Thread Name: 2nd DJ's of 3 Vol. Shakespeare From: GOODBOOKS@removed> Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2001 13:26:38 -0700 (PDT) Can anyone help me by having some idea for how long these dust jackets were used? As they are rather rare I think it may have been for a short time before the seven volume set. were issued....but I don't know for sure. ------------------------------------- From: GOODBOOKS@removed> Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 13:44:18 -0700 (PDT) I realize that it is tax time and that you may all be busy with Easter and such-- But,I cannot believe that no one out there has any thoughts on the three volume 2nd series Shakespeare dust jackets.....they must be more of a rarity then I had suspected. ------------------------------------- From: Scot Kamins <kamins@removed> Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 14:15:59 -0700 Well, I don't know if there's much to say. IMHO, with rare exception [pun intended] first state editions are worth more than second state in the book collecting world, even if second state stuff is scarcer. You'd have to have something unique -- or whatever English word means "close to unique" -- to qualify. ------------------------------------- From: "Gordon Neavill" <aa3401@removed> Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 17:17:07 -0400 The 3-volume Shakespeare was published in fall 1943 in drab brownish jackets that Lewis Miller, the RH sales manager, hated. The second printing in spring 1944 had brighter jackets in reddish orange, green, black and gold on white paper. I don't know how large this printing was; it may have been small because of paper rationing. The new jackets remained in use until the Shakespeare was split into 6 volumes in fall 1947, and of course these jackets were the basis for the jackets used on the 6-volume version. What I'm not sure about is how many printings (if any) there were between spring 1944 and early 1946. A number of ML titles, including most of the Giants, were out of stock during the last part of the war. It wasn't until 1947 that the entire series was back in stock (I think I'm correct about this but I'm giving the date from memory). I know that the 3-volume Shakespeare was out of stock in April 1946. Postwar inflation made it impossible for the ML to publish the Shakespeare profitably in 3 volumes, which is why Klopfer came up with the idea each volume in two. I doubt that there were more than two printings of the 3-volume Shakespeare in the second jacket, and there may only have been one--and the printings were probably small. The first printing of the 6-volume Shakespeare was 16,600 sets. ------------------------------------- From: DCHOCK7@removed> Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 17:45:18 EDT I can't add much to Barry Neavill's comments. As far as I know, the first issue DJs on 1, 1A, etc. list 329 titles. But the real valuable Shakespeares are the first ML printings. ------------------------------------- From: GOODBOOKS@removed> Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 20:03:28 -0700 (PDT) Well,I plead that the 2nd state Shakespeare DJ's are in the same league as the Painted Veils hardback (as an example) that is not a first edition yet still commands a higher price then the first edition. The Shakespeare 1st. lists at $375.00 Non Firsts at $225.00 I am not asking that the 2nd state DJ's be over $375 but I think they should be listed far over $225 especially after I read Gordon's explanation. As great as Henry's guide is,I wish he had taken up some of these big buck questions. Not to try and answer my own question but,I would not trade my Shakespeare firsts for second printing DJ's....Still,I would not trade my hardback Huneker for a first edition ------------------------------------- From: Scot Kamins <kamins@removed> Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 20:23:40 -0700 >As great as Henry's guide is,I wish he had taken up some of >these big buck questions. Sheesh, Joe. The Modern Library has literally DOZENS of major areas about which contention will run forever. How much can a single guide cover? The compilation of titles and variety editions ALONE is enormous. Having said that, the topic of later editions being more valuablethan firsts is a fascinating one. It brings up the whole idea of what we (meaning the entire set of Modern Library collectors in the world) deem valuable and how we assign value. -------------------------------------