yet to see one that has been read and
suspect that those who buy them also buy tooled books by the yard.

[...]

Willow Arune wrote:
The Folio boxed set of Jan (James) Morris PAX BRITANNICA is(are) truly nice
book(s) to have and read. Maybe not leather,

In my view, a fine cloth book, such as you
find with many Abrams, is superior, not
only to a damnable SKIVER, but to most
leather books.

[from the upstairs office; really
wound up tonight.]

but a damn sight better than
Penguin!!! Ditto for some of the classics. However, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A
NOBODY remains poor no matter what the edition...

Willow


"michael adams" wrote in message
...

"John Machin" wrote in message
...
michael adams wrote:
[snip]

These books aren't imported in large quantities to the UK in any
case. Maybe because the UK is relatively snowed under with genuine
old leather in various states of decrepitude already, with Victorian
Leather Sets by the yard all destined to fall victim to rot red.
While nobody wants to emulate successful Victorians any more in any
case. Except Oil Sheiks in tweeds. Nowadays those seeking to impress
are more likely to purchase ever-larger plasma TV screens.

And anyway we had the Heron Library - a seemingly never ending
succession of truly excerable sets, bound in richly "decorated" (sic)
"Skivertex" (sic)- an imitation plastic leather. i.e not even
genuine plastic leather. Series of these were sold off of garish
full page ads in TV Listings magazines, supplements and the like.


Where does the Folio Society rank in your bestiary?


As I said in my original post in respect of Easton and Franklin,
having classic texts in a "deluxe" format, can prove useful for people
looking for an acceptable copy of a much-loved text where originals
are out of the question. As I said there, my own objection to
Easton and Franklin is mainly to do with the modern leather bindings =
which are more like leather coverings as I understand it - complete
with fake raised bands. As I doubt these are as robust as traditional
leather.

One big plus with Folio Society books is the slipcase - which is
usually still present in second-hand offerings and can make a
significant contribution to maintaining pristine condition in
books bought to be re-read over ensuing decades. Also the fact
that Folio Society books aren't setting out to consciously mimic
any other format, other than 20th century, cloth bound Private
Press books gives them more legitimacy IMO.

There are differences of opinion regarding the illustrations -
both in general, for particular illustrators, and for particular
titles. Apparently the cognoscenti rate the earlier letterpress
editions rather more highly than the subsequent offset productions.
As I never follow the market I wouldn't know if this translates
into prices. And when exactly the changeover happened - maybe in
the 80's.

There's probably no better way of obtaining a nicely produced edition
of say Jane Austen, than in a second-hand Folio Edition set. Which are
as possibly as authoritative as the Oxford Standard Authors edition,
although I wouldn't swear to it. Complete with slipcases there's
100's of years of reading of nicely printed, snow white pages there.

As to subscribing rather than buying second-hand, that's another
matter.


michael adams

...

michael adams wrote:
"Willow Arune" wrote in message
news:8rAwf.55982$tl.22259@pd7tw3no...

Sometimes I wish certain people in this
group could try shedding their Philistine
outlooks for once.

Maybe we need a new group for some
people: rec.financial-speculation.books
or some such verbal monstrosity.

What's got Bill Palmer's goat now,
you ask? Well, here we are having
a discussion of two publishers of
some of the finest books being published
today, and so many people are grumbling
because the books in question don't
generally make good monetary investments --
when we limit ourselves to financial
speculation. In my view many Franklin
and Easton books DO make good
investments -- but as books to keep
in one's home, not as books to sell
at a profit. Just enjoy them, stop
fretting about what you can or can't
sell them for down the road. Reading
some of these threads, one could
come to the conclusion that this is
a group for a pack of greedy book
speculators with dollar signs in their
eyes, rather than for people
who collect books because they
love them. Sad.

In an earliler post I mentioned Jack
London's THE SEA WOLF. I think my
Readers Digest edition cost me $6.50,
used in like-new condition. I had
wanted a nice hard cover edition of
that novel for a long time, since all
I had was an old paperback copy.
Having this book means a great
deal to me, first and formost
because I have such a high
opinion of London's story.

On top of that, the front board design
is pleasant and appropriate in design
with the whites and blues that
complement the sailing ship.
(No dust jacket issued with this
line of books.)

