Back when James P. Blaylock made it to Armadillocon more regularly than he does now, I got him to sign most of his early work, but neglected to pick up The Elfin Ship, The Disappearing Dwarf and The Stone Giant because I wasn’t yet the completest I am now and they looked a bit “Elfy Welfy” for my tastes. I’ve picked up a couple since, but haven’t had a chance for Blaylock to sign them. These are from the estate of editor and publisher John Pelan (Axolotl Press, Silver Salamander, etc.), sold through Centipede Press, each a price of about $5 each. Since Pelan published several Blaylock books through Axolotl, these are interesting associational copies.
Posts Tagged ‘signatures’
Library Additions: Four James P. Blaylock PBOs Inscribed To John Pelan
Monday, May 30th, 2022Library Addition: Signed First of Jack Williamson’s The Silicon Dagger
Wednesday, May 18th, 2022Another signed first edition from a Grandmaster. I knew Jack a little, and he was a long-time subscriber to Nova Express.
Williamson, Jack. The Silicon Dagger. Tor, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Williamson: “For/Vicky/Foreman/Jack Williamson/3-2-2000.” Jack’s second-to-last novel. Hauptmann, The Work of Jack Williamson, A78 (still forthcoming at the time). Won off eBay for $5.
Library Addition: Three Centipede Press Titles
Thursday, April 14th, 2022The Sheckley was bought directly from the publisher, while the two Watts titles were bought from a collector culling his collection.
With:
Library Addition Signed Limited First of Robert A. Heinlein’s JOB
Thursday, January 27th, 2022I already had two books signed by Robert A. Heinlein, one a second printing with a crappy dust jacket, the other a book club edition I bought off David Hartwell at an Armadillocon for $40. This is both the first signed, limited edition Heinlein I’ve bought, and the first first edition signed by him (though I have plenty of unsigned Heinlein firsts).
Heinlein, Robert A. JOB: A Comedy of Justice. Del Rey, 1984. First edition hardback, #109 of 750 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Near Fine slipcase with a quarter-sized water spot and a faint scratch, sans dust jacket, as issued. Not my favorite Heinlein, but quite readable by the standards of late-period Heinlein. Bought off eBay for $300.
Library Addition: Signed Hardback of Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses
Tuesday, January 4th, 2022Picked this up on my Thanksgiving trip to Houston:
Rushdie, Salman. The Satanic Verses. Viking, 1989. Fourth printing of the first American edition, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with slight curl at head, signed by Rushdie, with sales slip from a bookseller stating it was a signed copy laid. The book that earned Rushdie a fatwa from the Ayatollah Khomeini. Supplements a first printing of the first American edition (the Viking UK edition precedes). Bought at a Houston-area Half Price Books for $7.99.
Library Additions: Signed Firsts of Bierce, Farmer and King (Not Signed by Bierce, Farmer or King)
Thursday, December 30th, 2021Something of an oddball category, all true firsts, all signed by contributors, but not by the most famous author.
Library Additions: Two Signed Robert Bloch Firsts
Thursday, December 9th, 2021Two signed Bloch firsts, picked up from different sources:
Library Addition: Signed Hardback First of 100 Books by August Derleth
Tuesday, May 25th, 2021My long-term goal of obtaining a complete Arkham House collection gains another important volume:
Derleth, August. 100 Books by August Derleth. Arkham House, 1962. First edition hardback, one of only 200 hardback copies, a Near Fine- copy with wear at head, heel and points (and a few traces elsewhere) on the decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Inscribed by Derleth: “Best wishes,/August Derleth.” Bibliography. Simultaneous with a much larger paperback run. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 65. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 67. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 69. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House, 65. Currey, page 155. Tymn Schlobin Currey, A Research Guide to Science Fiction Studies, 247. Chalker Owings, The Science-Fantasy Publishers, page 32 (which notes this was actually published in 1963). Bought off Biblio for $360.
Library Addition: Signed First of Poul Anderson’s Flandry of Terra
Tuesday, May 11th, 2021Here’s one of those books I heard good things about in my youth but never actually read:
Anderson, Poul. Flandry of Terra. Chilton, 1965. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with bumping at head and bumping and slight rubbing at heel, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight wrinkling at head and heel and a touch of rubbing, signed by Anderson. Currey, page 10. Anatomy of Wonder 4, 3-7. Bought off eBay for $22.50.
Library Addition: Signed First of Theodore Sturgeon’s Without Sorcery
Wednesday, April 28th, 2021Picked up another signed Sturgeon first:
Sturgeon, Theodore. Without Sorcery. Prime Press, 1948. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with slight bumping at head, heel and points and a tickmark and circled “A+” next to “Maturity” on the title page, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with edgewear and crinkling at head, heel and points, rubbing along edges one thin streak of discoloration to spine (not affecting any text), slight haze rubbing to front cover, and age darkening and dust staining to white rear cover, signed by Sturgeon. Sturgeon’s first short story collection (and first “real” book). Diskin, Theodore Sturgeon: A Primary and Secondary Bibliography, A54. Currey, page 473 (state B, trade issue). Chalker/Owings, page 352. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 129. Bleiler, Checklist (1978), page 189 (not in the 1948 edition). Locke, Anatomy of Wonder, page 208. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4, 3-173. Bought for $50 off eBay.