National newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic were abuzz over the weekend with the news that a first edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit had sold for a record price at auction. The book sold for 137,000 (about $210,500). To put this in perspective, the previous record price was 50,000. Why did this sale outperform expectations so astonishingly? Well, it might have had something to do with the fact that this was one of the most-sought-after of all signed books, a presentation copy, given by Professor Tolkien to one of his students, Katherine Kilbride. Tolkien did not inscribe many presentation copies, so the book is certainly rare. Not only that, but he added an inscription in Middle English. The "Kilbride Hobbit" (Image source: Sothebys) ABAA-member Mark Hime of Biblioctopus in Century City, CA has intimate knowledge of this part... [more The Hobbit Fetches World Record Price]
Another controversy over Shakespeare erupted recently. By itself, this fact would not be worth reporting, as controversy swirls around the legacy of William Shakespeare like that of no other writer. However, this one revolved around something that collectors of rare books will have special interest in and knowledge of: printers marks. First, the Claim and Supporting Evidence Cover of the May 20th edition of Country Life magazine, in which Mark Grffiths' revealed his theory. Botanist and historian Mark Griffiths was writing a book on 16th century horticulturist John Gerard, in the course of which he decided to determine who the four figures depicted on the title page of Gerard's magnum opus, The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes (1597), were, as it is thought these figures are allegorical. Search abaa.org for copies of John Gerard's ... [more Shakespeare’s Face?]
Items of interest for the week beginning June 1, 2015. Beatles' Autographs The Beatles are on people's minds -- and radios -- this week because on June 1, 1967, they released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, one of the first concept albums that was more than just a collection of singles or potential-singles. It was a massive hit, spending six months atop the charts. Between the Covers Rare Books has this cool vinyl picture disc of Sgt. Pepper (left), which is a rarity -- although it was released in 1978, as vinyl production technology wasn't sophisticated enough to allow this to be made in 1967. One of the ultimate collectibles for Beatles fans is autographs of all four band members. University Archives offer this set of all four signatures from July 1963, before they had become world-famous. The signature of Her Majesty, Queen Eliz... [more Featured Items]
June 18 2015 marks the the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. Bestselling historical novelist Bernard Cornwell has spent years researching the antagonists and walking the battlefield; the fruits of that labor is his first nonfiction book, Waterloo: The True Story of Four Days, Three Armies and Three Battles, which attempts to paint the full picture of the battle. We interviewed Cornwell about his research and writing process, how he uses a mixture of primary scources and rare books, and the value of a unique archive of first-person accounts of Waterloo created by a British Army Captain 15 years after the battle. ABAA: How did your career as an historical novelist start? Bernard Cornwell: Purely by accident! I was a TV producer for the BBC in Britain when I met an American blonde. She couldn't move to Britain for family reasons, ... [more Researching Waterloo]
A roundup of the latest news from the rare book world. Rare Proof Copy of The Bell Jar Found A rare 1962 pre-publication proof copy of Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar -- then attributed to Plath's pseudonym, Victoria Jucas -- has sat in an English woman's spare room for the last 25 years. The proof shows several late edits to the manuscript, including several character names that were subsequently changed. Read more... International Conference on Rare Book Thefts Alarmed by “thefts of rare books, maps and manuscripts from national libraries “around the world, including the wholesale plunder and then destruction of museums and libraries in Syria and Iraq, the first ever conference on the trade in illegally acquired antiquities is being convened in London next month. Read the story... Do German Auction Houses Support Terrorism? On the same ... [more Rare Book News]
Back of Beyond Books in Moab, UT, have awarded their second annual literary scholarship to support a local high school graduate starting college. Owner Andrew Nettell explained that he started the scholarship program last year because he felt it was "time to give back to the community." Noting that "our high school typically graduates fewer than 100 students each year, and we have a tourist-based economy and would be considered a blue-collar town," Nettell concluded that "it is heartening to assist kids in their collegiate dreams." The store's application criteria includes plans to go on to a two or four year institution, preferably in the liberal arts. To apply, each student must write an essay on how and why literature and reading have positively affected their lives; submit reading lists for the past year, as well as a list of favorite... [more Back of Beyond Books Literary Scholarship]
The ABAA has recently approved several new members, all of whom have successfully proven themselves to be, in the words of the ABAA Guarantee, "established, knowledgeable, and of excellent reputation." These new members were sponsored by existing members, and have undergone a rigorous screening process. We welcome the newest members of the ABAA. James M. W. Borg, Ph.D., Borg Antiquarian, Lake Forest, IL "As a RELIC from the 70's, I've returned in my 70's to a more challenging antiquarian bookselling world. A doubter of Christian NON-Science at 6, I converted to Huxleyan "Agnosticism" at 13, though I've retained a profound interest in the History of Religions. At the U of Michigan, I studied English & history. Served as an Army officer during Vietnam; then earned my Ph.D. from Northwestern focusing on 19th c. English lit (disst. on E.B. Br... [more New Members: May 2015]
Miegan Gordon of Asheville, NC's Captain's Bookshelf got a surprise last month when she opened the store. A copy of Billy Collins' poetry collection Nine Horses (a signed first edition, no less) was looking a little worse for wear. It was full of holes punched from front to back, and the author photo had been altered to make Collins look like a silent movie villain, complete with curling mustaches, goatee and an evil-looking eyebrows. At first, the store staff wondered if somebody had hacked at it with an ice pick. But, after local police stopped by to compile a report, the officers recognized what had actually happened to the book: it had been blasted with a shotgun, probably a .410, they remarked. The damage is most apparent from the spine view. Asheville is where I make my home, so I popped over to the Captain's Bookshelf to view this ... [more Extreme Poetry Criticism]
Among the many reasons we'll be sorry to see the end of Mad Men is the bravura way the writers have woven literary references into the show. Characters have been seen reading books that were popular at the time as well as obscure volumes that explored themes they would have found very meaningful at the time. We went back through the DVD box-sets, and noted the major titles featured and a few of the more interesting minor ones. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand Way back in season one, Rand's objectivism was established as an influence on Don's character: driven, selfish, and ambitious. The book was recommended to Don by Bert Cooper, and from Don's confident and egotistical pitch to a client in episode eight, he appears to have taken it to heart. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner After bedding Joy in season two, Don sees her reading The S... [more The Books of Mad Men]
A few select items offered by ABAA members for the week of May 4th 2015, also known as (Intergalactic) Star Wars Day... Star Wars: From The Adventures Of Luke Skywalker by George Lucas Ballantine, 1976. First Edition. Mass Market Paperback (Offered by Yesterday's Muse, Inc.) A long time ago, in a childhood far, far away, many of us read this novelization of a new movie called Star Wars. Although credited to George Lucas, the book was actually ghostwritten by science-fiction author Alan Dean Foster. The book was released six months before the film -- in order to be on shelves for Christmas 1976 -- so several plot points differ from the final movie, which was still being edited when Foster received his synopsis. The tsunami of Star Wars merchandise that folowed the film's unexpected success has obscured the fact that it all started with thi... [more Featured Items]