Maybe the lucky person will post a picture for interest of hte jacket?????

I'll be happy to do so when I get it, but in the meantime there's a picture of the front of the dust jacket here:

http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details.php?reference=11480

I tried to get this too as soon as I got the notification (obviously, no dice). My curiosity on how and when we were all notified is now piqued (I have had theories, but too little data to test). For those who have wants on ABE for this particular book, if you are willing can you forward me your email notification from ABE? I am interested in the ID assigned your want, how you defined your want, and the timestamps for creating and posting the want. Feel free to delete any other personal information, other wants, etc. I am not sure if the want ID number could be used by a third party somehow, so I don't suggest posting that on the forum (and I promise to delete it myself after I concatenate and share any patterns seen).

I am wondering if when the want is created, or how it was created (title? author? both? more complex match?) affects when the emails go out. Mine was timestamped 7:33 PM (or 10:30 PM Findegil's time, so 4 and a half hours after his email was sent, two hours after he received it).

A four-plus hour advantage seems like something worthy of understanding and leveraging for these ultra-uncommon titles...

I have just received this e-mail from the bookseller (David Southwell, Strawberry Hill Books, 44 (0) 1435 830 871, david@strawberryhillbooks.co.uk):

"I am sorry to have to tell you that we shall not be able to supply you with
A Spring Harvest. We had an unprecedented response to the listing of the
book. Another customer sent us a reservation on the book before your order
and has subsequently taken up their reservation. We have tried to find a
solution but as you appreciate it is a rare book. I shall officially refuse
your order on the abe system so that your money will be repaid. Please
accept my apology for our inability to supply in this instance."

Any booksellers, and particularly ABE booksellers, on the list: is this sort of rejection of a duly-placed and accepted ABE order in favor of a private reservation consistent with ABE policies and/or accepted bookseller practice?

And would I be justified in asking the bookseller for an explanation of how a private reservation came to be placed on a book offered for sale on ABE?

Thanks,

Carl

Simple answer: yes.

Some sellers on Abebooks are pretty old school. If they sell a book (including, perhaps, as in the case, a "reservation"), but don't remove the listing (either at all, or promptly), then someone may well proceed through the ABE checkout procedure, thinking they've bought the book. But if the seller no longer has the book, or has effectively sold the item (although in this case the other buyer hasn't paid for it), then... well, it's sold.

I've bought a few books on ABE only to be given a refund & told that the item had been sold at a convention, or some such story. Some sellers may be at these things for a long week. They'll take items with them, but in the meantime their listings remain active. There is always the possibility someone might purchase an already sold item.

In this case "reservation" perhaps rankles --but if they agreed on a sale (previous to your checkout), then I think that person is first in line. They may just have been paying privately; an arrangement both parties are quite entitled to enter into.

Bad luck tho'!

BH