Two random updates:
And as long as I’m slinging random sports news…
September 29th, 2015SMU Banned For Rules Violations
September 29th, 2015Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Though it’s basketball rather than football, and it’s just a post-season ban rather than the “death penalty.” Also seems to be academic cheating rather than handing players envelopes full of cash.
And SMU coach Larry Brown is suspended for nine games. Honestly, I had no idea Brown was actually coaching SMU these days, which has to be a big letdown for a man that’s won an NBA Championship. He has the reputation as one of the bast basketball teachers in the world, but just can’t manage to get along with people.
A Chance to Own a Stephen Hawking Signature
September 29th, 2015Right now a book signed by Stephen Hawking be yours for only a bit over 20 grand, but expect that to go up.
And it’s not even one of Hawking’s own books, but a farewell gift for a co-worker who was leaving the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy at Cambridge University signed by the faculty, including Hawking.
“Hawking autographs are of the utmost rarity.” Indeed, though it’s already too rich for my blood, and I suspect it could easily go for 3-4 times the current price…
Shoegazer Sunday: Slowdive’s “I Believe”
September 27th, 2015Yep, another Slowdive rarity…
Library Additions: Two Horror First Editions
September 24th, 2015The only thing tying these two books together is that they’re both horror and I bought both from Lloyd Currey at 50% off:
Library Addition: Paul Di Filippo’s Cosmocopia
September 23rd, 2015When this cool novel/art assemblage was announced in 2007 at a price of $50 (I think it was listed at $65 on publication), I thought two things about it:
They were even offered at a slightly short discount for dealers, which is why I passed on it. When it came out in late 2008, neither I (nor anyone else) was buying much of anything, and I’m sure the lavish nature of the production helped contribute to Payseur & Schmidt’s demise.
Di Filippo, Paul (illustrated by Jim Woodrung). Cosmocopia. Payseur & Schmidt, 2008. First edition hardback, one of 500 copies with a band signed by Di Filippo and Jim Woodrung around the box, in a decorated cardboard box with a cardstock illustration and a Jigsaw puzzle, in the case as well as the book, sans dust jacket, as issued. Paul Di Filippo alerted me to the fact that Fantagraphics bookstore had copies on hand for Jim Woodrung’s signing there at $30 a pop and I managed to call and snag the last copy.
Library Addition: Limited Edition of Pulphouse 8 Signed by Greg Egan
September 21st, 2015You may be aware that I’m one of the few book collectors that has an inscribed associational copy of one of Greg Egan’s books (Axiomatic, inscribed to his editor David Pringle). These days, Egan doesn’t do signings, doesn’t attend conventions, and refuses to do signed limited editions of his work. However, before he instituted this policy, he did sign one limited edition toward the beginning of his career, and I recently picked that up:
Rusch, Kristine Kathryn, editor. Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine: Issue Eight: Summer 1990. Hardback first edition, #50 of 250 numbered copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, in a Fine slipcase. Signed by Greg Egan at the title page for his story “The Moral Virologist.” Also signed by George Alec Effinger, Jack McDevitt, Jonathan Lethem, etc. Chalker/Owings (1991), page 364. Supplements an unsigned copy (I have the entire 12 issue run in the regular edition.) Bought off eBay for $39.95.
His signature here is actually neater than the one on the inscribed Axiomatic.
I may not be the only Sf collector with two Greg Egan signatures, but there can’t be many…
Shoegazer Sunday: Mvnich’s “Magnicide”
September 20th, 2015I think Mvnich, despite having a name some render as “Munich,” hail from Spain. Other than that, I have very little information on them. Here’s “Magnicide.”
Library Addition: Signed First Edition of J. G. Ballard’s Super-Cannes
September 15th, 2015Pick up another signed J. G. Ballard first edition:
Ballard, J. G. Super-Cannes. Flamingo, 2000. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with bumping at points, a 1/8″ closed tear at bottom rear fold point, and very slight haze rubbing to reflective silver dust jacket. Inscribed by Ballard: “To Jane,/J.G. Ballard”. Bought for £24 plus shipping.
I think I have a total of six signed Ballards, including the News From the Sun chapbook and the limited edition of his autobiography, Miracles of Life: Shanghai to Shepperton.
Library Addition: Anthony Armstrong’s Wine of Death
September 14th, 2015Someone put in a want for this book so long ago I apparently no longer have the email they sent about it, which I think may have been some 15-20 years ago. But it popped up at a reasonable price so I picked it up.
Armstrong, Anthony. Wine of Death. Stanley Paul & Co. (London), no date [1925]. First edition hardback, a Very Good copy with moderate bend at head and heel at head and slight spotting to page block edges and first few pages, and slight foxing to front and rear free endpapers, with 32 page catalog dated 1924-1825 at rear, lacking the dust jacket. Tietler & Locke, By the Book World Remembered, pages 37 and 119. Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy, page 22. Tietler, By the World Forgot, 55 (where it’s compared to Robert E. Howard’s Conan tales). Not in either edition of the Bleiler Checklist. Bought for $32.04 plus transatlantic shipping. Last year Lloyd Currey listed a better (but not perfect) copy, still lacking the dust jacket, for $1,250, and noted it was “Rare.”
