I'm considering buying a first edition book for my wife as a gift. She will complete her year of PGDE teacher training this week and I was considering buying Roald Dahl's 'Matilda' as she was a big fan of the book as a child and loved the character who was Matilda's teacher Miss Honey.
I'm likely to be buying online so how do I know what I'm getting? Also it's not a primary concern but what sort of long term investment could it be?
Thanks for your help.
Very long-term I'd have thought. Dahl died in 1990 so it will be years before his books become so scarce that they become really valuable, as if for example you owned a Dickins first edition. First editions signed by the author are more collectible.
However it would make a nice, thoughtful gift and would be something to treasure and pass on to your kids.
The date of printing should be inside the book for verification.
I would buy the book based on your wife's liking for it, and condition. First Edition - meh.
Try vialibri.net. Any reputable seller will give a full description.
*Edit - a fine 1st British edition of Matilda signed by the author is valued around 3k. Unsigned - not so much
Yes, having looked I think there is more value in the sentiment than the book itself and a fairly rough first edition for £350 doesn't seem like a very good investment. Think I'll buy new and use the money left over for another treat of some sort.
I'm a sucker for the image:
[url= http://www.roalddahl.com/shop/artworks/matilda-signed-by-quentin-blake ]Quentin Blake signed print[/url]
(doubt you'd ever get your money back, but to my mind, more enjoyable than having a copy of the book)
I have a few due to working in publishing in Oxford in the 70s/80s. Some are worth a bit, some aren't but all have a story if some kind.
I took Gordon Liddy for his first ever curry when babysitting him on his Oxford book signing of 'Will'.
And I had a lot of alcohol fuelled fun that ended up with 4 copies of the Not The Nine O'clock News' paperback. All signed by all 4.
Worth: who knows/cares?
Value: to me pretty priceless.
Yes, they vary a huge amount - every book has a first edition, and there's lots of rubbish books out there. My best find was probably a first edition of Neuromancer.
Interesting topic as I seem to be collecting copies of the Gormenghast trilogy. I picked the Folio set for a bargain in a charity shop after years of looking.
I had better start saving now. £2250 for a first press first edition collection.
One day.
Abebooks are a good place to look, they have a good reputation, and always give detailed descriptions of the books they sell. I've bought one or two from them, so I know they're good.
A signed first edition isn't going to lose value, especially when the author has died; people like Terry Pratchett, who sold huge quantities of books, sold relatively few to start with, and those were paperbacks, however there were special library-only hardcover editions printed, and those, especially if they've been signed, will only increase in value.
Here's one:
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=15725164455&searchurl=fe%3Don%26sortby%3D20%26tn%3Dmatilda%26an%3Droald+dahl
Bigger list here, including softcover:
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/matilda/author/roald-dahl/first-edition/
I have a lot of signed Pratchetts. Judging by the queues they are worth bugger all. But still worth a lot to me.
eddiebaby - Member
I have a lot of signed Pratchetts signed. Judging by the queues they are worth bugger all. But still worth a lot to me.
Exactly. But that's the point I was trying to make, there are loads of his later books around, many signed, and his early books were all paperbacks, but it's the rarer library hardcover editions that will be valuable in the future.
I have a hardcover copy of [i]Good Omens[/i], signed by Terry [i]and[/i] Neil Gaiman, and there won't be very many of those around, trust me!
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