Lizzie Borden Books
Moderator: Adminlizzieborden
-
jokash
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:28 pm
- Real Name:
Lizzie Borden Books
I have been a Lizzie buff for only the last 30 years and have been collecting books on the subject during that time. I am new to this forum and have been reading several postings vis a vis the value of some of the books. I would be curious to know the relative value of my "collection." Is there a good way to determine relative dollar values of my books? Thanks in advance for any advice offered.
-
mbhenty
- Posts: 4428
- Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:20 am
- Real Name:
Yes JoKash:
As you have mentioned, the value of most books are relative.
The ruby in Lizzie collectables is Edwin Porter's THE FALL RIVER TRAGEDY. Much has been said about the value of an original Porter on this forum, but a true first edition from 1893 can sell for anywhere from 400 or so to 1200 or 1500 dollars. As we speak, there are two for sale on the internet for 950 dollars. (not sure of condition)
The most expensive book, being the diamond on the subject, is probably TODD LUNDAY'S little booklet, "THE MYSTERY UNVEILED:- The Truth About the Borden Tragedy". A copy has not come on the market for many years. Myself, I have never seen a copy for sale in 25 years of browsing the Lizzie book world. It is that rare....
Right now Len Rebello's book LIZZIE BORDEN PAST AND PRESENT along with PROCEEDINGS THE LIZZIE BORDEN CONFERENCE command a handsome fee. And, let us not forget "THE KNOWLTON PAPERS. All these at one time or another have displayed asking prices well above 200 or 300 dollars.
More recently, a couple of books from Lizzie Borden's own library, (obscure titles) with signed/initialed notations by Lizzie herself, along with her personal little book plate, have been sold and aggressively demanded 700 or 800 dollars on ebay.
As you have mentioned, the value of most books are relative.
The ruby in Lizzie collectables is Edwin Porter's THE FALL RIVER TRAGEDY. Much has been said about the value of an original Porter on this forum, but a true first edition from 1893 can sell for anywhere from 400 or so to 1200 or 1500 dollars. As we speak, there are two for sale on the internet for 950 dollars. (not sure of condition)
The most expensive book, being the diamond on the subject, is probably TODD LUNDAY'S little booklet, "THE MYSTERY UNVEILED:- The Truth About the Borden Tragedy". A copy has not come on the market for many years. Myself, I have never seen a copy for sale in 25 years of browsing the Lizzie book world. It is that rare....
Right now Len Rebello's book LIZZIE BORDEN PAST AND PRESENT along with PROCEEDINGS THE LIZZIE BORDEN CONFERENCE command a handsome fee. And, let us not forget "THE KNOWLTON PAPERS. All these at one time or another have displayed asking prices well above 200 or 300 dollars.
More recently, a couple of books from Lizzie Borden's own library, (obscure titles) with signed/initialed notations by Lizzie herself, along with her personal little book plate, have been sold and aggressively demanded 700 or 800 dollars on ebay.
-
diana
- Posts: 878
- Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2004 1:21 pm
- Real Name:
Wouldn't that be a find!!mbhenty @ Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:54 pm wrote:. . . The most expensive book, being the diamond on the subject, is probably TODD LUNDAY'S little booklet, "THE MYSTERY UNVEILED:- The Truth About the Borden Tragedy". A copy has not come on the market for many years. Myself, I have never seen a copy for sale in 25 years of browsing the Lizzie book world. It is that rare.... . . .
Robert Flynn obviously had Hilliard's original -- and a few of the facsimiles he reproduced from that are available on abe books at around $60 - $70.
But has anyone here ever seen an original?
-
mbhenty
- Posts: 4428
- Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:20 am
- Real Name:
Yes Diana: I have never seen an original.
But, I know where 3 of them are. Of course, to protect their privacy I will not mention any names. Strangely, I have a friend who has an original and I have never asked him to show it to me. Must do that next time I visit him.
Another copy is with a family here in Fall River. Rumor has it that it will soon be donated to the Historical Society here in Fall River. And, I am sure the Historical Society has a copy or two.
It would be interesting if we knew how many were printed of the originals. I would imagine 100 would be minimum and probably 500 or so were originally printed. But, that would be a guess on my part.
The unknown author published it in 1893 thru Reid Publishers in Providence, R.I.
-
mbhenty
- Posts: 4428
- Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:20 am
- Real Name:
Could this be the most expensive Lizzie book on the market? (just behind Porter and Lundy)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :IT&ih=022
JUST SOLD YESTERDAY AND TO SOMEONE IN AUSTRALIA IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
-
william
- Posts: 421
- Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 5:25 pm
- Real Name:
- Location: New Hyde Park, Long Island, N.Y.
Jokash:
A good way to obtain an approximation for the value of your run-of-the-mill Lizzie books is to check one of the on-line book sellers. Bookfinder.com claims it has a listing of fifty million books.
All important, or course, is the condition of your books. The presence, or absence of a dust jacket is a major consideration.
A good way to obtain an approximation for the value of your run-of-the-mill Lizzie books is to check one of the on-line book sellers. Bookfinder.com claims it has a listing of fifty million books.
All important, or course, is the condition of your books. The presence, or absence of a dust jacket is a major consideration.
-
mbhenty
- Posts: 4428
- Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:20 am
- Real Name:
right you are WILLIAM:
That is great information. So basically, at the moment it is a 400 dollar book.
As you have mentioned, condition is everything, at least to a collector such as myself.
Also the present of the dust jacket is vital to the worth of a book----not as much to non-fiction books, but when it comes to fiction the dust jacket that came with the book can be 3/4 the worth of the book.
Many collectors have no idea of condition. They see a book that sold for big bucks and assume that they are all worth that. "The Commenwealth of Ma vs LB" that just sold was pristine and still in shrink wrap. This of course does not mean that it has never been open. Being in the shrink wrap almost assures that the book is just about new, but does not mean that it was not read then re-shrink-wrapped. The machines to do so are very inexpensive.
But yes, condition is major and since this is a current title, so is the presence of a DJ.