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#1
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Question on Association copy
A few years ago there were some early Sinclair Lewis titles that had been in
Harpo Marx's library listed on ABE. Being a fan of both Lewis and the Marx brothers I would have happily paid the several hundred dollars asked for the books if I had the money. Today searching on eBay for a copy of John Dos Possos "Manhattan Transfer" when I found a copy, a later edition, with a bookplate from John H Wrenn, the author of a biography of Dos Possos. I don't really collect Dos Possos, Sinclair Lewis wrote a glowing review for the book that Dos Possos' publisher had bound and sent out as promotional pieces. I am hoping to add that and a copy of "Manhattan Transfer" to my collection. Does an association like this add to the value of a book? Even a later edition? I do not have any association with the seller, just wondered what the consensus would be if I found an item with a similar connection to Lewis. Tim Crawford |
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#2
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Tim Crawford wrote:
I don't really collect Dos Possos Evidently not! I found a copy, a later edition, with a bookplate from John H Wrenn, the author of a biography of Dos Possos. [snip] Does an association like this add to the value of a book? Even a later edition? Not significantly. Bill Klimon started an interesting thread on the subject of associations that just somehow miss the mark (I cited as an example my copy of Eco's The Name of the Rose, with a laid-in memo to Allen Carr, the film director, telling him he was too late to secure the film rights). This copy seems to be in the same category. An inscribed copy from the author to his biographer would be of interest (even if it was a later printing), and if the biography had been ground-breaking in some significant way it might be a different story, but Wrenn's work is a fairly humble creature - one volume from the Twayne American Authors series, copies of which can be had for a few dollars (say $15-$20 for a vg-fine 1st printing in d/j). The only person I can imagine paying a premium for it would be the completist Don Passos collector. Someone building up a library of Don Passos's work, together with critical works and biographies, and perhaps also letters and other manuscripts, might be interested in such an association copy, but even then it's not a terribly interesting association. Just my feeling; others may disagree. -- John http://rarebooksinjapan.com |
#3
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Tim Crawford wrote:
I don't really collect Dos Possos To which "John Yamamoto-Wilson" snappily replied... Evidently not! And then added... The only person I can imagine paying a premium for it would be the completist Don Passos... Okay, this is that dry British humo(u)r, right? -- Jon Meyers [To reply, lose your way.] |
#4
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Jon Meyers wrote:
Okay, this is that dry British humo(u)r, right? I'll leave you guessing, but you know how many guesses you get, right? You got it! Ni uno ni tres, sino, por supuesto, Dos! -- John http://rarebooksinjapan.com |
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