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Old June 22nd 06, 07:10 PM posted to rec.collecting.books
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Default Mis-bound book values


"William M. Klimon" wrote in message
oups.com...
michael adams wrote:

Stamps are printed on sheets of between 400(?) and 1000 (?)


[snip]

Presumably coins are manufactured in batches as well. And whether
articles are made in batches on machines, or singly, ceramics etc
clearly affects identification, classification, and subsequent
evaluation.



Those are all useful insights--though they don't perhaps really explain
why misprinted stamps are desirable and misbound books are not.

There is, e.g., plenty of research going on now (and for the last
century since Sadlier and Carter) on book bindings--for some recent
examples, see:


http://www.finebooksmagazine.com/iss...ml#Bookbinders
http://www.finebooksmagazine.com/iss...k_review.phtml

Perhaps something is to be learned from misbound books?


....

It's doubtful. Both of those sources are mainly in relation to binding
variations, which occur in batches which as I suggested in relation to
broken type, can form a useful tool for maybe establishing priority.

....


In any case, I return to my central point that there seems to be
something particular about defective items issues officially by a
governmental body.


....

In addition, both stamps and coins have a face value, and the fact
that they're defective doesn't detract from that face value - which
means they're more likely to enter circulation. In addition the
fact that they're defective doesn't affect their utility.
Which is supposedly the raison d'etre behind stamp and coin
collecting. That they're not just pieces of paper or metal discs.
The fact that they enter circulaton means that they latterly become
available to collectors.

Books have no similar face value, and if found to be defective by
readers are likely to be returned to the shop and thus not enter
circulation at all. Misbound books have no remaining utility unlike
stamps and coins but are simply a nuisance. The same would apply
to collectors, who would be aware that there's no market in misbound
books, for the reasons already given. And so they're less likely to
enter circulation in the first place.

By and large the only unique objects that are valued, have some
merit in themselves. Misbound books are unique, but being defective
of itself doesn't constitute merit, but merely detracts from any
merit in the original book.



michael adams




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








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