29 Mar, 2023
(edited)
2023-3-29 9:19:43 AM UTC
Edited by Tiny Turtle on 2023-3-29 10:31:51 AM UTC
2023-3-29 9:19:43 AM UTC
Dagoth wrote:
Not impressed at all for a $3000 starting bid. A lot of foxing and stains. Certainly not one of the “most vibrant ever”.
So, I should probably admit to this being my listing.
Dagoth wrote:
These descriptions that are trying to oversell something bother me. A giant fat stain on the front of the jacket, the foxing, browning among others wouldn’t make this “amazing condition”. Someone who doesn’t really know what an amazing set actually looks like will gobble that up.
But it was absolutely never my intent to try and deceive anyone as to the condition of the books. Indeed, originally I had them in Mylar jackets which almost completely hid the stain on FotR and most of the foxing on the set. Had I left them in, they would have appeared in much nicer condition. I did my best to point out the flaws and picture them and they definitely look worse in the pictures than in real life! I honestly would call this set amazing: three books from the early 60s, still together and still as sturdy as these? absolutely.
My description was, perhaps, a little flowery, but it was originally written for an Etsy store that I've just set up , and just copied across by my wife who runs our joint eBay account.
I've been collecting all sorts of books for years, putting money aside to buy them when could (as I'm sure is the same for many here). However, recently I published a video-game ('Desktopia') which did really well and I bought myself a few new sets of books that normally I wouldn't have been able to afford. But what to do with my existing sets which I love? I didn't want to dump them on eBay so I decided to start a storefront and sell them on for what I'd be happy to part with them for. That's quite a lot for my first Edition sets. All the other sets on my store, especially the 70s bundles are priced, for the most part, at or below market value.
I listed this set, and a first edition 'Dune' on eBay, on a three day auction. Why? Because I have a bunch more first edition sets to list and more 'Dune's, and I wanted to make sure they all weren't going to get bought up instantly at the prices I plan to list. Ideally, they can sit just above market value and lend legitimacy to my store. So far neither have any bids. If that stays the same then I'll know I'm not pricing these sets too low.
I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I find it really hard to gauge market value. With books selling for wildly different amounts, and the fact that I rarely buy online (I'm a bookshop, carsale guy) these eBay listings seemed a potentially good way to do so. And if they do sell at these prices, then that isn't going to make me too sad and I'll know to list my other sets higher. I'll probably be rotating a few other LotR set, Hobbits, and other books in the same way over the next few weeks just to see how the market lies.
As for the 5th edition Jacket: it was not put on these books by me. I was under the impression that it was either its original or was swapped very early on in the books life, as the toning on the books matches perfectly. I don't know the details though, as I bought the books sight unseen from an internet listing years ago.
Urulókë wrote:
The publisher would order a certain number of books from the "book printer", and a certain number of dust jackets from the "jacket printer" - which might be the same company, but it is different equipment, different paper, and different inks, so the distinction is important. When copies of the book run low, they would order another book print run - ditto for the jackets. Sometimes the numbers would not line up (damage, or a book club run, or a warehouse fire, or returns from a bookshop with resellable books but the jackets aren't new any more), so they would (for example) have in the warehouse a stack of jackets left over from the prior print run, and would use those up before they order more jackets.
What an interesting look behind the scenes. This is great information. Thank you!
29 Mar, 2023
(edited)
2023-3-29 1:24:40 PM UTC
Edited by billhinge on 2023-3-29 2:02:57 PM UTC
2023-3-29 1:24:40 PM UTC
You would think you would get the slipcase thrown in?
Dogfark coming out with the heavy hitters recently. Did he sell the 2nd hobbit?billhinge wrote:
You would think you would get the slipcase thrown in?
Don't worry about it!! ? It's definitely good to be critical, and I understand what you were saying about the set. They are priced on the expensive side, especially for collectors.
Dagoth wrote:
Dogfark coming out with the heavy hitters recently. Did he sell the 2nd hobbit?billhinge wrote:
You would think you would get the slipcase thrown in?
Just looking on ARB books - it looks like the same photo as the the next cheapest seller in the US at £ 29,238.56 at a £4.5k markup - OK you got to factor in the cost and hassle of importing it. Both sets are displayed next to each other! Wonder how many times it crossed the Atlantic rising in price. Having said that I would be more inclined to buy if I didn't have to import it myself so perhaps not too bad
Are there extra fees with something like this? My last 753 set had no import fees… cost me $120 for shipping and insurance.billhinge wrote:
Dagoth wrote:
Dogfark coming out with the heavy hitters recently. Did he sell the 2nd hobbit?billhinge wrote:
You would think you would get the slipcase thrown in?
Just looking on ARB books - it looks like the same photo as the the next cheapest seller in the US at £ 29,238.56 at a £4.5k markup - OK you got to factor in the cost and hassle of importing it. Both sets are displayed next to each other! Wonder how many times it crossed the Atlantic rising in price. Having said that I would be more inclined to buy if I didn't have to import it myself so perhaps not too bad
Dagoth wrote:
Are there extra fees with something like this?
https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/internet-purchases
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