Modern First Editions

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This section is a work in progress and is being added to constantly. A modern first edition is generally taken to be a 20th century novel, 1890's onwards. It is an area of collecting that has increased hugely in popularity over the last few years. As well as the increased popularity there have been some spectacular rises is values. Further Interest Collectors Guide Identify a First Edition Bibliographies find a bookseller

In this genre condition is EVERYTHING ! as is the presence of the original dust jacket. It could reasonably be argued that this area is not really book collecting but dustwrapper collecting. The presence of the jacket cannot be overstated in terms of collectability and value. As a rough guide the value drops by 90% when the jacket is absent. First Edition, First Impression.... The advent of ebay has brought about a change in terminology for first editions. Time was that a first edition was a first edition and every other edition was a reprint. New and/or slightly 'green' collectors seem to have been convinced that a first edition, 37th impression copy of a collectable title is a collectable edition, sadly this is NOT the case. The only time reprints should be acceptable to the modern first edition collector is when the title is so rare or the cost is too prohibitive, in which case and early reprint is better than nothing. We do not wish to be elitist or sound condescending and we acknowledge how much pleasure can be derived form collecting attractive reprints, especially as it removes the financial barriers involved. However, all we urge is caution in the price you pay, as with dust jackets think roughly 10% of the value. In fact, many reprints have no value at all, beyond their readability of course.