What is this antique book worth?

Question

Does anyone have a guess at what 100+ year-old (sorry, don't have it in front of me to tell you the date) copy of 'Little Women' is worth, and it appears to be signed by Louisa May's father, a Dr. Charles Alcott?

Answer 1

As with all old rare books, its value would depend upon the publisher, edition, date, binding, and condition.

eBay, as useful a service as it is, is NOT a good source to learn about genuinely rare books. Many of the sellers do not have or know how to communicate adequate information about editions and condition of old books.

The best place to begin to estimate the value of a book is an online cooperative of book dealers:

www.abebooks.com

The first edition of Alcott's Little Women was issued in 1868 by Roberson Brothers in Boston. Among old copies of that title now available on abebooks are thirty published by 1906 (using your 100+ age). Their value goes from $8.00 to $10,000. Therefore, you need to go to abebooks, enter the publisher and date for the copy you have and see what the results are.

Here are three examples, to give you a sense of how/why the price varies. Notice esp. the date, edition, and condition of each:

$7750

Book Description: Roberts Brothers, Boston, 1868. May Alcott (illustrator). First Edition. Two Volumes, in the publisher's original green cloth with brown-coated endpapers. FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING of Little Women, with the title-page dated 1868, with this title priced at $1.25 in the terminal ads, with no mention of Part Second on page 341, and without Part One on the spine. FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING of Part Second, with the title-page dated 1869. BAL's Second State [of four], with the notice for Part One on p. iv, and with four entries on page [364] of the terminal ads. Complete with frontispiece and three inserted plates in each volume. Part One has been expertly recased, visible only at the spine tips, and with the original endpapers and pastedowns preserved. Part Second is ******, with some light overall rubbing and shelfwear. Very good copies [unusual for these much-read children's books], and with an interesting Concord association. On the brown-coated front free endpaper of Part One there is the pencilled signature of Anna E Hosmer, along with her address of 7 Devens Street, Concord Mass. Her pencilled initials "A.E.H." are also present on a preliminary blank. The Hosmers were a prominent 19th century Concord family, various members of which were well known to Emerson, Thoreau, and Alcott herself who, at the age of thirteen, attended a school run by John Hosmer.



$474.91

Book Description: Roberts Brothers, Boston, 1895. Hard Cover. Book Condition: Good. No Jacket. 12mo - over 6" - 7" tall. Copyright 1880, With Illustrations, PAGES ARE CLEAN/NO MARKINGS/SECURE except for first few pages which are detached (easily repairable), BINDING TIGHT, 532 pages, design on inside front and back covers and first and last end papers, prior owners name on second end paper with date December 25th 1895, few light foxing markings, Cover is blue with black design and lettering on front cover and spine has black and gold design with blue lettering, cover is just a tad bit loose, few light soil markings, very little fading on edges, THIS BOOK IS IN FABULOUS CONDITION, IT'S OVER 100 YEARS OLD, WHO!! WE SHIP DAILY!!!!!!. Bookseller Inventory # 001019


$10

Book Description: Roberts Brothers, Boston, 1895. Hard Cover. Book Condition: Poor. Dust Jacket Condition: No Dust Jacket. 5 x 7. title page missing; front board detached; pages yellowed; spine cover detached.

FINALLY, I should note that In your case, a signature or inscription, if it were a close relative of the author, might greatly enhance the value. Louisa's father, however, was Amos Bronson, who died in 1888 (two days before his daughter and caretaker, Louisa May). As far as I can determine there were no immediate family members named Charles, though one of Bronson's dearest friends and associates was Charles Lane.

Answer 2

Generally speaking, a book is worth whatever anyone is willing to pay for it. If you were happy to pay $125 for it from a reputable book dealer, then that is probably about what it's worth right now. What it will be worth in the future is anybody's guess. Personally, I think it will only appreciate in line with inflation. It is unlikely to depreciate if it is kept in good condition - so as long as it's something you're going to enjoy meanwhile, you're unlikely to be out of pocket, and in a few decades when you bequeath it to your grandchildren, they will, no doubt, be very pleased. If, on the other hand, you're hoping for a fast return with some profit, then I think it unlikely; new books signed by debut authors are a better investment, (preferably signed, first-lined, dated ... and, if possible, doodled too). A slightly riskier investment, perhaps, because the ultimate value of the book will depend on whether the author moves on to great success or sinks into oblivion. But if you have good instincts, then a substantial short-term profit is much more likely.

Answer 3

Book values are usually tied to auction prices, and have a lot to do with the book's edition and condition.

There used to be a book service that listed values based on auction prices, but I'd try ebay or addall.com. The signature, if authentic, should affect its value.

My guess at this point is to post it on ebay as a store item with a fixed price.

Answer 4

Antiques roadshow would say that would fetch about $50,000. You could sell it on eBay for about $10. It's probably somewhere between.