Nora Roberts Dark Witch and Last Boyfriend

Nora Roberts - Dark Witch

Just a quick heads up for my loyal fans and groupies - Nora Roberts has written another book ! How does she do it? That's over 200 and counting ! Yes I like exclamation marks/points (UK/US)!

The last time I looked she had just written The Last Boyfriend and now she's writing about witches! She's probably written a couple more in between times 'cause I've been asleep for a long time. She is America's favourite writer apparently so kudos to the lady. I think I read somewhere it takes her around 2 months to write a book (and she probably still uses a quill pen and a bottle of ink!) - me it takes me two months to decide I need to wash again (after the first 7 days you don't really notice the difference).

 I may try to put up an image of said books to prettify this blog, before I slope off to my next project what I just thought up which involves actually writing a book myself! Well, that's quite a turnip for the books!! I really should put up a picture of a turnip, but just use your imaginations.

You may also like to read some of J R Rain's mystery books  they are really very good! For example Silent Echo Echo.

Nora Roberts' Latest Books if you are in the US

Nora Roberts' latest Bookie Wookies if you iz in d UK innit

Dead Ever After - Charlaine Harris

Dead Ever After Signed Numbered Slip-Cased Limited Edition

Fans of Charlaine Harris and the Sookie Stackhouse series will be pleased to learn that the final novel in the series - Dead Ever After: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel - will be marked with a special slip-cased, linen-bound edition.




Signed numbered slip-cased limited edition of  Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris -
 click on image to reveal full details from Amazon

There will be only 2,500 signed and numbered copies printed, with beautiful new art (for both the book and the slip-case) created by Sookie artist Lisa Desimini and high-quality paper stock.

In this digital age it's nice to see a book that looks like a beautiful object in its own right and this is something that passionate fans of Sookie Stackhouse and collectors of beautiful books alike will undoubtedly want to own.

As there are only 2,500 copies of this limited edition of Dead Ever After it could even prove to be a good investment, as long as you store it upright, out of sunlight (how appropriate) and don't read it - buy another copy or a KIndle edition for reading.

Click here for full details from Amazon Dead Ever After: Limited Signed Linen bound Edition (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood)

Man Booker Prize Winner 2010

First Edition Books - The Man Booker Prize Winner 2010

The Man Booker Prize Winner 2010 is Howard Jacobson with The Finkler Question

The shortlist of 6 books for the Booker best novel of the year award in the UK was

Peter Carey - Parrot and Olivier in America

Emma Donoghue - Room: A Novel

Damon Galgut - In a Strange Room

Howard Jacobson - The Finkler Question: A Novel

Andrea Levy - The Long Song: A Novel

Tom McCarthy - C
(Jonathan Cape - Random House) - this was favourite and one bookie suspended betting on it. (NB - The favourite never wins the Booker Prize - how odd)

Widely recognized as the most readable list for a number of years.

From first editions collector point of view it would have been better to have a first time author winning the prize, as it an author's first novel that is the most collectable.

As far as sales are concerned the winner can expect to sell upwards of 300,000 copies - the others in the region of 200,000.

As for sales before the Booker Prize was announced -
Room sold almost 2,500 copies last week according to the Nielsen BookScan charts, making it 14th in the original fiction bestseller chart, with total sales of 27,300.
Andrea Levy's The Long Song was second with total sales of 17,800.
Peter Carey's Parrot and Olivier in America, at 8,900, is in third place.

Peter Carey has already won the prize twice, in 1988 for Oscar and Lucinda and in 2001 for True History of the Kelly Gang. If he wins the 2010 prize he will be the only author to have won the Man Booker Prize three times. He was also shortlisted for Illywhacker in 1985.

Damon Galgut was shortlisted for his book The Good Doctor in 2003.

Howard Jacobson was longlisted twice before, for Kalooki Nights in 2006 and Who's Sorry Now? in 2002.

Irish author Emma Donoghue is the youngest author on the shortlist.

The winner receives a cheque for £50,000 and worldwide recognition. Last year's winning novel, Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, has sold over half a million copies in the UK, more worldwide. Each of the shortlisted authors, receives £2,500 and a designer bound edition of their shortlisted book.

As an aside I wonder when they will start acepting ebooks on the Man Booker Prize?

Home : First Edition Books

Birds of America Book Auction

Most Expensive Book in the World - Birds of America Book Sells for Record $11.5 million

UPDATE : The 19th-century illustrated “Birds of America” book was sold at auction in London tonight for $11.5 million, the highest price ever for any printed work.

The book was bought by London art dealer Michael Tollemache, “I think it’s priceless, don’t you?” he said - well yes but I didn't have $12 million lying around.

Birds of America John James Audubon

John James Audubon's "Birds of America" which gets top billing as the world's most expensive book, is to be auctioned by Sotheby's alongside a first edition of Shakespeare's plays.

There are only 119 copies in existence of "Birds of America" and the book is valued at between $6.2 million and $9.2 million. A Shakespeare First Folio from 1623 is expected to fetch at least $1.5 million.

Sotheby's describe the two books as "the twin peaks of book collecting." They come from the estate of the 2nd Baron Hesketh, an aristocrat and book collector who died in 1955. They will be sold by Sotheby's at their auction house in London on December 7.

A copy of "Birds of America" was sold back in 2000 by Christie's for $8.8 million, whichmade it the most expensive book in the world at auction. This goes to show the value of first edition books ! Unfortunately not all first editions are worth millions, and there can by definition be only one most expensive book in the world, but buying modern first edition books is an interesting way of speculating with small amounts of money. First edition books by Angie Sage for example - see Magyk First Edition Books - could be bought for $30 a couple of years ago, now they are likely to fetch $200 or more, as her books have become best-sellers and a Warner Bros. film is on its way to replace the Harry Potter series which will be ending soon.

"Birds of America" by John James Audubon is one of the most beautiful and important published works of natural history, and is rarely sold. All but a handful of the books are in museums, universities and libraries.

The book is not only the world's most expensive book it also exceptional due to the fact that it measures 2 feet by 3 feet, as Audubon wanted to paint the birds life size ! It comprises a collection of 435 hand-colored prints, made from engravings of Audubon's illustrations.

Sotheby's said "Audubon himself described the size as a 'double elephant' folio."

Audubon originally sold the book by subscription to wealthy collectors. The copy that is being auctioned by Sotheby's is numbered No. 11, and was originally purchased by paleontologist Henry Witham.

