Hello- Any Antiquetarian(spell?).. BOOK Experts out there??....I have a Q about...?

Question

Antique books. I'm looking for an 'ORIGIONAL' copy of ...The Wizard of Oz. I've seen items stating 'first edition'...Is that it? What is the lingo to use (or look for) to find the 1st printinting in the year the origional book was published...? Any fraud tips to watch out for? THANKS!!!!

Answer 1

THE first edition of L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz was published by Geo. M. Hill Co., in Chicago, in 1900. Because Baum had been a relatively unknown and unsuccessful author, apprarently relatively few copies were printed. They are, therefore, very rare and expensive. There are, however, many different printings and states of this first edition, which have been the subject of careful study by antiquarians.

A quick check of my favorite book dealers' cooperative, [ http://www.abebooks.com ] revealed ten copies of this 1900 first edition in various states and in varying levels of condition, ranging in price from $3,000 to $18,500. I have copied descriptions of the least expensive and most expensive of these ten below to demonstrate some of the qualities that antiquarians use to determine the authenticity, state, and condition of a rare "first edition."

There have been, of course, many other "first editions" from different publishers, with different illustrators, in different formats, and for different purposes. I have also seen several facsimile reprintings of the original "first edition," with the illustrations by W. W. Denslow. (After the first stage production of the Wizard, Baum and Denslow had a falling out, and all subsequent Oz books by Baum were illustrated by John R. Neill.) For examples of these reprintings of the "original" see

http://www.eskimo.com/~tiktok/aisle1.html

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$3,000

Book Description: Geo. M. Hill Co., Chicago, New York, 1900. Green Cloth. Book Condition: Minor Wear and Soiling. W.W. Denslow (illustrator). First Edition. 8 3/8" x 6 3/8". Covers and spine stamped in red and green. Recased. Covers and spine show light soiling. front cover slightly faded. One area of red crayon or pencil just above the lion's head, noticeable but not distracting. Gift inscription in neat hand on front pastedown. Evidence of old tape removal near hinge on the pastedown. This copy lacks the front blank. Title-page has been repaired at corners. Plate at p.160 shows old tape removal on reverse. Text and plates are complete, crisp, and clean. A very good, well-restored copy of this scarce and important work of American children's literature. Issue points are as follows: spine is variant C by Greene-Hanff or state Z by Blanck, the point being the publisher's name is in serified red type with the "C" of "Co" encircling the "o"; the plate facing p.34 has the blue blots removed from the moon and the plate facing p.92 has the red shading on the horizon removed; "low wail of" on p.14, "pieces" on p.81, and "While the Woodman" on p.227 are corrections; colophon has been reset in 13 lines without a box; broken type remains on pp. 100 and 186. See Greene-Hanff pp.23-25 and Blanck "Peter Parley to Penrod" pp.111-113. Bookseller Inventory # 011737

$17,500

Book Description: Chicago: George M. Hill, 1900, 1900. First Edition; Hanff, Greene's second state; binding C. Publisher's cloth; hinges cracking; bottom of spine cloth chipped about 4 mm.; minor cloth soiling; tear at the top of the next to last leaf; a very good, unsophisticated copy. Bookseller Inventory # 20876

http://www.abebooks.com

Answer 2

For a small fortune you can probably aquire a copy of the original. Although the signed original movie script is worth more actually.

!st edition or first printing is the first time the book was ever published and it is the only volume (in almost every case) worth anything the exceptions to that rule are if their are no first editions left in existence or if a later copy has illustrations or a forward, by someone famous.

After 1st press, there is little to no value... it diminishes greatly with each press. Just like a car greatly loses value the minute you drive it off the lot.

Trust me, I learned the hard way in the difference of value in the first printing/edition of the english version of Plath's Bell Jar and the 6th printing. Back when I first started buying antique books, I really thought I had myself a treasure... It is worth about $20.00.
Which is good I guess because it only cost $ 1.75 american when it was new.

Answer 3

thats tough because every book is different. First edition could mean first paperback edition or the first hardcover edition. if another publisher gets the right to print the book it could be the first hanover press edition. first edition is a tricky term.
Do a little back ground research on the book. Find out the original year of publication and the original publisher. Try online resources or your local library may be of help.

Answer 4

You simply need a First Edition

Answer 5

no