Don't miss Jules' video on his channel (link in the description video above) and come along to thew London Ephermera and Paperback show to meet us both and Dorset Bob!
I loved Jules' video as well! You've got me thinking Steve: there must be at least four UK slang meanings for "Nick": 1- Steal 2- Jail 3- condition/ desirable Awww, dammit! In my rush to write you ive forgotten any more! Don't get old mate! I "suspect" that the condition came from theft, ie: "That's good nick" - that is something desirable, something that is worth having, something that is worth stealing. . .
That's my own thinking on the subject, but this week I'm actually going to look it up in a dictionary of etymology (you can't trust the internet on this stuff). It is, as we said in the video, quite an archaic usage now...
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Wonder if it is a craft secret how Bob finds these collections? I'm guessing Bob is well connected within the collecting community.
Words fail me. What a fabulous video. Matched up with Jules' co-production it's the best time I've had watching a video ever. Whoever owned those books must have treated them with such love and care it's almost emotional. The shine on those covers is absolutely incredible and some over 50 years old - astonishing. Just out of curiosity what sort of price has Bob put on the minty DAWs . . .my passion in life. So a big thanks for this Stephen, I would love to have been you.
Cheers Kenny, it was a joy to film, we had quite a day. The DAWs vary depending upon condition- which as you see was mostly tiptop. But just to give you an idea, the Tanith Lee I pulled out was £8, the Lin Carter 'Darya of the Bronze Age' £5-£6, the DAW Moorcock 'Stormbringer' bagged on the shelves at the start was £20. The price of Very Fine 'A Format' paperbacks is rising now with many authors, as many are scarce per se and in that condition very, very hard to find. Dealers have to offset against the hardcover market, which is not so buoyant, I'd say currently. But most of Bob's paperback stock is very, very reasonable and around £4-£6. A lot of the stuff on the shelves that's bagged- which both Jules and I show at the start of our respective videos is signed, so for example the Tanith Lee Birthgrave trilogy will set you back £75.
I enjoyed this episode. You're jaunts around the area to visit friends and old haunts is always a relaxing watch. Your brief comments about Poul (pronounced 'pool'?) Anderson struck a chord with me as I just finished rereading "Brainwave". It was one of the first SF novels I ever read, way back circa 1957-59 when I was eight or nine years old. I always remembered the first paragraph of the novel where a rabbit was caught in a trap and then.... Very evocative. I wouldn't give it highest ratings but I felt it was good and I did enjoy it. Not sure if I ever read anything else by Anderson. I saw some other titles in this episode - historical fantasy or some such? - I'll have to give them a try sometime. I'r darlleniad da nesaf!
Yes, lovely books. Bob sold most of them at the Vintage Paperback Fair a couple of months back. There's a video of me at the fair on the channel, check it out.
A great video! I watched Jules' video first and then watched yours, Steve and what a great back-to-back watch. As usual, I loved the fascinating tidbits you threw in on both videos. I learn so much watching this channel and listening to you. It was a lovely Sunday evening watching yoiu both!
Yes, although I'm not a massive fan of the more generic Fantasy of the 70s-90s (I prefer the earlier Sword & Sorcery), I am a sucker for books in 'A Format' in superb condition from that period- it's partially nostalgia, but just as much about the beauty of the jacket art.
So many interesting books for me to consider (that you mentioned before). I never find any A. Merritt in the wild , let alone awesome psychedelic Moody Blues album covered versions of "Burn,Witch,Burn". And such condition!
Two copies of the very book I'm reading now. Finally biting off the PSYCHOMECH trilogy after having been a Necroscope fan back in the day (and still like 'em, mostly for the crazy). I shelled out a bit for those original covers after ordering the trilogy from one of those ebay sellers that sends you beaters. Now I'm reading the beaters and keeping my signed copies in their bags! One of them is even a copy that Lumley sent to friends upon publication. Fun stuff. Reads like a rocket so far.
'Beaters'- like that, will be adopting it and hopefully boosting it into the collecting nomenclature worldwide- you'll see how my 'Pan Lozenge' coining turns up everywhere now....
As a bookseller in the US who works in a SF specialty shop (new & used), I'm amused by this. Those look in lovely condition, but we've got hundreds of boxes that look just like these!
