Book manufacturing error. What to do about a book with pages uncut/unseparated at the bottom?

I have a book that has rough cut pages on two edges (side and bottom).
The tops of the pages are smoothly/uniformly cut. The real dilemma
is a manufacturing error at the bottom of the pages. Nearly every
other set of adjoining pages have never been separated/cut apart, so
you can't pull them apart to read them.

The really sad part is that this book is the extremely rare Mandate
For Change signed by Dwight Eisenhower in perfect condition with
original glassine DJ. Only the slipcase is showing any signs of wear.
He only signed 1400 of these for Doubleday back in 1963.

Who could I take this to in order to have the bottom of the pages
cut/separated?

nelson family wrote:

I have a book that has rough cut pages on two edges (side and bottom).
The tops of the pages are smoothly/uniformly cut. The real dilemma
is a manufacturing error at the bottom of the pages. Nearly every
other set of adjoining pages have never been separated/cut apart, so
you can't pull them apart to read them.

The first question is whether or not it is actually an "error". Books used
to be marketed unopened (i.e., like your alternate bottom edges) and/or
uncut (i.e., like your side and remaining bottom edges). In such cases, many
collectors have a slight preference for unopened copies, but it doesn't
really make that much difference. Then there was a kind of revival of the
practice, even though technology had moved on and books were routinely
trimmed smooth before hitting the bookshop shelves. I suppose in those cases
the unopened pages are regarded as a feature of the way the book was first
issued and (without knowing much about it) I'd imagine if they are still
unopened collectors would probably pay a premium for them. So if this
edition was marketed that way it wouldn't be an error and it would be better
to leave it as it is.

The really sad part is that this book is the extremely rare Mandate
For Change signed by Dwight Eisenhower in perfect condition with
original glassine DJ. Only the slipcase is showing any signs of wear.
He only signed 1400 of these for Doubleday back in 1963.

1434, apparently (http://www.ehistorybuff.com/eisenhowerbk.html). The
picture conforms to your description, but the seller says nothing about
there being any unopened pages. Nor do any of the ABE sellers offering this
book make any mention of such a thing. One seller (the somewhat
exorbitantly-priced Heritage Book Shop) mentions the uncut edges but -
assuming they've got their terminology right, and I think they have - that
is simply a reference to the rough edges you describe, not to unseparated
pages.

That leads me to suppose that the unopened pages probably *are* an error. As
is currently being pointed out in another thread ("What's wrong with this
book?"), errors do not generally enhance the value of a book. The exception
would be if the error was an issue point. In this case, if the first
printing - or even the first batch of the first printing, or a later batch -
had been issued unopened (whether intentionally or not) then the unopened
pages would be an issue point, and you would do best to leave them as they
are. However, if - as seems likely - your copy is an isolated "freak" the
error does nothing to enhance the value. On the contrary, it is a defect.

Who could I take this to in order to have the bottom of the pages
cut/separated?

Check it out thoroughly and draw your own conclusions as to whether it is
indeed a one-off error (don't take my word for it, as all I've done is a bit
of preliminary googling and whatnot!). If you decide it is, then my advice
would indeed be to open it. Cut the pages carefully with a rounded blade.
Don't use a sharp knife, as it may easily run out of the groove where the
paper is folded and cut into the page. And don't use something *too* blunt,
as it may produce a jagged tear, rather than a straight cut. I've opened old
books myself, and it's a job I find is best done late at night, when there
are no distractions, and you can work slowly and carefully. Practise with
some folded sheets of regular paper first. As for taking it to someone else
to do it, the only people I can think of who may be practised in the art are
the custodians of rare books in certain libraries, who will from time to
time have to open pages of old books for readers.

--
John
http://rarebooksinjapan.com