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motown Inner circle Atlanta by way of Detroit 6127 Posts |
Bill,
I picked up a numbered 1st edition of Paul LePaul's book from a used book dealer for $40 or $45 dollars. This was before the internet. There were 500 printed. Had the internet and Abe books been around, I'm sure that book would have been priced at over $100. And that's just one example. I think. the internet has definitely made it harder on the pocketbook. Craig
"If you ever write anything about me after I'm gone, I will come back and haunt you."
– Karl Germain |
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
I'm not surprised that it was that inexpensive. The LePaul book has largely been overlooked by card workers of the past two generations, because some of it has been "improved upon" by more recent performers. However, LePaul did a lot of his work in a stage situation. Some of his sleights were specifically for that kind of setup. Look at his version of the Diagonal Palm Shift. It's not as elegant as the Erdnase version, but it is much more suitable for stage work than the Erdnase DPS.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
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ekins Special user Portland, Oregon 513 Posts |
Quote:
I think. the internet has definitely made it harder on the pocketbook. I believe this has gone both ways. Buyers are now able to more easily determine a fair market price and are less likely to be fooled by the "Rare, Out of Print" sales pitch and the associated inflated price. But I agree that as a buyer you're less likely to come across that great find like you were several years ago. For example, I bought a copy of Cards as Weapons (when they were going for $150-$200) for $15. -Brian |
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Clay Shevlin Elite user 497 Posts |
Here is an article which may be helpful to those interested in learning about collecting, pricing and such things:
http://www.geniimagazine.com/forums/ubbt......1#import Regarding RiffRaff's question about Okito on Magic, all 200 numbered copies of the "deluxe edition" were signed by Okito, and were issued in quarter blue cloth over gold pebbled paper over boards, with a red leatherette slipcase. The basic issue of the book was bound in red cloth with a profile of Okito embossed in gold on the front cover, with a red and white dust jacket. RiffRaff doesn't mention the condition of the book, whether it has the slipcase, or even if it was one of the "deluxe" copies, so I'd be hard pressed to consider an estimate of value without that basic information. As Bill Palmer wisely suggests, the condition of a book can be critical when it comes to value. |
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RiffRaff Special user 671 Posts |
Clay,
Thanks for the extra info. It's not the deluxe edition. It has a red cover with the gold embossed Okito profile (about the size of a dollar coin). The cover is not in good shape. I had purchased a second book just for the cover, and then I discoved that the second book was a second edition, and the cover was different than the 1st edition cover. The condition is excellent (I'm not using that term the same way that book collectors use it - It looks excellent to my untrained eye). Okito signed it in blue ink as follows: To: Bill Reid Esq. With best wishes. Okito. Dec 1952. (The word 'Okito' is underlined). Posted: Apr 26, 2010 8:52am I'm not sure that my post was clear. If not I'll clarify: The dust jacket (cover) is not in great condition; the book itself is. |
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Josh Chaikin Inner circle Kansas City 1430 Posts |
What a great idea for a thread, Bill. A few years back, I purchased two issues of West Coast Quarterly from Andy Greget (which seems to comprise a full run). Very few people seem to know much about this publication, in spite of there being great material in there. The price I paid leads me to believe that it may not be worth much, the material and contributors, however, makes me think differently, though.
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
I really can't claim this as my idea. The idea came from Merenkov.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
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Marshall Thornside Inner circle chicago 2016 Posts |
I will say the value of book is interesting.
Because I know that Dr. Albo's books are usually through the roof. If they are inscribed, much more. These are't older books only published int he past 30 years or so but they are complete by volume. Where as the magic annuals don't hold up as much value as does a inscribed set. Yet a leather bound edition of the first so many Jinx (I think or maybe Genii) magazine can be worth quite a bit. I think much of it can be determined by demand. When one knows that its in demand people will pay (almost) anything for it.
you will remember my name
World's Youngest Illusionista 7th greatest pianist in the world Go Red For Women and Stroke Ambassador www.mai-ling.net |
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Clay Shevlin Elite user 497 Posts |
^^^ Frances, I don't think Bob's books are much more valuable inscribed, at least based on what I've seen for sales. And what do you mean by "complete by volume"?