Well, you would, of course- but I think you'll agree that the condition is spectacular for old books, considering how many titles are here. As we say, the vast majority of these US editions were never distributed in the UK and some were not even licensed for publication via other publishers over here. Having been a bookseller myself for forty years and a reader for even longer, this stock brought back memories of visiting the SFF speciality import shops that were dotted around the UK until the early 1990s- there were never more than 6-8 such shops in the entire UK (and Wales, the country I come from, had none) so it's like stepping back in time for me. If you watch my backlist, you'll see lots of similar videos and loads of reflections on SFF over forty years of bookselling.
@@outlawbookselleroriginalYes. We have similar reactions when British editions wander in with covers that are new to us! It's nice to get a fresh perspective on titles I might disregard because of over-familiarity.
I have that copy of Brackett's Big Jump, but it's quite tatty in comparison to that rather nice one. I am working on getting a pass out for the 24th, may see you there...
Alan Dean Foster has a couple of recent non fiction releases that are worth a look. Predators I Have Known, which covers some of the dangerous animals he's encountered over his years of traveling the world, and, The Director Should Have Shot You, which covers his career as a novelizer of film and television scripts. Incidentally, he's also a champion weightlifter at senior level competitions.
Those import shops you mentioned, would they sell any American book, or was it just books that did not have a UK publisher? I was under the impression that UK publishers generally have exclusive rights to sell books in the UK and don’t want competition.
Yes, American imports were their prime range alongside UK titles. If a book was not published in the UK and no UK publisher has bought the rights, then it was and is legal to import it. However, if a UK publisher held the rights (even if they didn't have it in print) then strictly speaking import shops were breaking the law (and of course this law held for US editions of titles available in the UK from UK publishers, though you saw fewer of these as it was more cost effective to stock the UK editions). Because the quantities being imported were small, however, the import shops usually avoided prosecution. These shops still exist -in theory- in the shape of the two chains called Forbidden Planet (two separate companies that split in half- Forbidden Planet UK (ironically the .com one) and Forbidden Planet International (ironically the .co.uk one- it's called FP International as they have a shop in New York). The former company still stocks imported SF & Fantasy, but books are now a tiny part of what they do, young genre fans now being more interested in toys, action figures etc- I recall FP when it was all books, magazines and comics and little else. I've not visited Transreal in Edinburgh yet - but will be doing so in October and filming there- but strictly speaking, the SF import shop died out in Britain in the 1990s with maybe one exception (New Worlds, the basement of Murder One in Charing Cross Rpad, London, which closed around 15 years ago). In the 70s and 80s, there were several -Unicorn in Brighton, Dark They Were & Golden Eyed in London (which became FP), Fantasy Centre and Fantasy Inn, both London, Andromeda in Birmingham and Forever People in Bristol. If you page back through my 'Videos' list to Oct/Nov, you'll see a video about Codex Books in Cirencester, but he has no imports, just UK SF. That culture is just gone, now.
I'm always wondering about this. My mate Jules Burt would say that with books, it's anything without an isbn number and/or barcode. I'd go with that, as he's talking about a late 60s cutoff- I don't consider anything 1970s onward vintage, though you could argue for the 1970s, but definitely not 1980s! People also use it as a synonym for 'second hand', 'used' or that charming epither 'pre-loved'.
Don't miss Jules' video on his channel (link in the description video above) and come along to thew London Ephermera and Paperback show to meet us both and Dorset Bob!
I loved Jules' video as well!
You've got me thinking Steve: there must be at least four UK slang meanings for "Nick":
1- Steal
2- Jail
3- condition/ desirable
Awww, dammit! In my rush to write you ive forgotten any more! Don't get old mate!
I "suspect" that the condition came from theft, ie: "That's good nick" - that is something desirable, something that is worth having, something that is worth stealing. . .
That's my own thinking on the subject, but this week I'm actually going to look it up in a dictionary of etymology (you can't trust the internet on this stuff). It is, as we said in the video, quite an archaic usage now...
Good to see your bookselling skills on display. I think I'd spend way more than my budget if I went book shopping with you. Poor Jules. 😏
He's a nightmare of the You Must Read This school🙂
I think Jules and I generally ALWAYS spend more than out budget on these trips, largely down to the quality of Bob's stock.
Guilty as charged!
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Wonder if it is a craft secret how Bob finds these collections? I'm guessing Bob is well connected within the collecting community.
Great presentation, I like your hardcovers...the Zelazny Amber book is nice...too tempting...I like the Karl Edward Wagner Horror Daw paperbacks.
Yes, it was an amazing haul!
What a great collection that was to look through 🙂
I watched both our videos on the plasma last night: I am now going to have to watch again, it was such fun.