So if you are looking for a Christmas present with a difference and you have a few million dollars to invest then make a date with the auction on December 7 - it might feel nice to own the most expensive book in the world !

Home : First Edition Books

When Money Dies Adam Fergusson

First Edition Books - When Money Dies by Adam Fergusson

If you are the owner of a little-known book on economics published in 1975 called When Money Dies: The Nightmare of the Weimar Collapse by Adam Fergusson 1975 edition, then you could have made yourself some money. The book describes what could happen if European governments try to spend their way out of the recession. And shows how the German economy was brought to its knees back in the 1930s by hyperinflation (remember people carrying banknotes about in wheelbarrows to buy a loaf od bread?) after public spending was allowed to run out of control.

The reason the book has suddenly become so valuable is that it was recommended by billionaire investor Warren Buffett to a Dutch financier. The Dutch financier went out and bought up a couple of hundred copies for the Dutch parliament and the book's price shot up in value (supply and demand in action) copies have been changing hands for up to $2,400 and the copies on sale at Abebooks and Amazon at the moment start at $600.

Publisher Old Street Publishing has rushed out a new paperback edition to satisfy the demand, but if you have an old copy of the 1975 edition lying around then don't give it to your local charity shop, unless you are feeling generous. You might also like to consider scouring bookshops, the afore-mentioned charity shops, your granny's attic etc... to see if you can get your hands on a first edition (preferably in good condition).

If you just want to read the book to see what might happen to the economy, it is a very good albeit scary read apparently, then you can get the paperback copy here When Money Dies: The Nightmare of the Weimar Hyper-inflation, but for an investment you will need a copy of the 1975 edition at a good price - When Money Dies: The Nightmare of the Weimar Collapse .

Home : First Edition Books

Alice Sebold Lovely Bones

First Edition Books - Alice Sebold Lovely Bones Signed

Before becoming a film Alice Sebold's "Lovely Bones" was a best-selling novel, the story of Susie Salmon, a 14-year-old girl murdered on December 6, 1973, who lives in heaven while watching life continue without her. Her family have a very difficult time dealing with her disappearance and her her killer tries to cover his tracks.

Susie Salmon is an omniscient first-person narrator : she can enter the minds of other characters and can even see into the past.

A strange idea for a book but obviously it worked. The film will no doubt be a great success too.

It may, then, be worth taking a look at the first edition books of "The Lovely Bones" some copies are being offered at $500 some for only $50 so it might be worthwhile picking up some of the cheaper signed first editions.

The edition you need to look for is the Little, Brown and Company 2002, Hardcover edition. It needs to be in 'as new' condition with the dust jacket also in as new condition. It needs to be a First Edition, First Printing (with the complete 10-1 number line on copyright page). It should also be signed and dated by Alice Sebold (on her first book signing appearance on July 9th, 2002 if possible). The dust jacket needs to have the Livesey quote on it. It should also be signed by Glen David Gold, Sebold's husband and author of Carter Beats the Devil, on the dedication below his printed name. The promotional postcard signed by author should also be present.

Home : First Edition Books

Related Posts : Auction of First Edition Books and Illustrations in New York

First Edition Books Auction New York

Bloomsbury Auction for First Edition Books and Illustrations in New York - Sendak, Dr Seuss, A A Milne, Roald Dahl

Looking for first edition book bargains ? Then you might like to take a look at Bloomsbury's - Original Illustrations and Fine Illustrated Books auction on Wednesday 9, December at 2 p.m. in New York.

On offer is a total of 365 lots of rare and first edition books and illustrations from authors such as There auction includes works by Maurice Sendak, Dr Seuss, Tom Feelings, Beatrix Potter, A A Milne (Winnie the Pooh), Roald Dahl and many more.

You may be able to pick up a bargain for a few hundred dollars or if you feel inclined you can stump up $30,000 or so for a rare edition by Dr Seuss.

If you don't live in New York you can, of course, bid online (just see the link above and make sure you register in time), for those of you in New York you can view the works on offer prior to the auction on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday or by private appointment - just check with Bloomsbury's for the times.

Bloomsbury's state "The sale will showcase important works from the Golden Age of Illustration to the present day. It will commence with the artistic estate of award winning African American artist Tom Feelings (who) worked as a freelance illustrator of children’s books for over thirty years. ... Among the highlights of the sale is the entire collection of Feelings’ seminal 1996 work The Middle Passage ($250,000-$350,000)."

Here is a short list of a selection of the rare works on offer by famous authorors and illustrators - some of them are very hard to come by.

134. MILNE, A. A. (1882 - 1956) - SHEPARD, E. H. (Illustrator, 1879 - 1976). Winnie-the-Pooh. London: Methuen & Co., [1926]. Square 8vo (222 x 175 mm). Half-title, title vignette and numerous illustrations (a few full-page) after E. H. Shepard. Original blue cloth-backed paper-covered boards, cream paper title label on upper cover, uncut, dust-jacket. Condition: very slight discoloration to paper on covers, dust-jacket discolored at spine and extremities, head of spine chipped with loss of one word, some other chipping to extremities.

limited large-paper edition of 350 copies on 'hand-made paper' signed by author and artist, this copy numbered 58. An excellent copy of rare de luxe issue of the most famous English children's book of the first half of the 20th century.

est. $2000 – $3000


135. MILNE, A. A.; and E. H. SHEPARD (Illustrator, 1882-1956). Winnie-the-Pooh New York: E. P. Dutton, [1926]. Square 8vo (220 x 180 mm). Plates and in text illustrations by Shepard. Original cloth backed printed paper boards, spine label, lacking dust jacket. Condition: light dampstain to outer edge visible on rear board; shelfwear, offsetting to covers. number 192 of 200 large paper copies signed by both milne and shepard, the first american edition.

$1000 – $1500

136. MILNE, A. A. (1882 - 1956) - SHEPARD, E. H. (Illustrator, 1879 - 1976) Now We Are Six London: Methuen & Co., [1927]. Square 8vo (220 x 175 mm). Half-title, title vignette and numerous illustrations (a few full-page) after E. H. Shepard. Original oatmeal-colored cloth-backed brown paper-covered boards, cream paper label on upper cover (with a duplicate replacement tipped onto rear pastedown), uncut, dust-jacket, recent blue cloth box, blue morocco lettering-pice to 'spine' of box. Condition: slight discoloration to endpapers, slight fading, light soiling and small chips to dust-jacket.
limited large-paper edition of 200 copies on 'hand-made paper' signed by the author and artist, this copy numbered 16. An excellent copy: the third in the series of “Pooh” books.

