Newbie collector

Ali wrote:

It is however missing a plate,$B!!(Band wonder over the value of
finding a very battered copy that still$B!!(Bcontains this one
plate, and rebinding my copy with the missing plate.

It's worth trying to get hold of a replacement plate, yes. However, I
wouldn't go for rebinding. I believe the original plates were tipped in;
would it possible - if you could find a replacement - to do the same again?
Or is the whole page missing?

As for getting a plate, well, the cheapest copy on ABE at the moment is an
ex-library copy at $400. That would be a lot of money to pay, and at $400 it
would be an expensive book to disfigure. Kind of like robbing Peter to pay
Paul.

One possibility is to try and make or get hold of a colour facsimile. Of
course, it's not as good as the real thing, but it would be better than
nothing. Another possibility would be to get a cheaper copy, remove the
plate from the cheaper copy and make a colour facsimile of it yourself. Then
you could place the original plate in the more expensive copy, and put the
facsimile in the less pricey one. You could then resell the cheaper copy
(stating clearly, of course, that one of the prints was a facsimile), and -
though you probably won't get what you paid for it - you'll at least be able
to cut your losses.

Whatever you do, try to make it as reversible as possible. If you tip it in,
glue it very lightly. If you can't tip it in, consider just laying it in
(i.e., placing it between the pages without gluing it down). If the whole
page has been removed and you want to replace that as well as the plate, try
and attach the new page to the stub of the missing page and, if that's
impossible, just lay it in.

Would rebinding be cost efficient? Or does rebinding
detract from the book?

No, rebinding isn't really cost-efficient. There was a time when having a
book rebound in leather would enhance a book's value, but these days most
collectors have come to prefer copies in their original binding wherever
possible. Some collectors go for "fancy bindings", but in general, unless
the binding is really poor (in which case having it rebound would increase
its value by about the same amount as the actual cost of rebinding), having
the book in its original cloth is a bonus.

It's currently in it's original form of green muir clothe with gold
gilt. I have seen some advertised with blue muir clothe.

Sometimes, in cases like this, no preference has been established and it
doesn't matter. Often, though, this kind of thing is what's called an "issue
point", i.e., one colour is recognised as being an earlier issue than the
other. One ABE seller offering this book says "Binding is First", which
suggests that in this case maybe it *is* an issue point. To get to the
bottom of it, you need to have the right reference work or at least be able
to bend the ear of someone else who has it.

Good luck!

--
John
http://rarebooksinjapan.com

"Ali" wrote in message
...

My other subjects of choice would be philosophy and theology, again which
authors though? Who truly are the heavy weights of our time? The ones
that
wont be lost, the latest Kant's so to speak...??



Well, I'll put a plug in for my favorite "100 Best" list from the last
century:

http://www.harpercollins.com/hc/abou...piritbooks.htm

One could do worse than exploring some of these authors. (I collect
Catholic convert literature--testimonials, auto/biography, memoirs,
apologetics, etc.--and so I am quite interested to see 17 Catholic converts
on that list.)

I concur with what's been said about collecting what interests you. You
should read, though, about collecting in general--just so you don't get
taken in--but balance that with reading about your area of interest: that's
what will make you a great collector, expansive knowledge of the subject
matter. That will also allow you to trade and sell works in your area of
interest (that don't fit into your collection) that you find cheap and can
sell dear.

My collecting takes an academic bent. I believe collecting can and should
advance knowledge. So if you have the funds and the knowledge to collect
important modern philosophy or theology, more power to you. Here is an
example of what can still be done with an intense focus on one early modern
philosopher (or philosophically minded writer)--Francis Pottiée-Sperry's
Montaigne collection:

http://www.shareholder.com/bid/news/20031103-121511.cfm


Good luck,

William M. Klimon
http://www.catholicbookcollector.com

Ali wrote:
....

I have a 1924, Hodder & Stoughton, Hans Christian Anderson, compilation of
fairy tales illustrated by Kay Neilson (he did fantasia for disney).

My great-grandmother brought this book, and read it to my father, who read
it to me and my many siblings when we were children. Nothing in the world
would make me want to part with this book. It is however missing a plate,
.... [snip]

I'll leave the value of rebinding question to others.

You might try searching antique stores and art print galleries
for the missing plate - There are a lot of antique and print
dealers that chop up books and frame the plates. You might
find the missing plate for a lot less than even a poor
condition book. [it will be harder to find since the plate
won't show up in databases and many dealers won't even
know what book the plate came from.]

Unfortunately for book lovers, cutting out plates is usually
more profitable than selling the book. [I was in an antique
store while the owner was slicing and dicing a hundred year
old book with nice plates. The book was in excellent shape.
What bothered me the most was that the owner viewed old books
as a source of plates to frame and sell to decorators - she
didn't care about the book or the plates, it was just
something to sell for a profit.]



Brian



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Thank you for those links... couldn't read the French except for the
numbers....

You know Tolkien looks soooo out of place on that list ;-)

I've always thought that the study of English Lit. was a fundamentally
arrogant subject.... I think this list proves it.

Things need to be read in their original languages....

Thanks again
Ali

"William M. Klimon" wrote in message
news:2C5cc.12368$pM1.2998@lakeread06...
"Ali" wrote in message
...

My other subjects of choice would be philosophy and theology, again
which
authors though? Who truly are the heavy weights of our time? The ones
that
wont be lost, the latest Kant's so to speak...??



Well, I'll put a plug in for my favorite "100 Best" list from the last
century:

http://www.harpercollins.com/hc/abou...piritbooks.htm

One could do worse than exploring some of these authors. (I collect
Catholic convert literature--testimonials, auto/biography, memoirs,
apologetics, etc.--and so I am quite interested to see 17 Catholic
converts
on that list.)

