This is another item from that third major Zelazny purchase that I’ve finally gotten around to adding to my library.
Somtow, S. P. (AKA Somtow Sucharitkul). Valentine. Gollancz, 1992. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with a signed bookplate laid in. Second book in the Vampire Junction trilogy (and I already had a first of Vampire Junction, also with signed bookplate laid in). The Gollancz edition precedes the U.S. edition by about six months.
Not my usual collecting vector, but a signed Milton Berle/Bob Newhart lot came up for auction that I was thinking of putting a lowball bid on. When I did comps on Bookfinder, I found that all the signed Berle firsts comped out at over $100…except this.
Berle, Milton. Milton Berle’s Private Joke File. Crown, 1989. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with slight age darkening to spine and at top front, 1/4″ closed tear at top rear, slight bend at head and heel, and slight blind-side foxing, otherwise quite nice, inscribed by Berle: “To my friend Jim!!/One of the Really great Story tellers. best wishes/Milt/9/1/89.” Massive 642 page joke book. Bought for $15.87 plus shipping after Biblio discount, which is less than the original cover price of $24.95 (though knowing Crown, this could have been an “instant remainder” sold at a considerable discount).
A signed Farmer PBO at a bargain price.
Farmer, Philip Jose. Cache from Outer Space b/w The Celestial Blueprint. Ace Double, 1962. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing on copyright page and price of 40¢, as per Currey), a Very Good copy with 3/16″ abrasion at head, moderate spine creasing, wear at head and heel, and trace of wear at points, signed by Farmer. Ed Emshwiller. Currey, page 183. Brizzi, Reader’s Guide to Philip Jose Farmer, page 66. Bought off eBay for 99¢ plus shipping.
Two more signed Lansdale firsts, one I got him to inscribe to me at his signing at Book People here in Austin on Friday, July 19, the other a lettered edition I was previously unaware of that I bought directly from the publisher.
I didn’t scan the traycase because the design is identical to the book.
Reminder: Through it’s sold out from the publisher, I still have copies of the signed/numbered edition of Dark Kin available at cover price.
In addition, Joe also signed the few books I had by him that he hadn’t already, including Apache Witch, The Gonzo Tapes, Mule Tales and Cody’s Army.
I don’t have signed firsts of all Neil Gaiman’s children’s books, but I’m closing in on it.
Gaiman, Neil, and Adam Rex (illustrator). Chu’s First Day of School. HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2014. First edition hardback (“First Edition” stated and numberline ending in “1”), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Gaiman. Illustrated children’s book about a Panda, and a sequel to Chu’s Day, which I don’t have. Bought for $30 off eBay.
Note: This is just slightly too wide for my scanner, so a sliver of the right side of the book is cut off in the scan.
I already had a first of The Seventeen Virgins, but not a signed first.
Vance, Jack. The Seventeen Virgins. Underwood/Miller, 1979. First edition chapbook original, a Fine- copy with one wrinkle to top corner and slight fading along spine, signed by Vance. Hewett, A58. Cunningham, B.70a. Chalker/Owings, pages 430-431 (where they note that only 400 were produced, not the 600 stated). Supplements an unsigned copy and the signed, limited hardback edition of The Seventeen Virgins & A Bagful of Dreams. Bought off eBay for $32 plus shipping.
Another Dragonstairs chapbook.
Swanwick, Michael. The War with the Zylv. Dragonstairs Press, 2024. First edition chapbook original, #50 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. A story based on the piece of art used as the cover.
I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
The only theme here is books received as gifts.
Here’s a book I was tempted to pick up copies of when it was announced, but passed because I wasn’t sure how well it would sell. With The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos, Wyndham is probably considered a top 10 SF all time writer in the UK, but he’s less well known on this side of the pond.
Wyndham, John (David Dyte, editor). Logical Fantasy: The Many Worlds of John Wyndham. Subterranean Press, 2024. First edition hardback, #361 of 1,000 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and publisher’s plastic bag, with bookmark laid in. Bought for $25 plus shipping during a Subterranean sale.
Another Swanwick book, this one from PS Publishing.
Swanwick, Michael. The Sleep of Reason. PS Publishing, 2024. First edition hardback, #24 of 100 signed, numbered copies (the only hardback edition), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. 80 short stories, each based on a Goya etching.
This hardback edition is now sold out from the publisher, but I will have a very small number available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.