$1000 – $1500

137. MILNE, A. A. (1882 - 1956) A collection of titles by A. A. Milne. Includes:
1) The Red House Mystery. London: Methuen, 1922. Original green cloth. first edition. Provenance: E. L. Spears (bookplate). milne's only mystery novel.
2) By Way of Introduction. London: Methuen, 1929. Original cloth in original printed dust jacket, original publisher's ad laid in. first edition.
3) Two People. London: Methuen, 1931. Original cloth in the original printed dustjacket. first edition. Inside jacket claims this is Milne's first attempt at a novel.
4) Four Days' Wonder. London: Methuen, 1933. Original cloth in the original printed dust jacket. first edition.
5) Chloe Marr. New York: Dutton, 1946. Original cloth in original printed dust jacket. first edition.
6) Peace with Honour. New York: Dutton, 1934. Original cloth in original printed dust jacket. first edition.
7) A large group of other titles in various bindings, many in the original printed dust jackets. Condition: some toning, some minor chips to jackets, some sunning, extremities lightly rubbed.
8) 'Winnie-the-Pooh Songs', three 45 RPM size vinyl discs produced by Stephen Slesinger.
9) Milne ephemera including: 'War with Honour', A Macmillan War Pamphlet. London: 1940; Winnie-the Pooh, Dramatized from the stories of A. A. Milne. Chicago: The Dramatic Publishing Company, 1957; Toad of Toad Hall, the souvenir program for the 1932 production; Winnie-the-Pooh and the Bees A Pop-Up Picture Book. London: Methuen, n.d. (c 1950s). A new full colour edition. Sold not subject to return. Full contents list available upon request. (71)

$1000 – $1500


144. POTTER, Beatrix (1866 - 1943) The Tailor of Gloucester London: Strangeways and Sons, Printers, December 1902. 16mo (146 x 116mm). Frontispiece in color and 15 plates. Original pink paperboards with a line drawing of three mice sewing on the front cover. Condition: light uniform toning at edges, few spots at fore-edge; endpapers and pastedowns lightly foxed, spine sunned with some light dustsoiling to covers.
first edition. privately printed and from a total edition of 500. This books differs considerably from the edition later published by Frederick Warne. It contains many more jingles and nursery rhymes as well as additional pictures. Potter herself paid for this colored printing of 500 copies. Strangeways printed the private editions of The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tailor of Gloucester.
Beatrix Potter first told the story of The Tailor of Gloucester in a letter from Beatrix to Freda Moore, daughter of her former governess, Annie Carter. The charming Christmas tale was the author’s personal favorite. Affixed to the front free endpaper is a thank you note to Potter’s first biographer Margaret Lane from Leslie Linder, who decoded Potter’s secret writing, March 19, 1966; he gives the same message in Potter’s secret code in another note on the facing endpaper. Osborne I. 379; Linder 420; Quinby 3.

$3000 – $4000

214. DAHL, Roald (1916 - 1990) and [Ray BOLGER, association]. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory New York: Alfred A. Knopf, [1964]. 4to. Illustrated by Joseph Schindelman. Original cloth, in original printed dust jacket. Condition: some light dust soiling; jacket lightly toned. Provenance: Ray Bolger (dedication from the author on the front-free endpaper).
first edition; ray bolger's copy. Signed 'Roald Dahl love' in ink for the actor Ray Bolger on the front-free endpaper. Later printing (five lines instead of six at the end of the colophon).
The American editon of this modern children’s classic preceded the British by three years. It is likely that Dahl met Bolger, the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, when he was writing in Hollywood.
[With:] GALLICO, Paul. The Snow Goose. Small 8vo. Original blue cloth in original printed dust jacket. signed copy to ray and gwen bolger, inscribed 'affectionately, Paul Gallico' to the front-free endpapers. Condition: some slight toning, minor chips to jacket. (2)

$2000 – $3000

Permanent Link
215. DAHL, Roald (1916 - 1990) A collection of correspondences between Roald Dahl and his publisher Alfred A. Knopf 1) Buckinghamshire: 26 January 1973. 1 page. Typed letter signed 'Roald' to 'Dear Alfred' on 'Gipsy House/ Great Missenden' stationery. A witty reply, Dahl talks about working with Bob Gotlieb on his last children's book and his recent trip to a spiritual healer.
2) [New York:] 22 January 1973. 1 page. Retained carbon copy of a typed letter unsigned, from 'AAK' to 'Dear Roald'. A warm letter from Knopf praising Dahl's success and talking about imminent travels.
3) Buckinghamshire: 17 April 1973. 1 page. Facsimile copy of letter from Dahl to Knopf offering praise to Gotlieb, his editor, and for Max Perkins. He speaks of some other updates and on his new books, "I now have four of them toward a new collection- maybe 40, 000 words. Two or three more would do it. But you know, these damn children's books are such fun to do, they get you by the throat."
4) [New York:] 27 April 1973. 1 page. Retained carbon copy of a typed letter, unsigned, from 'AAK' to 'Dear Roald'. Knopf agrees with Dahl that Gotlieb's work is good, and that he has 'never found his display distasteful'.
5) Buckinghamshire: 22 September 1975. 1 page. Typed letter signed 'Roald' to 'Dear Alfred'. Dahl relays that he would be pleased to meet Susan Sheehan, Knopf's biographer, when she comes to London. Dahl recommends reading Danny.
6) [New York:] 3 October 1975. 1 page. Retained carbon copy of a typed letter, unsigned, from 'AAK' to 'Dear Roald'. A brief, but warm, note, Knopf says he intends to read Danny.
7) Buckinghamshire: 13 May 1980. 1 page. Typed letter signed 'Roald' to 'Dear Alfred' on 'Gipsy House/ Great Missenden' stationery. A note in witty tone, Dahl bemoans about working under the contract for Random House but reluctantly agrees to creating the three new books, 'I am doing it and that will be that.'
8) [New York:] 6 June 1980. 1 page. Retained carbon copy of a typed letter unsigned, but from Knopf, to 'Dear Roald'. Knopf relates to Dahl's displeasure with his publishers and continues on to discuss his publicizing of Dahl's 'My Uncle Oswald' (1979).
9) Buckinghamshire: 22 August 1980. 1 1/4 pages. Typed letter signed 'Love, Roald' to 'Dear Alfred' on 'Gipsy House/ Great Missenden' stationery. Dahl catches up with recent news. He writes, 'I now have three more children's books completed and sitting with Bob Gottlieb. Two have already been illustrated and are on the road to publication. The third called 'Dirty Beasts' which is a books of verse and is my favourite, is waiting for an illustrator…'
10) [New York:] 6 October 1980. 1 1/4 pages. Retained carbon copy of a typed letter unsigned, but from 'AAK' to 'Dear Roald'. Knopf speaks about common friends in the industry and talks about his publishing career as of late. (10)

