Yeah, that looks like a really poor copy. One of the reasons I have (personal) issues with the official "good" condition - many people don't realize that "good" is at best a middling grade for book condition...

But as a functional book & slipcase it's not in any way a "really poor copy".

For a collector it's certainly not very good. But it is ceratinly "good"!

BH

Agreed! It definitely fits the technical definition of a "good" copy. It also fits most descriptions of a "poor" copy (for example here's wikipedia's: "describes a book that has the complete text but is so damaged that it is only of interest to a buyer who seeks a reading copy").

I'm not faulting the seller here. I am scratching my head over the bids though.

It doesn't really fit any description of "poor". The book is in no way falling apart. Maybe I didn't look properly, but other than the sun damage & the inscription (neither of which are of functional importance), what exactly is wrong with this copy?

Bidding is nuts, I accept that.

BH

Khamûl wrote:
It doesn't really fit any description of "poor". The book is in no way falling apart. Maybe I didn't look properly, but other than the sun damage & the inscription (neither of which are of functional importance), what exactly is wrong with this copy?

Bidding is nuts, I accept that.

BH

More just bad value, I think (the wonder was in the final selling price for a mediocre-at-best copy). Sun damage, a bit grubby and a very tatty slipcase. Better copies have been selling for much less in recent times. With all the faults this copy has, and given it is not an uncommon title, the buyer could have done much better with a little patience.

I totaly agree on the collector value aspect; it's not a particularly attractive copy. However, 1969 first impressions don't appear that often on low-starting auctions.

BH

Khamûl wrote:
I totaly agree on the collector value aspect; it's not a particularly attractive copy. However, 1969 first impressions don't appear that often on low-starting auctions.

BH

Agreed, but they seem to be getting much more common in the last year or so. On the various auction sites I keep a (not very close these days) eye on, I have seen a handful. Of course, it will be interesting to see of the Amazon TV series changes values in the same way the LoTR movies did. I'm not necessarily convinced it will, as we are a generation further on, and the kids and young adults of today have been brought up in an almost pure digital age. I suspect physical books have much less relevance.

(Edit: One thing worthy of mention is that was a private listing -- there is no good reason for a seller to use a private listing on this kind of item, and it does - obviously - make shill bidding much harder to detect than it already is)

This is pretty funny:

eBay Item #372257575174

The Fellowship of The Ring (2nd print) , The Two Towers (3rd print) & The Return of The King (2nd print), in a custom made slip case

Interesting way to describe half a cardboard box!

BH

Now that's some fine craftsmanship... David Miller is put to shame.

Lol, Thanks Berelach!