"A Private Car" book for sale

John Keighley · #1 (**permalink**) 10-09-10, 10:27 AM

Serena,
It would be wonderful if you can offer it for sale within the Forum before going to the outside sites. Just think of the bidding war you could start off right here! Seroiusly, it is a book that any Bristol person would be happy to include in their collection
John Keighley.

RGSchmitt · #2 (**permalink**) 10-09-10, 02:41 PM

At least one copy is for sale on http://used.addall.com/

browning l · #3 (**permalink**) 10-09-10, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RGSchmitt

At least one copy is for sale on http://used.addall.com/

Actually seem to be 4 on offer, ranging in price from 600 to 850.

serena · #4 (**permalink**) 10-09-10, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browning l

Actually seem to be 4 on offer, ranging in price from 600 to 850.

Hi Browning l - we must have been looking at the site at the same time, as our posts have crossed. The Limited Edition set has certainly increased a lot in value since publication, hasn't it.

( I really hope Kevin doesn't mind that I seem to be hi-jacking this thread. I wonder would it be better form for me to 'list' the book on its own thread?)

Brian · #5 (**permalink**) 10-09-10, 07:40 PM

I noticed that the original publishers, Palawan Press (http://www.palawan.co.uk/
) still offer both the standard edition (buckram bound, limited to
900 copies) for £300 and the special edition (nubuk bound, 100
copies) for £800.

browning l · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-10, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serena

Hi Browning l - we must have been looking at the site at the same time, as our posts have crossed. The Limited Edition set has certainly increased a lot in value since publication, hasn't it.

( I really hope Kevin doesn't mind that I seem to be hi-jacking this thread. I wonder would it be better form for me to 'list' the book on its own thread?)

Oh, don't worry about Kevin. He can handle it.

Kevin H · #7 (**permalink**) 11-09-10, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serena

( I really hope Kevin doesn't mind that I seem to be hi-jacking this thread. I wonder would it be better form for me to 'list' the book on its own thread?)

Serena, I have created this new thread as we do have a forum specifically for selling items, as opposed to simply discussing ephemera.

serena · #8 (**permalink**) 11-09-10, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin H

Serena, I have created this new thread as we do have a forum specifically for selling items, as opposed to simply discussing ephemera.

Hi - sorry to be rather late on site ...
Kevin, thank you so very much, for setting up the 'For Sale' thread, and especially for the clarification of the two types of Standard Edition. Mine is the blue buckram - the 'non-glossy' cover.

I am going to upload photos of the books and slip cover. Thanks Kevin for the very clear explanation of resizing photos for upload and the link to the image re-sizing tool. I have tried to show all marks in the photos.

Jon McCarthy · #9 (**permalink**) 11-09-10, 02:40 PM

Kevin,

Your description of the different editions is interesting as my copy, purchased in 2005 from Palawan, is the special edition in the black slip case but is numbered in the mid four hundreds. This must imply that the numbering system for both editions is combined together or there must be more than 100special editions.
Fascinating!

serena · #10 (**permalink**) 10-09-10, 06:33 PM

Hello John - thx for your message. Yes, I think it is right to offer the book on the forum here first. I would prefer it went to a genuine Bristol enthusiast, rather than a book dealer.

I have to admit though to being at a bit of a loss as to how to determine a starting price. The site that RGS linked to, has a copy of the 2nd edition (1999) at $600. There are 3 copies of the Limited Edition (1998) listed in a range from $832.95 to $849.95.

Obviously mine has the blotch on the spine of one of the books in the set, which is going to reduce its asking price a bit. But those are staggering prices. I really had no idea the collectors' copy was worth so much. I wonder though are those prices 'speculative' - do copies really sell for so much??

Obviously my starting price is going to be somewhat less a) due to the mark on the spine and b) because the AddAll Rare books prices are probably 'off the shelf' prices (and perhaps a little speculative?), but it still seems a lot of money. If we are talking more than £300, I would be happy for someone to 'stagger' the payment in two or three tranches, if that is of any help. It seems a shame if the price puts the set out of reach of the very people who would get the most enjoyment from it. So anyone can contact me 'off-board' if they want to make an arrangement to pay for the book in several tranches.

Please bear with me whilst I figure out posting the photo.

RGSchmidt, it was very kind of you to post the link to the AddALL Rare Books site. There seem not to be any listed anywhere else. Thank you very much for your help.

Kevin H · #11 (**permalink**) 11-09-10, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serena

I really had no idea the collectors' copy was worth so much. I wonder though are those prices 'speculative' - do copies really sell for so much??

Serena, there are undoubtedly book dealers who will list books at ridiculously high prices on the off chance that some mug will come along and pay that price. Being a book collector I have seen it many times. I suspect they are very well established dealers who are not overly bothered whether they sell the book any time soon. It may even be that they don't particularly want to sell it because they might not have many other books relating to that marque and they want to make sure they still come up in searches for the marque.

I should point out that all copies of A Private Car are numbered, regardless of the binding. There were 900 copies of the Standard Edition and 100 copies of the Special Edition in the black slip case.

The Standard Edition was first released with a semi gloss blue slip case with title of the book on the spine and side, along with an image of the Bristol badge on the side. This slip case was found to damage very easily and Palawan replaced it with a plain blue cloth bound slip case with nothing printed on it, which is what is now pictured on their site.

To a keen book collector (opposed to a Bristol enthusiast), a copy in the original printed slip case in perfect condition may be more valuable. My own copy has the earlier slip case, but only when it was too late did I realise that it couldn't cope with even normal careful use.

Which edition do you have - the blue binder (printed or plain cloth bound), with grey and yellow books, or the black binder, with books bound in black nubuck?

Last but not least, you can contact members of this forum directly through the forum itself - if you click on a member's username on one of their posts a menu will drop down to show you their contact options (providing they haven't disabled them all in Member Options). This avoids listing your email address in a forum post, which is then viewable by spammers and scammers!

GREG · #12 (**permalink**) 11-09-10, 04:01 AM

Well those prices count me out !!

I would never buy a book for more than I could buy a car for ! I only paid £500 for my London cab - running great with 12 months MOT. The best value fun vehicle I have ever bought! Or maybe it was my first moped.

Good luck selling it.

Greg