$1000 – $1500

Permanent Link
216. DAHL, Roald (1916 - 1990) The Witches New York: Farrar, Straus Giroux, [1983]. 8vo (235 x 155mm). Pictures by Quentin Blake. Original blue cloth stamped in red metallic to front cover and spine, the De Luxe edition in the yellow slipcase. Condition: minimal dustsoiling, slipcase slightly stained. Provenance: 'Plymouth Mass/ March 18, 86' (inscribed in ink to rear pastedown).
limited de luxe edition signed by both the author and the illustrator. Numbered copy 68 of an overall limited edition of 300 The novel won the 1983 Whitbread Award (“funny, wise, deliciously disgusting, a real book for children”) and was made into a popular feature film by Nicolas Roeg in 1990. It has also been the frequent target of censorship and appears on the American Library Assiciation’s 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books.

$500 – $600

Permanent Link
217. DISNEY, Walt (1901 - 1966) Huey Hand-painted celluloid (235 x 207 mm). Animation cel of nephew Huey featured in the 1938 cartoon Donald's Golf Game.
Still in its original matte and frame, complete with its original Courvoisier background and indentifying tag. This painting is one of a select few that were released to art collectors; the remainder were destroyed.

$5000 – $8000

Permanent Link
218. DISNEY, Walt (1901 - 1966) Walt Disney’s version of Pinocchio. New York: Random House, [1939]. 41ff. Illustrated. Spiral-bound beige cloth with pictorial label. Condition: rubbing to spine ends and some minor water stains on the early leaves.
a presentation copy, inscribed in pencil on the copyright page, “To Barbara O’Connor with my best wishes Walt Disney.” numbered copy 77 of 100.
There had been a previous printing of 100 copies for America and another 100 for Great Britain. This book was issued to establish Disney’s copyright of elements of the production of Pinocchio a year prior to its release in the theaters. It contains the continuity script plus 29 pages of reproductions of storyboards and model sheets for Disney’s second animated feature film. Some of the characters did not make it into the final cut of the picture. Barbara O’Connor was probably the daughter of Pinocchio’s Art Director Kendall O’Connor.

$5000 – $8000

Permanent Link
219. DISNEY, Walt -- Studios Jiminy Cricket Original animation drawing in pencil (147 x 130 mm). Framed.
Drawing was used in the 1940 animated Disney feature Pinocchio Disney animator Ward Kimball was the creator of Jiminy, who became the first Disney feature character to speak directly to the audience.

$4000 – $6000

246. SEUSS, Dr. [Theodor Seuss Geisel] (1904 - 1991) The Cat in the Hat New York: Random House, 1957. Small 8vo. [62] pp. Decorated matte boards in dust jacket, the price on the front flap of the dust jacket is “200/200.” Condition: minimal wear. Younger/ Hirsch 7.
first edition. When John Hersey challenged Dr. Seuss in Life (May 24, 1954) to create a reader that was not as boring as the popular Dick and Jane textbooks, Ted Geisel responded with The Cat in the Hat (1957), the first of his Beginner Books. He based his verse primarily on a limited elementary school vocabulary list and played with rhymes of words with one syllable. The book was an immediate success, but most copies were read to pieces. Few have come on the market in this nice condition with the dust jacket intact.
[With:] Copy of the second printing in dust jacket: three signatures in decorated glossy boards; the price on the front flap of the dust jacket is “195/195.” [And:] A copy of the Hebrew edition of the sequel The Cat in the Hat Comes Back (1958). (3)

$5000 – $8000

322. SENDAK, Maurice (b. 1928) Where the Wild Things Are Photolithographs (each 265 x 525 mm). signed in ink. Complete set of four prints from Where the Wild Things Are, New York: Harper & Row, 1963.
Prints are reproduced in the exact size of the original watercolors in the Maurice Sendak Collection at the Rosenbach Museum & Library in Philadelphia. (4)

$2000 – $3000

323. SENDAK, Maurice (b. 1928) Wild Thing Balloon Two watercolors (each 220 x 170 mm). Executed for the front and back of the Wild Thing Balloon for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; with two pencil studies for the balloon. .both signed and dated 'july-august 1998'. Together four works framed together.
exceptional watercolors of the most famous creature in Sendak’s classic picture book Where the Wild Things Are (1963). One drawing is annotated “The tail is not properly placed--as you can see!” (2)

$35000 – $45000

And that's just a selection - there are lots more in the catalogue available from the Bloomsbury site - see link above or to the left.

Home : First Edition Books

Enid Blyton First Edition Books

Enid Blyton First Editions - A Good Investment?

Before J K Rowling there was Enid Blyton, the most prolific writer of children's books ever, with 750 books to her credit. Her books, which include the Famous Five series (21 books), the Secret Seven series (15 books), and Noddy plus many more, have sold over 600 million copies worldwide and been translated into nearly 90 languages and is the fifth most translated author ever.

Enid Blyton was born at 354 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, London, England, on 11 August 1897. She was the eldest child of Thomas Blyton, a cutlery salesman, and Theresa Harrison. She had two younger brothers, Hanly and Carey. She was educated at St. Christopher's School in Beckenham, being an excellent pupil and leaving as Head Girl.

She had however a strange life in which she appeared to be more interested in her work and her fans than her family and her own children. Over time her books were also surrounded by a certain amount of controversy as they were judged too simple, racist or anti-working class. But you can find out about all that on Wikipedia or http://www.enidblyton.net/. Here I am more concerned with Enid Blyton First Editions.

It has to be said that the prices of First Editions of Enid Blyton's books, given her popularity as a children's author, and the fact that she still sells 8 million copies a year over 40 years after her death, are relatively low.

