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First Edition Book

  • 05-06-2014 10:50pm
    #1
    Mr. Farewell
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19 ✭


    Hey, I have a first edition copy of an Arthur Conan Doyle book called "The Sign of Four." It's a Sherlock Holmes book. Quite small in size with a red cover, with an NL logo pressed onto the front and spine. It was given to me by my father's cousin as a gift years ago. I was just wondering if a first edition book like this is worth money, especially as it is a Sherlock Holmes book.


Comments

  • #2
    hooplah
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 570 ✭✭✭hooplah


    First edition can unfortunately mean a number of things. When people speak of valuable first editions they usually mean the the first published edition of a novel. So if I wrote a novel in 1890 and it was first published in Dublin in 1891 in hardback this would be the collectible first edition.

    The book might be published in France in 1892, in India in 1893 and in London in 1894. These would be the first French, Indian and English editions but they might just say 'first edition' on the inside pages. If I published a paperback version in Dublin in 1970 this might also be called a first edition.

    Ideally all these later published versions would mention the earlier ones but they often don't.

    If you want to check the value of your copy you could try abebooks.com for a rough guide. I've done a search here for first edition copies ordered in decreasing value: http://bit.ly/1jYVzvU

    If you've got a rare valuable book good for you. Just remember that the prices on abebooks can only be a guide. Many of the sellers will keep a book listed at a specific price for years, they're not trying to make a quick sale.


  • #3
    chasmcb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 278 ✭✭chasmcb


    Is "NL" national library or something similar? If so, that would also decrease the saleable value of the book in question.


  • #4
    Mr. Farewell
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19 ✭Mr. Farewell


    chasmcb wrote: »
    Is "NL" national library or something similar? If so, that would also decrease the saleable value of the book in question.

    It stands for Nelsons Library, I did some research into it and that's what it tells me. Also, it's printed in fine gold lettering at the bottom of the spine, but unfortunately has faded too much for me me to notice upon first inspection.


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