Further, the paper is reasonably
good and the print is large. The
book is not an abridgement but
a reprint of the 1904 edition. Now,
should I feel cheated like a foolish
spender because next
year I perhaps can't sell this
wonderful book for $20 and
thereby triple my "investment"?

Let's start enjoying the wonderful
things we have and let's stop worrying
about what we can sell them for
later. Let's leave that sort of
thing for the sports memorabilia
crowd and the cabbage patch
doll crowd, let's banish "book
valuation by crass speculation"
from our little book collecting forum...

[From the upstairs office]



...

wrote in message
oups.com...

You are behind the times on this one. Readers
Digest has a nice line of inexpensive illustrated
classics which are complete and unabridged.
They compare favorably with other versions of
the same classics offered at a similar modest
price.

....

As it happens Palmer, in The UK at least, Readers Digest
bring out some very well produced large format Non Fiction.
The "Readers Digest Encycloplopaedia of Garden Plants and
Flowers" - around 20 years old now - for one, is among the
best of its kind. Others of their titles - "How is It
Done", "Inventions That Changed the World" from the 80's
and 90's are exemplars of colour layouts of the period and
can often be had in near mint condition for a quid or so
in Charity Shops. And are a pleasure to skim through,
in idle moments. Only the other week I picked up
"The Readers Digest Book of Facts" - mint hardback 1985
431 pages of short articles, tables, lists, maps,
illustrations, for 60p in a Charity Shop.
"That's a lot of Facts for 60p" I quipped to the senior
citizen behind the counter behind the counter with a smile.
No reaction at all. Other assistants in the same or other
shops want to inspect every book you buy, reading sample
passages to themselves before seeking to start a discussion
on their merits.
Very old Reader's Digests can resonate for me, because one
of the "grown-ups" used to buy them in the 50's and the
advertisements can be very evocative of the period as well.


michael adams

....


As to the notorious Readers Digest
condensations, I suspect I share the feelings
of most literate folks the You would
have to pay me a lot of money to take
them.

[From the upstairs office]

wrote in message
oups.com...

michael adams wrote:
"Willow Arune" wrote in message
news:8rAwf.55982$tl.22259@pd7tw3no...

Sometimes I wish certain people in this
group could try shedding their Philistine
outlooks for once.

Maybe we need a new group for some
people: rec.financial-speculation.books
or some such verbal monstrosity.

What's got Bill Palmer's goat now,
you ask?

Now see, if you'd asked "what's Bill Palmer's goat got now?" the answer
would be obvious: syphilis. But as formulated the question's a bit of a
puzzler. So do go on. I'm on the edge of my seat.


Well, here we are having
a discussion of two publishers of
some of the finest books being published
today, and so many people are grumbling
because the books in question don't
generally make good monetary investments --
when we limit ourselves to financial
speculation. In my view many Franklin
and Easton books DO make good
investments -- but as books to keep
in one's home, not as books to sell
at a profit. Just enjoy them, stop
fretting about what you can or can't
sell them for down the road. Reading
some of these threads, one could
come to the conclusion that this is
a group for a pack of greedy book
speculators with dollar signs in their
eyes, rather than for people
who collect books because they
love them. Sad.

In an earliler post I mentioned Jack
London's THE SEA WOLF. I think my
Readers Digest edition cost me $6.50,
used in like-new condition. I had
wanted a nice hard cover edition of
that novel for a long time, since all
I had was an old paperback copy.
Having this book means a great
deal to me, first and formost
because I have such a high
opinion of London's story.

On top of that, the front board design
is pleasant and appropriate in design
with the whites and blues that
complement the sailing ship.
(No dust jacket issued with this
line of books.)

Further, the paper is reasonably
good and the print is large. The
book is not an abridgement but
a reprint of the 1904 edition. Now,
should I feel cheated like a foolish
spender because next
year I perhaps can't sell this
wonderful book for $20 and
thereby triple my "investment"?

Let's start enjoying the wonderful
things we have and let's stop worrying
about what we can sell them for
later. Let's leave that sort of
thing for the sports memorabilia
crowd and the cabbage patch
doll crowd, let's banish "book
valuation by crass speculation"
from our little book collecting forum...

[From the upstairs office]



...