The most expensive on Abebooks is Five on a Treasure Island published in 1942 by Hodder and Stoughton, which is being offered at a price of £3750 (approx. $6000) by a bookseller in Leicester. This may seem a lot but compare it to the highest priced J K Rowling - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - which is on offer for £40,000 ($66,000) and it doesn't seem like so much after all.

It could be that with the recent BBC film about the life of Enid Blyton and the 50th anniversary of her death only 9 years away, that prices will increase so it might be worth a gamble as a long-term punt or an investment for the kids !

Home : First Edition Books

J K Rowling First Editions

Angie Sage's Septimus Heap the Next Harry Potter?

Princess Diana French President Giscard

First Edition Books - The Princess and the President by Valery Giscard d'Estaing

In one of the most extraordinary literary developments in recent years, the former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing has written a novel about a love affair between an unhappy British princess, who bears a striking resemblance to Princess Diana, and a French President.

(French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing and Princess Diana - in Versailles in 1994 - Capture)

La Princesse et le President - wiil be published by Éditions de Fallois-XO (The Princess and the President) in October but already people are speculating whether the story is is fact or fantasy.

Giscard d'Estaing, French President from 1974-1981, gives his fictional President the name of Jacques-Henri Lambertye, and names the heroine Princess Patricia of Cardiff, "a town in Wales."

The pair meet at Buckingham Palace and the princess reveals her sad plight to the French President and embark upon a passionate affair. Is Giscard, who met Princess Diana in 1994, in Versailles, living out the fantasy of a secret liaison?

"A dozen days before my wedding, my future husband came and told me that he had a mistress and that he had to decided to carry on seeing her after our marriage," says Princess Pat, in a confession very similar to the situation that existed between Prince Charles and Lady Diana.

The book contains much wishful thinking but has fuelled rumours that the tale might be true by penning a cryptic inscription in the book: "Promise kept." It also contains the strange phrase in English "I wish that you love me". I say strange because it doesn't make a lot of sense in English and it is hard to believe that an English person would use that exact phrase, except perhaps in response to the question "What do you wish?".

He ends the book by writing "You asked my permission for you to write your story," she told me. "I give you it, but you must make me a promise ..."

Le Figaro expects the book to cause a stir. No doubt both the royal family and Mr Al Fayed will be reading it closely.

Only Giscard d'Estaing holds the key to whether it is fiction or reality says Le Figaro.
Giscard was 55 when he lost power and photographs show that he met Diana publicly in the years after his election defeat.

One Reuters picture her smiling delightedly at Giscard.

As is well-known, Diana died in a car crash under the Pont de l'Alma in Paris in 1997 with her boyfriend, Dodi al Fayed. According to media reports Giscard and his wife were the first to send flowers to the hospital where her body was taken.

The book is bound to cause a stir when it is published on 1st October to say the least perhaps an almighty ruckus so it might be worth grabbing yourself a copy or two of the first edition, signed by Mr Giscard d'Estaing if at all possible (although book signings are not so well-known in France).

Brown Lost Symbol First Editions

First Edition Books - Dan Brown The Lost Symbol - A Good Investment?

Dan Brown's latest book and no doubt soon-to-be best-seller The Lost Symbol goes on sale tomorrow and according to the hype is expected to put Washington on the map (for those who don't know where Washington is already). So these are the first edition of the book - but are they likely to represent a good investment?

In the book Robert Langdon, Dan Brown's Harvard symbiologist, dashes around the Capitol in a 12-hour battle against a muscular tattooed eunuch. He is assisted in his epic battle by the wise Dr Katherine Solomon, a Noetic scientist (a noetic scientist is supposed to explore the nature and potentials of consciousness through the application of multiple ways of knowing — including (but not limited to) intuition, feeling, reason, and the senses) (isn't that what we all do?).

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

The Lost Symbol was reviewed today in The New York Times, under the dysnoetic title "Fasten Your Seat Belts, There's Code to Crack". The reviewer Janet Maslin suggests Dan Brown fans will not be disappointed. She says that Dan Brown has avoided the trap of following a huge hit by a flopping embarrassment, stating that he is "bringing sexy back to a genre that had been left for dead." - not sure what she means but it sounds good.

For the record it was Maslin's uncharacteristically rave review for The Da Vinci Code which helped propel it to the top of the bestseller charts.

The Da Vinci Code made Brown a household name and has sold over 80 million copies in 44 languages. No doubt The Lost Symbol will also be a great success and I suppose we can expect a film to follow.

In The Lost Symbol Langdon heads for the Capitol building, where he has been invited to speak by Peter Solomon, Katherine's brother. Maslin summarizes as follows [skip the next few sentences if you don't want to know ] : "And here comes Mr Brown’s first neat trick: The Solomon summons was fake. There’s no audience waiting"

"Just as Langdon realises he has been lured to Washington under a false pretext, a shriek arises from the Rotunda. Some fiend has deposited Peter Solomon’s severed, tattooed hand right above the Capitol Crypt — and right below the dome art that depicts George Washington, founding father and Freemason, as an ascending deity."

Is the Lost Symbol, published by Random House, likely to be a good investment as a first edition - well the initial print run is 5 million so really not much rarity value there. But you could always try and pick up a signed copy or two for the cover price - and lock them away for a few years.

The book is however expected to boost sales of the Amazon Kindle ebook reader as users download the electronic version instead of getting the real thing.

The Digital Fortress

As far as first editions go you will probably be better advised to try and find a signed copy of a first edition of Dan Brown's first novel Digital Fortress - the cheapest one I've seen on Abebooks is $950 for a copy with a signed bookplate and $1450 for a copy signed directly to the title page. But a search through auction sites may turn up cheaper copies.

The cheapest signed first editions of the Da Vinci Code appears to be around $200 but again a more extensive search might throw up more.

Tolkien Sigurd Gudrun First Edition

First Edition Books - Collectible First Editions - The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún by J R RTolkien

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún is a work written by J.R.R. Tolkien, before he wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, while he was Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University during the 1920s and ‘30s. It was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in May 2009 and a special first edition copy has now been made available by Hatchard's for £60.

The Hatchard's first edition (not the copy in the photograph) is a deluxe collector's edition which has the first edition text and a facsimile page of Tolkien's original manuscript. The edition is quarterbound in brown with grey boards and includes a gold motif of Sigurd's horse, Grani, stamped on the front board. It has been printed on superior quality paper and includes a silk ribbon bookmarker, with matching slipcase.

