If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Ethics and Ebay
Browsing around the internet this evening, I've come across two
interesting examples of Ebay selling which appear to flirt dangerously close to unethical behaviour. First up there is the publisher who appears to be selling-off his own letters and the proofs submitted to him by authors he has published. For example, John Pelan (user name at Ebay 'jpelan') described a set of Thomas Ligotti proofs that he sold thus: "Ligotti, Thomas - THE AGONIZING RESURRECTION OF VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN & OTHER GOTHIC TALES (Silver Salamander Press 1994) A once in a lifetime opportunity! These are the publisher's working page proofs of the rarest of all Thomas Ligotti books. The 500-copy paperback sells for around $250, the 140-copy hardcover for about $600.00, the 40-copy black leather state for around $1200.00, the red leather contributor copy (of which there were a dozen) sells for $2500.00 But this? This is the ONLY copy of this item. Loose page proofs in display folder with letter from publisher John Pelan inviting Mr. Ligotti to assemble a volume of his uncollected work and a letter from Mr. Ligotti agreeing to the project and signed in full! The page proofs themselves bear several hand corrections. I cannot emphasize strongly enough how unique an opportunity this is for the serious collector. Should bids exceed the $2000 mark payment arrangements may be made so long as a downpayment of at least 50% is tendered. Winner will pay $7.00 for insured shipping within the US (more if overseas) Photos will be added tomorrow or e-mail me at for a scan. If you are collecting ephemera of this type please e-mail me or book mark us; I am in the process of liquidating my rather extensive collection of manuscripts, proofs, galleys, and whatnot. Authors included in this collection include myself, Edward Lee, Elizabeth Massie, Lucy Taylor, Jack Ketchum, Michael Shea, and many, many more. I've simply run out of room and it's either the books and magazines or the ephemera which has to go... My loss is your gain! Cheers, John Pelan" Obviously no law is being broken here, but I wonder what other publishers and writers (indeed, collectors) think about the ethics of this type of opportunism? And where might it end? Could folk start producing 'unique' letters and new sets of proofs and galleys to feed Ebay demand? And should writers be wary about corresponding with or submitting to a publisher who may later sell on their private letters and manuscripts? Case Two involves the seller who is apparently pirating-on-demand DVDs of BBC and BFI in-copyright material. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...80976 37&rd=1 Speaking as the owner of several rare never-since-repeated video tapes, I have always been extremely wary about making copies for even close friends. Certainly I would never dream of making DVD copies and mass-marketing them through Ebay, though I do sympathise with people who feel forced into procuring even an illegally pirated copy. But what of the ethics? CB |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
|
#3
|
|||
|
|||
What Barker says is unimportant, so we do not hear his words.
Kevin L. O'Brien |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
John Pelan wrote: On 12 Jan 2005 16:59:04 -0800, wrote: The comments of a bitter failed bookseller with an eBay feedback of less than 20 are hardly relevant to anything. I certainly wouldn't buy anything from such a source. Nor, do I imagine will anyone else. The list of authors and publishers that sell off such ephemera is simply endless, but one could hardly expect a semi-literate layabout such as Barker to know that. jpelan Every reasonably argued comment is of relevance. "A bitter failed bookseller?" How amusing. I suppose you could add to that a failed astronaut, actor and accountant, since I haven't tried any of those professions either. Besides, with me bookselling is an occasional hobby. With you, it seems to be a careful and deliberate manipulation of the Midnight House customer through a policy of maximum income extraction. What's next? The auctionning-off of a hand-written letter from the world-famous genre author John Pelan to his granny, with said granny thrown in for free? Conversely, one could argue that *you* are a 'bitter failed' publisher, because of your need to sell on your own business papers. Why not sell the large collection of signed Evelyn Waugh's and Graham Greene's that you once lied about owning? They'd raise funds far quicker than the listing of your rejection letters from Wrestlers Weekly. Oh, and you forgot to remind your potential Ebay customers that your business ephemera comes with an authetication certificate from the HWA Chairman Of Trustees, "Validating its Supreme Importance in the History of Horror Fiction." CB |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
You clearly don't know your Mark Twain.
CB |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Whatever.
|
#7
|
|||
|
|||
On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 10:33:14 -0000, "michael adams"
wrote: trimmed to rec.collecting.books wrote in message roups.com... Obviously no law is being broken here, but I wonder what other publishers and writers (indeed, collectors) think about the ethics of this type of opportunism? ... Where's the opportunism? He's not attempting to disguise his identity as the publisher. And this material is his property to sell. And clearly the market can decide what it thinks. How else do you imagine such material can come onto the market? Do you imagine the fairies steal it from the drawers of forgetful publishers, and deposit it on the shelves of equally forgetful and unquestioning booksellers ? michael adams Now we know why Hoppy failed on ABE!!!! He was waiting for the fairies to bring him new stock! Poor Mr. Barker, things just seem to move along too fast for him... Cheers, John |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Ethics of Book Disbinding... | Palladiotypist | Books | 14 | December 20th 04 06:49 PM |
do not forward OFF this group that Xlist | dahoov2 | Autographs | 4 | March 9th 04 03:45 AM |
High shipping fees on eBay | Dan Hughes | Autographs | 14 | December 31st 03 03:47 PM |