Modern Library Opinion

Hi.

I just saw the collection of an avid Modern Library collector. The
collection, over 2000 books (probably a little more than 800 titles) was
impressive- he had numerous copies of titles, some rarer illustrated
editions with slipcase, a large majority of first editions and even had the
more scarce leatherette early twentieth century editions. Only about 20-30%
had dust jackets though. He was selling some of the less rare titles (sans
jackets mostly) at $1 a piece and the others at individual prices, depending
on the title, scarcity and condition. He had this handy Modern Library
Collector's Guide he went by to determine values. He told me he would sell
his entire collection for $5000. I realize that some Modern Library
editions can fetch a nice dollar, esp the earlier first editions with those
lovely vintage jackets. My question is whether it would be worth it to
purchase the entire collection or not. This guy has been collecting these
books for probably thirty or forty years. The conditions of them is
probably VG to VG+ for most of them. I guess my apprehension involves the
lack of jackets as well as the collectibility of Modern Library editions in
general. Any opinions on the matter?

Thanks!
Jen

Thanks for your deep insight into my soul.



"John A. Stovall" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 09 Aug 2005 11:48:43 GMT, John A. Stovall
wrote:

On Sun, 7 Aug 2005 19:57:46 -0400, "krik999"
wrote:

Hi.

I just saw the collection of an avid Modern Library collector. The
collection, over 2000 books (probably a little more than 800 titles) was
impressive- he had numerous copies of titles, some rarer illustrated
editions with slipcase, a large majority of first editions and even had
the
more scarce leatherette early twentieth century editions. Only about
20-30%
had dust jackets though. He was selling some of the less rare titles
(sans
jackets mostly) at $1 a piece and the others at individual prices,
depending
on the title, scarcity and condition. He had this handy Modern Library
Collector's Guide he went by to determine values. He told me he would
sell
his entire collection for $5000. I realize that some Modern Library
editions can fetch a nice dollar, esp the earlier first editions with
those
lovely vintage jackets. My question is whether it would be worth it to
purchase the entire collection or not. This guy has been collecting
these
books for probably thirty or forty years. The conditions of them is
probably VG to VG+ for most of them. I guess my apprehension involves
the
lack of jackets as well as the collectibility of Modern Library editions
in
general. Any opinions on the matter?

No, don't buy because you lack the passion for collecting. You just
see it as an investment. If you were passionate about colleting them
you would have to ask.

errata: "colleting" to "collecting" and "you would have" to "you
wouldn't have" .


************************************************** ***

"It is a good thing to read books, and need not be a
bad thing to write them, but in any case, it is a
pious thing to collect them."

Fredrick Locker-Lampson
(1821-1895)

krik999 wrote:

Hi.

I just saw the collection of an avid Modern Library collector. The
collection, over 2000 books (probably a little more than 800 titles) was
impressive- he had numerous copies of titles, some rarer illustrated
editions with slipcase, a large majority of first editions and even had the
more scarce leatherette early twentieth century editions. Only about 20-30%
had dust jackets though. He was selling some of the less rare titles (sans
jackets mostly) at $1 a piece and the others at individual prices, depending
on the title, scarcity and condition. He had this handy Modern Library
Collector's Guide he went by to determine values. He told me he would sell
his entire collection for $5000. I realize that some Modern Library
editions can fetch a nice dollar, esp the earlier first editions with those
lovely vintage jackets. My question is whether it would be worth it to
purchase the entire collection or not. This guy has been collecting these
books for probably thirty or forty years. The conditions of them is
probably VG to VG+ for most of them. I guess my apprehension involves the
lack of jackets as well as the collectibility of Modern Library editions in
general. Any opinions on the matter?

Thanks!
Jen





I don't profess to have knowledge enough to answer your question. But
the issue has been discussed in this newsgroup before, for instance, in
June, 1998, in a thread entitled "Complete Set Modern Library - Any
Value as Set". See also a November, 1999 thread entitled "Why are
Modern Library Editions Collectible".

The absence of dust jackets is a problem. As with any book, the
incompleteness substantially reduces value.


Francis A. Miniter

I don't think that early modern library dust jackets are that rare...it
stuck me odd that he seemed to have so few.

http://www.rspearson.com

krik999 wrote:

..................... He was selling some of the less rare titles (sans
jackets mostly) at $1 a piece and the others at individual prices, depending
on the title, scarcity and condition. He had this handy Modern Library
Collector's Guide he went by to determine values. He told me he would sell
his entire collection for $5000. I realize that some Modern Library
editions can fetch a nice dollar, esp the earlier first editions with those
lovely vintage jackets. My question is whether it would be worth it to
purchase the entire collection or not.

Before you buy anything get Toledano's price list guide and read
everything
you can about the ML (Satterfield's book), the info on the
http://www.dogeared.com website, etc. good luck, He2
p.s. subscribe to the ml listserve - info about it will be found
on the dogeared site.

--
************************************************** ***********
* Remove "-XXX" and "pi." before replying by email. *
************************************************** ***********

John A. Stovall wrote
No, don't buy because you lack the passion for collecting. You just
see it as an investment. If you were passionate about colleting them
you would have to ask.

and stovall is Yiddish for "cocksucker"

errata: stovall sucks and gives change

Thanks so much for the insight and the link. VERY helpful. I will do some
more research. This is definately a big investment that I will probably not
undertake. It did inspire me to perhaps start a collection like it on my
own so alll is well!

Thanks again.
"Helium" wrote in message
...
krik999 wrote:

..................... He was selling some of the less rare titles (sans
jackets mostly) at $1 a piece and the others at individual prices,
depending
on the title, scarcity and condition. He had this handy Modern Library
Collector's Guide he went by to determine values. He told me he would
sell
his entire collection for $5000. I realize that some Modern Library
editions can fetch a nice dollar, esp the earlier first editions with
those
lovely vintage jackets. My question is whether it would be worth it to
purchase the entire collection or not.

Before you buy anything get Toledano's price list guide and read
everything
you can about the ML (Satterfield's book), the info on the
http://www.dogeared.com website, etc. good luck, He2
p.s. subscribe to the ml listserve - info about it will be found
on the dogeared site.

--
************************************************** ***********
* Remove "-XXX" and "pi." before replying by email. *
************************************************** ***********

Evelyn Street wrote:
Larry Haines wrote:

and stovall is Yiddish for "cocksucker"


Hmmm....ok

Pay no attention: it's just our perennial troll Rich Davis. The
Cardcritter monicker is one of his, and many more are easily uncovered
by searching Google-groups.

(Another sockpuppet indignantly denying any connection to Rich, and/or
attempting to insult my intelligence, manhood, or parentage in
3...2...1... )



--Jon Meyers

"Larry Haines" wrote in message
oups.com...
errata: stovall sucks and gives change

What?