It includes an introduction by J.R.R. Tolkien, from one of his own lectures on Norse literature, with notes and commentary on the poems by Christopher Tolkien.

Tolkien fans the wolrd over will want to take a closer look at this special edition.

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$19K for Harry Potter Book

First Edition Books - Harry Potter Book Sells for $19,120

Collectibles and Collectables - Rare Harry Potter Book Auction

Dallas auction house Heritage Auction Galleries has reported that a copy of the first Harry Potter paperback book has been sold for just over $19,120.

"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (sold as the Sorcerer's Stone in the US) had a first print run of only 200 copies with illustrated wrappers by publisher Bloomsbury. The 1997 work includes an illustrated card signed by author J. K. Rowling.

The winning bid of $19,120 was almost double the previous highest price paid for a softcover Harry Potter book. The bidder was collector from Dubai whose wife is a Harry Potter fan.

This is the description from the auction catalogue :

"J. K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. [London]: Bloomsbury, [1997]."

"First edition, with all first issue points including "Joanne Rowling" and "Thomas Taylor1997" (no space before year) on copyright page, along with the complete number sequence "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1." Twelvemo. 223 pages."

"This, the first book in the Harry Potter series, was issued simultaneously in both hardcover and softcover. This softcover copy is in the original pictorial stiff wrappers. The pages have toned lightly as is common with this title; otherwise there are no creases to the covers or spine, and the binding is tight. A fine copy of Rowling's first book. Mounted inside the back cover is a card featuring the front cover artwork, signed by J. K. Rowling."

"Reputedly only 300 hardcover and 200 softcover copies of Rowling's first book were printed, and nearly all of these went to schools and libraries. Considering that many of Rowling's later books were printed in first edition runs numbering in the millions, the rarity of this volume - the book that launched a cultural phenomenon - is extraordinarily significant. Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000."

The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling contains 7 volumes, the last of which was published author in 2007 and has sold over 300 million copies. If you are looking for a Harry Potter book to buy as an investment then bear in mind that it is very unlikely that the recent volumes will ever command such prices. The copies you need to find are signed first editions of the very first book in the series. Good luck.

Alternatively you can try and spot the next Harry Potter. You need a book with a cult following that had a very limited first print run because the author was unknown but is fast becoming famous. An early signed Eragon written by Paolini and self-published by Paolini might be one such example, but sof ar his books have not risen to the heights of J K Rowling's books. (He was not helped by the film which by all accounts was not very good). A quick look on Abebooks gives prices for signed Eragons of between $500 and $9,000. Another possibility may be Angie Sage's Magyk also published by Bloomsbury and a film of which is being made.

Home : First Edition Books

Rowling Beedle the Bard Charity Sale

First Edition Books - J K Rowling - "The Tales of Beedle the Bard"

After finishing the Harry Potter series, J.K Rowling wrote "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" (see Carousel in left-hand column), she has now signed over her royalties in it to the Children's High Level Group charity, which she co-founded, and which supports institutionalized children. It is hoped that the book will raise in the region of $8 million for the charity.

(Handwritten edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard on auction at Sotheby's)

J.K. Rowling refers to the book, which is a collection of tales on wizards and wizardy, in her Harry Potter books. The first editions of the book were seven handwritten copies. Six of these copies were given away as gifts, the seventh was auctioned off and was purchased by retailer Amazon in December for almost $4 million.

Miss Rowling said the new edition would include illustrations and an introduction done by herself. "

Publication date for the book is December 4th. It will be published by Bloomsbury in the UK and Scholastic in the US. Amazon also has plans to produce a leather-bound collectors' edition of 100,000 copies for $100.

The Bloomsbury edition priced at £6.99 and the Scholastic edition priced at $12.99, will include a commentary on each fairy tale from Albus Dumbledore.

The handwritten autographed first editions of the Tales of Beedle the Bard are extensively illustrated by J.K Rowling herself. It is "bound in brown Moroccan leather and embellished with five hand-chased hallmarked sterling silver ornaments and mounted moonstones".

"The Tales of Beedle the Bard" are, according to Rowling, a "distillation of the themes found in the Harry Potter books", and she says it represents a goodbye to the world she has inhabited for the last 17 years.

It is worth bearing in mind that a copy of the proof of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is on offer at ABE books at the moment for almost $500,000. so first editions books are generally a wise investment

Auction of First Edition Books

First Edition Books - Auction of First Edition Books

If you are interested in First Edition Books and manuscripts you will want to check out Bloomsbury Auctions. Bloomsbury Auctions' will be auctioning 500 selected children's books, original illustration artwork, library sets, early printed books and fine art books, along with a selection of nineteenth and twentieth century literature.

There will be original illustrations including illustrated books and original artwork by Arthur Rackham, including "Three Children Picking Berries" (guide $15,000-$20,000). Other children's illustrators include Kate Greenaway, Hoops (guide $8,000-$12,000), and E. H. Shephard's The Morning Walk (guide $15,000-$25,000) and other children's first editions for auction by Maurice Sendak, Frank L. Baum and A.A. Milne.

The second half of the auction includes early printed books, art books, and private press. Among the highlights are a first edition, first print of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (guide $4,000-$6,000), and a first editions, first print of The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell (guide $2,000- $3,000) and much more...

"We are pleased to present our second Bibliophile sale of the season," says Peter Costanzo, Bloomsbury Auctions. "With such a wide range of material at desirable price points, the Bibliophile sale creates a forum in which the first-time bidder and the experienced collector come together to celebrate their love of books."

Viewings will be held in New York from June 21st to June 24th from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Closed Sunday. The auction is scheduled for Wednesday, June 25th starting promptly at 10:00 am, and a second session at 2:00 pm. Visit http://www.bloomsburyauctions.com (click on New York) to view the catalogue or to phone them as the links don’t seem to be working.

Your Chance to Invest in the 'Next Harry Potter' ?

First Edition Books - Septimus Heap or Tunnels to emulate Harry Potter ?

Autographed First Edition Book - Septimus Heap

In my previous post – Septimus Heap – I mentioned the seven book series Septimus Heap by Angie Sage and the fact that Warner Bros. have just signed the film rights. As a result of this contract people are hoping or expecting that Septimus Heap series will repeat the phenomenal success of the J K Rowling franchise.