Which annuals are you talking about? Goldston? Findlay? Magic, Inc? |
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
I found someone who collects a very narrow slice of magical publications. Yet he still manages to have a very large collection of material.
He collects Karl Fulves -- not just the books and periodicals Karl wrote or edited, but also articles, reviews, places Karl is mentioned, etc.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
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magicfish Inner circle 7004 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-05-01 04:12, Bill Palmer wrote: Interesting. I wonder why he collects Fulves. I know people collect everything from bananas to irons to brooms- who knows why. But I'd be very interested to know why Fulves. Rod. |
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
It might be because Fulves is so prolific. He actually may have written more about magic than Walter Gibson.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
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Rennie Inner circle I think I have about 1826 Posts |
[quote]On 2010-04-26 00:46, ekins wrote:
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For example, I bought a copy of Cards as Weapons (when they were going for $150-$200) for $15. I feel $15.00 is the actual true value of that book. I think it is the most overpriced book I ever saw. Contains no magic, but a few nude shots..Crazy!! Rennie
The effect is the important thing, how you achieve it is not.......
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ekins Special user Portland, Oregon 513 Posts |
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On 2010-05-01 12:09, Rennie wrote: No disagreement there, but on the other hand if I can turn around and resell it to make some money for some good material I'm not going to complain. -Brian |
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Rennie Inner circle I think I have about 1826 Posts |
Brian,
I could not agree more. Sell it and use the money to buy a book that has something in it you can use. Rennie
The effect is the important thing, how you achieve it is not.......
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
This illustrates a principle that occurs in the market sometimes. It's basically a "bump." This happens when someone wants something so badly that he will pay ANYTHING for it. Actually, it happens when two or more people want something so badly that they will pay ANYTHING for it.
Case in point -- The Red Book of Mentalism sold on eBay a few years back for $400.00 +. Then everybody wanted one. So Prism was printed. I don't know how well it sold, but the fact is that the fellow who paid $400+ for the Red Book did so because his time was worth more to him than $400 an hour. A set of Ross Bertram cups went for about $1800 on Martinka a few years ago. Then the cups started decreasing in value. Now they are about the same as they cost right before the big bump.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
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gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3526 Posts |
As a used/antique book buyer for a large Chicago bookseller for several years, I feel I'm in a position to say that magic books are the some of the most schizophrenically valued books in the world! There is very little rhyme or reason to how/why some books are so highly prized and some are not, except for usefulness and fashionability.
Not that there's anything wrong with it, but it's very curious that fashion plays such a large role in the value of magic books.
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
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Mark R. Williams Regular user 193 Posts |
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On 2010-05-03 18:09, gaddy wrote: I agree but isn't that usually true for any category of books? I collect Civil War books of various types including army manuals of the period and the same can be noted of them. The prices can be wildly divergent and the determining factors are not always evident. Heck, just look up the price of almost ANY book on an online book sitr such as ABE's and you will see prices ranging from giveaway to assinine!!!! Regards, mark
"One more step on the pathway of Knowledge, that is if we don't break our leg crossing the street"
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Clay Shevlin Elite user 497 Posts |
I suspect there’s a lot of truth to Mark’s observation about the variability of book pricing. That said, to address gaddy’s comment about the schizophrenia of magic book pricing, I’ve often been amazed at the variance between the pricing by general book dealers and specialist magic book dealers. The only realistic explanation I can think of for this is that magic books are, by the “underground,” secretive nature of magic, seldom encountered in great quantities by general book dealers. Amongst specialist magic book dealers, prices are generally consistent. And of course, as Bill Palmer says, there are the “bumps” in prices as certain authors and sub-genres of magic books wax and wane in popularity. Goldston and Hoffmann were once all the rage a couple of decades ago, but demand – and thus prices – have tailed off.
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
There is also a factor that includes the various categories that books fit into. Some people who are laymen are Houdini collectors. If you have a Houdini book for sale, it may appeal to magicians, collectors of Judaica, collectors of "roaring 20's" books, spy novels, you name it. So, at an auction, a Houdini book may conceivably have a much larger market than a book like Erdnase.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
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