Book club edition of Da Vinci Code

I ordered The Da Vinci Code from Doubleday Book Club. The edition I received
states that it is a first printing (April 2003) and has the same ISBN no. as
the "first printings" selling on the internet for almost $200 US.
Considering I am under the impression that Book Club editions aren't
valuable, can anyone explain if this edition is a "real" first? I'm waiting
to find out before I read it!
Thanks,
Linda Walton
www.nowallsbookstore.com

"Linda Walton" wrote in message
.rogers.com...
I ordered The Da Vinci Code from Doubleday Book Club. The edition I
received
states that it is a first printing (April 2003) and has the same ISBN no.
as
the "first printings" selling on the internet for almost $200 US.
Considering I am under the impression that Book Club editions aren't
valuable, can anyone explain if this edition is a "real" first?

Right below the 'April 2003' will be a number line...IF it starts with '1'
then you MIGHT have a first printing...also, there needs to be a price on
the dustjacket...if there is no price, it is not a first printing. And, if
there is no number line at all below the 'April 2003' then it also not a
first printing...Read away!

Thanks. Well, one for two. There is a number line that starts with "1" but
no price on the dustjacket. I don't understand but I guess I'll read
away?????

"B. Hamill" wrote in message
news:PA7vc.2907$sI.4@attbi_s52...
"Linda Walton" wrote in message
.rogers.com...
I ordered The Da Vinci Code from Doubleday Book Club. The edition I
received
states that it is a first printing (April 2003) and has the same ISBN
no.
as
the "first printings" selling on the internet for almost $200 US.
Considering I am under the impression that Book Club editions aren't
valuable, can anyone explain if this edition is a "real" first?

Right below the 'April 2003' will be a number line...IF it starts with '1'
then you MIGHT have a first printing...also, there needs to be a price on
the dustjacket...if there is no price, it is not a first printing. And, if
there is no number line at all below the 'April 2003' then it also not a
first printing...Read away!

"Linda Walton" wrote in message
ers.com...
Thanks. Well, one for two. There is a number line that starts with "1" but
no price on the dustjacket. I don't understand but I guess I'll read
away?????

That's actually interesting...what that MIGHT mean is the book IS a first
printing, but then farmed out to the bookclub, put with a no-price
dustjacket, then sent to you...it might have been sitting in a warehouse for
awhile..if the number line goes '1 2 3...' and so on, then by all rights it
is a first edition...you could find a regular book with a dustjacket with a
price, put it with that book, and that would give you a first printing, for
what's it worth....so maybe don't read it yet (ah...go ahead)

Another thing to check for would be the "blind stamp" on the rear cover. Lower
left corner of the back of the book might have a small stamped indentation if
it's a book club edition.

Dave

I have a book club edition of Alice Sebold's "Lovely Bones" that looks
like a genuine first edition, based on the copyright page. But the
binding of this book is distinctly different from the true first
edition. The BCE binding doesn't look cheap like so many book club
books, but it is different.

DKM


On Wed, 02 Jun 2004 03:17:33 GMT, "B. Hamill"
wrote:


"Linda Walton" wrote in message
gers.com...
Thanks. Well, one for two. There is a number line that starts with "1" but
no price on the dustjacket. I don't understand but I guess I'll read
away?????

That's actually interesting...what that MIGHT mean is the book IS a first
printing, but then farmed out to the bookclub, put with a no-price
dustjacket, then sent to you...it might have been sitting in a warehouse for
awhile..if the number line goes '1 2 3...' and so on, then by all rights it
is a first edition...you could find a regular book with a dustjacket with a
price, put it with that book, and that would give you a first printing, for
what's it worth....so maybe don't read it yet (ah...go ahead)



To contact me directly, send EMAIL to (single letters all)
DEE_KAY_EMM AT EarthLink.net. [For example .]

"B. Hamill" wrote...

"Linda Walton" wrote...
Thanks. Well, one for two. There is a number line that starts with "1"
but
no price on the dustjacket. I don't understand but I guess I'll read
away?????

That's actually interesting...what that MIGHT mean is the book IS a first
printing, but then farmed out to the bookclub, put with a no-price
dustjacket, then sent to you...it might have been sitting in a warehouse
for
awhile..if the number line goes '1 2 3...' and so on, then by all rights
it
is a first edition...you could find a regular book with a dustjacket with
a
price, put it with that book, and that would give you a first printing,
for
what's it worth....so maybe don't read it yet (ah...go ahead)

Although certainly not unheard of, this isn't very likely. Book clubs
almost always produce their own editions, which differ in size and/or
materials from the publishers' editions. And the presence of the number
line doesn't mean much; many BCEs carry number lines--but they're still
BCEs. My guess is that a side-by-side comparison of the club edition with a
publisher's edition of The Da Vinci Code would show several differences in
the binding materials.


--
Jon Meyers
(To reply, lose
your way)

"Daveblues" wrote...
Another thing to check for would be the "blind stamp" on the rear cover.
Lower
left corner of the back of the book might have a small stamped indentation
if
it's a book club edition.


The blind stamp was typically associated with BOMC, not Doubleday Book
Club--although, since both were operated by Doubleday (these days, Random
House, which owns Doubleday) they both might have used it. In any case, I'm
pretty sure they stopped using blind stamps a few years ago, so it wouldn't
appear on such a recent book.


--
Jon Meyers
(To reply, lose
your way)

Linda Walton wrote:

There is a number line that starts with "1" but
no price on the dustjacket.

You can get a long way looking at other sellers' descriptions. Here's
one from ABE (http://dogbert.abebooks.com):

"This is a true first edition, with a price ($24.95) on DJ flap. (7
3/4 " wide x 9 3/4 " tall). Not the smaller book club edition."

Of course, sellers can give wrong descriptions, but it's something to
go on.

Another common thing to check for is a blindstamp on the back of the
cloth cover. The blindstamp is often (apart from the lack of a price
on the d/j) the only way to tell a book club edition from a genuine
first.

----
John
http://rarebooksinjapan.cm

On Wed, 2 Jun 2004 03:17:33 UTC, "B. Hamill"
wrote:


"Linda Walton" wrote in message
ers.com...
Thanks. Well, one for two. There is a number line that starts with "1" but
no price on the dustjacket. I don't understand but I guess I'll read
away?????

That's actually interesting...what that MIGHT mean is the book IS a first
printing, but then farmed out to the bookclub, put with a no-price
dustjacket, then sent to you...it might have been sitting in a warehouse for
awhile..if the number line goes '1 2 3...' and so on, then by all rights it
is a first edition...you could find a regular book with a dustjacket with a
price, put it with that book, and that would give you a first printing, for
what's it worth....so maybe don't read it yet (ah...go ahead)

Look for a little divot on the lower right of the back board. When
the above is done they stamp in that divot.

If you get a true first, sell it quickly. Midnight in the Garden of
Good and Evil used to fetch those kinds of prices. Now you can get
one for about $12.00. I'd bet money that that's going to happen with
this one.


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