Angie Sage's books are already international best-sellers and have been translated into 28 languages and given the public's love of all things magykal the films, which will undoubtedly be well-produced by Warner Bros., may well find as many fans as the Harry Potter films. After all new children are coming along all the time !

Autographed first editions of either the US or the UK edition of the books may well prove to be a sound long-term investment, as it is already becoming increasingly difficult to find signed First Editions of the first three books in the series, Magyk, Flyte and Physik.

In addition the Angie Sage PR machine seems to be getting underway, as she was interviewed on Sky News at mid-day today.


Tunnels

Another book which is causing a great stir is Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams. As reported in the Hollywood Reporter, Relativity Media have already acquired franchise rights to develop and produce a series of films

Tunnels was first self-published in 2005 by Roderick Gordon and Brian Wilson under the title The Highfield Mole. It was subsequently published by Chicken House under the name Tunnels after undergoing some editing. Tunnels was released in the UK July 2, 2007 and is due to be released in the United States on January 1, 2008. The authors have already finished the second book in the series and are working on the third.

Their marketing campaign was rather unusual, Roderick Gordon says "I even went around leaving copies on buses and in taxis, and also carefully placing them on benches and in trees in the various parks that I visited with my children so someone would spot them and might take them home to look at. I reckon the squirrels were a little bemused when they chanced upon the tree copies!"

At the moment the only signed copy I can see is on offer at AbeBooks for £1,595.00 maybe I should check out a few parks !

Relativity hope to get several hit films from the novels and replicate the success of the "Harry Potter" series. "Tunnels" has more than $1 million in advance sales and prepublication rights in more than 21 languages.

The original self-published version is obviously the more valuable investment. As far as I have been able to discover there were 500 hardback copies printed and 2000 soft covers. A number of the copies were signed by the authors and 80 copies of the 500-copy hardback run were numbered and signed as part of a "Remarque" edition. These copies have a hand-drawn illustration by Brian Williams, an inscription by Roderick Gordon, and are signed by both authors. There is also a "Colony Leather Bound Edition" of ten hardbacks, numbered and signed, with a hand-drawn picture by Brian Williams bound into the book. (Wikipedia)

The authors on their website say that there are a number of errors in the Wikipedia description, but as Wikipedia is open access, they could just log in, change the errors and give the definitive chronology of events.

The book may well prove to be a good long-term investment of which The Oracle of Omaha himself would be proud if you can find one at a reasonable price. The most expensive J K Rowling on Abebooks at the moment is being offered for £ 245,000 although the second mos expensive is only £ 36,000 !

Angie Sage’s ‘Magyk’ is more affordable, if you can find a copy.

Home : First Edition Books

First Editions of Septimus Heap by Angie Sage - Good Investment following Warner Bros. Film Deal

16 July 2007 - 14:54

First Edition Books
Septimus Heap (Magyk) by Angie Sage Good Investment for Collectors of First Editions after Film Rights Sale

If you are looking for a First Edition book to invest in then you could do worse than to have a close look at Magyk by Angie Sage. Why? Because Warner Bros. Pictures has just announced (12 July 2007) they have acquired the feature film rights to the seven-book fantasy series, Septimus Heap - the seventh son of a seventh son.

Signed first editions by Angie Sage, should therefore start to move north soon, as the filn deal does not appear to be general knowledge yet.

Magyk was the first in the series and Angie Sage has already written part II Flyte and Part III Physik. These books are all worldwide bestsellers and have been translated into 28 languages. Warner Bros. has made a lot of money from the Harry Potter films but they need something to replace them and have decided Septimus Heap is a good bet. More magic, mystery and wizardry with more humour thrown in in Angie Sage’s inimitable style.

The forthcoming film will be produced by Karen Rosenfelt who also produced the Devil Wears Prada with Angie Sage as Executive Producer.The Septimus Heap series tells the story of two babies that are switched at birth: one, a boy who discovers his birthright as the seventh son of a seventh son, and ultimately, a powerful wizard; the other, a girl who is destined to become Princess. Their stories are set in a weird and wonderful fairy-tale England and their journeys of self-discovery are filled with hilarious characters and clever charms, potions and spells."We are delighted that Warner Bros. will be creating films from the Septimus Heap series," said Susan Katz, President and Publisher of HarperCollins Children's Books (I bet they are !) « the producers share our belief that the world of Septimus Heap is … unlike anything else in children's fantasy."Magyk was first published in the US by Katherine Tegen Books an imprint of HarperCollins in March 2005 and then Bloomsbury purchased the UK publication rights from them. Magyk was published in the UK just a few weeks after the US version was published.. It was an international bestseller. It moved straight into the New York Times Best Sellers List at no. 3 and moved to no. 1 in its second week.
The book has also appeared on the bestseller lists in France, Sweden, Spain, and the UK.

As the US version is the first edition you might think it would be better to obtain the US first edition, but this is not necessarily so. Susanna Clarke’s book Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell was published first in the US but it is the UK version which gets the highest prices.

Magyk was also published in the UK in a special limited edition of just 1000 numbered copies, these will be more expensive and a better investment than the ordinary signed copies.

I wouldn’t expect Angie Sage’s books to command the same price as J K Rowling’s first editions, but they ought nevertheless be worth significantly more than they are at the moment. They are also quite hard to find, eBay – my primary source for cheap first editions doesn’t seem to have any at the moment.

To be sure of how prices are changing check out AbeBooks.

magykfilm rights
warner bros
harpercollins
first edition
katherine tegen

Hme : First Edition Books

Formula One Opus - Champion's Edition - Signed Special Edition Book

13 July 2007 - 19:24

Formula One Opus - Special Edition Book

News just out of an impressive not to say extraordinary First Edition book

Hatchards Special Editions

Hatchards is pleased to be able to offer the following Special Edition:
FORMULA ONE OPUS - CHAMPION'S EDITION - £20,000

The Formula One Opus is a rare and unusual book; a celebration of over a century of motor racing, the definitive story of a sport that has seduced the rich and famous through the decades. Painstaking research, original interviews and specially commissioned photography brings the world of Formula One motor racing to life.