I concur with what's been said about collecting what interests you. You
should read, though, about collecting in general--just so you don't get
taken in--but balance that with reading about your area of interest:
that's
what will make you a great collector, expansive knowledge of the subject
matter. That will also allow you to trade and sell works in your area of
interest (that don't fit into your collection) that you find cheap and can
sell dear.

My collecting takes an academic bent. I believe collecting can and should
advance knowledge. So if you have the funds and the knowledge to collect
important modern philosophy or theology, more power to you. Here is an
example of what can still be done with an intense focus on one early
modern
philosopher (or philosophically minded writer)--Francis Pottiée-Sperry's
Montaigne collection:

http://www.shareholder.com/bid/news/20031103-121511.cfm


Good luck,

William M. Klimon
http://www.catholicbookcollector.com

On Sun, 4 Apr 2004 06:33:15 UTC, "Ali"
wrote:

Hello All

I'm interested in books, always spent far too much time with my nose glued
to the page.... I've recently decided to attempt turning my habit into a
hobby. To move from reading (that's what libraries are for) to collecting.

I acquired some old books (nothing worth writing home about) from an elderly
aunt and thought maybe I could extend the tradition....

I read the page at the ilab web site about collecting books....
fundamentally puts me off the whole idea really..... there are so many don't
's and so very few do's that it looks remarkably like a mine field.

Collecting for profit is a loosing proposition, unless you want to go
into dealing.

Just collect what you like. I work in the business and I collect
Martin Gardner. No financial prospects there.

--
Mark Heaely
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com

Hi Brian

Thanks for highlighting this to people. I think my chances of finding this
in NZ are remote... anyway I just went through the book to be sure I know
what I'm talking about and lo' and behold there's two missing.....

The Hardy Tin Soilder pg. 40 & The Nightingale pg 80.

If anyone spots these on their rounds, I would be more than interested in
hearing from them...

Thanks again
Brian

"Brian" wrote in message
...


Ali wrote:
...

I have a 1924, Hodder & Stoughton, Hans Christian Anderson, compilation
of
fairy tales illustrated by Kay Neilson (he did fantasia for disney).

My great-grandmother brought this book, and read it to my father, who
read
it to me and my many siblings when we were children. Nothing in the
world
would make me want to part with this book. It is however missing a
plate,
... [snip]

I'll leave the value of rebinding question to others.

You might try searching antique stores and art print galleries
for the missing plate - There are a lot of antique and print
dealers that chop up books and frame the plates. You might
find the missing plate for a lot less than even a poor
condition book. [it will be harder to find since the plate
won't show up in databases and many dealers won't even
know what book the plate came from.]

Unfortunately for book lovers, cutting out plates is usually
more profitable than selling the book. [I was in an antique
store while the owner was slicing and dicing a hundred year
old book with nice plates. The book was in excellent shape.
What bothered me the most was that the owner viewed old books
as a source of plates to frame and sell to decorators - she
didn't care about the book or the plates, it was just
something to sell for a profit.]



Brian



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

Would rebinding be cost efficient? Or does rebinding
detract from the book?

No, rebinding isn't really cost-efficient.

True, I often buy a leather volume for less than the price of the binding were
I to bind it again today.

There was a time when having a
book rebound in leather would enhance a book's value, but these days most
collectors have come to prefer copies in their original binding wherever
possible. Some collectors go for "fancy bindings", but in general, unless
the binding is really poor (in which case having it rebound would increase
its value by about the same amount as the actual cost of rebinding), having
the book in its original cloth is a bonus.

I am a book collector with a preference for leather bindings -I believe a
library of leather bound books is a work of art just to behold -especially if
they are carefully selected favorites. I don't collect "furniture books"
(pretty binding, no regard to content). I am transported just by walking into
the room....

THAT SAID... my antiquarian dealers increasingly suggest that I DON'T rebind in
leather but have a leather spined slip case custom made for the book. I
haven't done it yet, but I think I can accept that as a solution -if the
original binding is in good enough shape. (Note: Biltmore Estate in
Asheville, NC lost tens of thousands of dollars to thieves who took the books
and left empty slip cases. Unnoticed for a long time.)
-kevin

Brian wrote:

You might try searching antique stores and art print galleries
for the missing plate

In this case the OP needs to be a little careful, since (I believe) his
edition is a folio, and most editions were quarto.
--
John
http://rarebooksinjapan.com

On Mon, 5 Apr 2004 09:30:52 +1200, "Ali"
declared:

Robert

The sound of gunfire, off in the distance, I'm getting used to it now
Lived in a brownstone, lived in the ghetto, I've lived all over this town
This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no fooling around

This is not a quote I recognise, what is it from?


talking heads - life during wartime


Robert

The sound of gunfire, off in the distance, I'm getting used to it now
Lived in a brownstone, lived in the ghetto, I've lived all over this town
This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no fooling around

It's worth trying to get hold of a replacement plate, yes. However, I
wouldn't go for rebinding. I believe the original plates were tipped in;
would it possible - if you could find a replacement - to do the same
again?
Or is the whole page missing?

Unfortunately the whole page is missing....

As for getting a plate, well, the cheapest copy on ABE at the moment is an
ex-library copy at $400. That would be a lot of money to pay, and at $400
it
would be an expensive book to disfigure. Kind of like robbing Peter to pay
Paul.

Hmmm.... I see your point. Let's just hope some luck will come my way, and
I stumble across them....

On the subject of repairs.... I have a signed Friedman (theology/philosophy)
with some spine bumping and some creasing to the edges of it's dj. Is there
anyway of removing the bumping and creasing? I am pedantic about this sort
of thing.... ;-)