The Formula One Opus is half a metre square, contains over 800 pages and weighs over 30 kilos. It contains over 1,500 photographs and 200,000 words written by a selection of the finest motor racing writers in the world to ensure the quality and originality of the editorial. The publishers have scoured the archives of photographic agencies and private collections worldwide to uncover rare and previously unpublished gems and commissioned shoots by some of the industry's most highly-regarded photographers. Words and images are printed on the finest 200gsm paper stock and enhanced by the use of silver leafing, spot varnishing and fifth-and sixth-colour processing. The Opus is bound in the finest leather and delivered in a beautifully crafted presentation box. This Champion's Edition, which retails for £20,000, is restricted to 100 copies worldwide. Each copy contains a page bearing the signatures of all the living Formula One World Champions (18 in total). This unique signature page has never before been attempted in the history of Formula One and is a true collector's piece.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS BOOK IS CURRENTLY DUE FOR PUBLICATION IN DECEMBER.

To place an advance order for the above title then you will have to visit the Special Editions section of the Hatchard's website, www.hatchards.co.uk. Please
note that this title is only available to order through the website and not
through the shop. If you do decide to buy one please mention that you heard about it through this site - they might pay me a commission !

formula+one signed special edition

Publishers Over a Barrel - That's Got to Hurt!

First Edition Books - Book Promotion Costs an Arm and a Leg

Not first edition books but interesting nevertheless. (I've been away).

Bookshops apparently charge publishers for promoting their books. Why don't the publishers refuse? Well because they can't basically. Bookshops (inc. supermarket chains) have a monopoly on selling books.

Did you think bookshops promoted books in their storefronts out of the goodness of their hearts or because they liked the book ? Well, so did I. But apparently it ain’t so - full article by Nigel Reynolds here Telegraph

Waterstone's has admitted that it sometimes "asks" for £45,000 ($90,000) from publishers to promote books in its stores. They deny however that the money influences their decisions about which titles to recommend to buyers. Hmmm do I detect some Alice in Wonderland logic at work here ?

Allegedly a document has been leaked sent by Waterstone’s to UK publishers in which it allegedly gives a range of rates it is requesting in exchange for heavy promotion in the weeks and months leading up to Christmas, something to do with joining in the Christmas spirit I believe. Who leaked the document and to whom is what we would really like to know! And did they get a fee? (Perish the thought).

How much would it cost, allegedly? Well, £45,000 ($90,000) per title it appears. According to the document, Waterstone's would place six titles in ‘windows, front-of-house displays and in a national advertising campaign.’

If you can’t afford £45,000 then shame on you, but there is special rate of £25,000 ($50,000), for which the chain will allegedly feature a title in a front-of-store bay as a "gift book", and at tills. Still too much ? Then for £17,000 ($34,000), a book would be displayed as one of two "offers of the week" for one week in the run-up to Christmas.

Still too much !? Then for a mere £7,000 ($14,000) allegedly, they will ensure a book is promoted as a ‘Paperback of the Year’ and be included in newspaper ads., while for a veritable Scrooge-like £500 ($1,000) (who are these cheapskates ?) a book would be included in Waterstone's Christmas gift guide, along with a bookseller review.

Readers, like myself, whiling away their time in their ivory towers, may have liked to believe that titles were recommended based on a retailer's judgement (I did). It appears, however, that such practices are allegedly standard throughout the book industry. One supermarket chain is apparently studying the possibility of charging publishers just for the right to have a book on its shelves. So the publisher has to pay to sell its books at supermarket prices, which are well-known to be extremely low. They could also charge customers for the right to walk through the door like they do at car boot sales!

Is there any profit in all this ? I guess there must be. But it just goes to show that without exposure, one is stuffed don't you know! Why don’t publishers open their own bookshops in which they could also sell vegetables? Who knows? Certainly not I (any book publishers reading this please note there is a £25,000 consultancy fee for that piece of advice).

How can they get away with it you may ask ? Well, by blackmail basically. According to the Chairman of Quercus Books, Anthony Cheetham, if you say 'no' the retailer drops its order from 1,000 copies down to 20 ! Looks like they’ve got the publishers over a barrel to me. If I were a publisher I would join forces with other publishers and set up direct-sales online bookstores pretty quick (any book publishers reading this please note there is a £50,000 consultancy fee for that piece of advice).

Waterstone's denied however that they have been selling favours. According to a spokesman its "recommended titles” are picked by its own "experts" and only thereafter were publishers asked to “make a contribution” to the cost of promotion. How could they refuse such a generous offer?

The company stated: "A publisher cannot buy a promotional slot at Waterstone's”, allegedly.

Update - New Book by JRR Tolkien being published - Children of the Hurin

16April 2007 - 11:58

A new book by J.R.R. Tolkien is a rare event, particularly as he has been dead for over 30 years, but there will be one on sale tomorrow.

His son Christopher Tolkien has used his father's manuscripts to construct "The Children of Hurin".

The story has been told in fragments in "The Silmarillion", and the new book is darker than Toliien's best known works "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings".

The story takes place in the distant past long before "The Lord of the Rings" in a part of Middle-earth that was drowned long before the Hobbits appeared. It tells the tale of brother and sister Turin and Nienor who are cursed by Morgoth, the first Dark Lord.

The initial worldwide print run for the new book, featuring illustrations by Oscar-winner Alan Lee, was 500,000.

In another development "The Hobbit" is also likely to be made into a movie.

It is estimated that worldwide sales of "The Lord of the Rings" amunt to 150 million copies, with 50 million of these taking place since the films were released in 2001.

"The Children of Hurin" may well be the last "new" Tolkien work to be published.

On Ebay recently a so-called First Edition Twelfth Impression (i.e. not a first edition at all) sold for £148.00

On Abebooks true firsts from 1954 are priced at between £8,500 and £32,000 . The first edition of the Children of Hurin is unlikely to command high prices, particularly so as they are publishing 500,000 copies, but no doubt Tolkien collectors will be buying a few.

Update : Hatchards are offering a special edition of THE CHILDREN OF HURIN - DELUXE EDITION BY J.R.R.TOLKIEN, EDITED BY CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN for £60

It includes a new Map of Beleriand drawn by Christopher Tolkien, in the form of a fold-out sheet, 8 colour paintings, 25 pencil sketches plus an exclusive colour frontispiece painting, by artist Alan Lee. This edition is in blue with grey boards, stamped in gold foil with a unique motif of the Helm of Hador, and housed in a matching custom-built slipcase. The book is printed on superior quality paper. THESE ARE FIRST EDITIONS BUT THEY ARE NOT SIGNED.