I read that version of the Elric series. Loved it. There was a great comic series. I am looking to expand into other Moorcock works. Great video!!
I love old books & I envy your collection 😊
Looking forward to that future Michael Moorcock episode. He has so many different series, so it's hard to know where to start!
That's exactly what I'm going to address, be up in ten days or so here.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Amazing
I've read those two Merritts, in those very editions! 😁 _Burn Witch Burn_ is very good - but the other is even better! 👍
You said it!
Box after box of exciting stuff, wonderful
You said it, baby.
Words fail me. What a fabulous video. Matched up with Jules' co-production it's the best time I've had watching a video ever. Whoever owned those books must have treated them with such love and care it's almost emotional. The shine on those covers is absolutely incredible and some over 50 years old - astonishing.
Just out of curiosity what sort of price has Bob put on the minty DAWs . . .my passion in life. So a big thanks for this Stephen, I would love to have been you.
Cheers Kenny, it was a joy to film, we had quite a day. The DAWs vary depending upon condition- which as you see was mostly tiptop. But just to give you an idea, the Tanith Lee I pulled out was £8, the Lin Carter 'Darya of the Bronze Age' £5-£6, the DAW Moorcock 'Stormbringer' bagged on the shelves at the start was £20. The price of Very Fine 'A Format' paperbacks is rising now with many authors, as many are scarce per se and in that condition very, very hard to find. Dealers have to offset against the hardcover market, which is not so buoyant, I'd say currently. But most of Bob's paperback stock is very, very reasonable and around £4-£6. A lot of the stuff on the shelves that's bagged- which both Jules and I show at the start of our respective videos is signed, so for example the Tanith Lee Birthgrave trilogy will set you back £75.
I enjoyed this episode. You're jaunts around the area to visit friends and old haunts is always a relaxing watch. Your brief comments about Poul (pronounced 'pool'?) Anderson struck a chord with me as I just finished rereading "Brainwave". It was one of the first SF novels I ever read, way back circa 1957-59 when I was eight or nine years old. I always remembered the first paragraph of the novel where a rabbit was caught in a trap and then.... Very evocative. I wouldn't give it highest ratings but I felt it was good and I did enjoy it. Not sure if I ever read anything else by Anderson. I saw some other titles in this episode - historical fantasy or some such? - I'll have to give them a try sometime. I'r darlleniad da nesaf!
'Pool' it is- Danish, you see!
Some real gems in those boxes.
Yes, lovely books. Bob sold most of them at the Vintage Paperback Fair a couple of months back. There's a video of me at the fair on the channel, check it out.
A great video! I watched Jules' video first and then watched yours, Steve and what a great back-to-back watch. As usual, I loved the fascinating tidbits you threw in on both videos. I learn so much watching this channel and listening to you. It was a lovely Sunday evening watching yoiu both!
Jules and I are fast friends and always enjoy these expeditions.
Great content. Those are some superb books and artwork.
Yes, although I'm not a massive fan of the more generic Fantasy of the 70s-90s (I prefer the earlier Sword & Sorcery), I am a sucker for books in 'A Format' in superb condition from that period- it's partially nostalgia, but just as much about the beauty of the jacket art.
So many interesting books for me to consider (that you mentioned before).
I never find any A. Merritt in the wild , let alone awesome psychedelic Moody Blues album covered versions of "Burn,Witch,Burn".
And such condition!
Yes, apart from the odd 'Moon Pool' that pops up, I never see any Merritt, hence my grabbing those!
Two copies of the very book I'm reading now. Finally biting off the PSYCHOMECH trilogy after having been a Necroscope fan back in the day (and still like 'em, mostly for the crazy). I shelled out a bit for those original covers after ordering the trilogy from one of those ebay sellers that sends you beaters. Now I'm reading the beaters and keeping my signed copies in their bags! One of them is even a copy that Lumley sent to friends upon publication. Fun stuff. Reads like a rocket so far.
'Beaters'- like that, will be adopting it and hopefully boosting it into the collecting nomenclature worldwide- you'll see how my 'Pan Lozenge' coining turns up everywhere now....
Gonna watch after work Dad! 🖖
will take a look at jules site for the first time as well. Cheers....
You MUST. Page through his backlist and you'll see we've done around 4-5 collabs like this. He's the best company you can have when collecting.
Great video once again 👍🏻
Thanks, very kind.
Good man!
As a bookseller in the US who works in a SF specialty shop (new & used), I'm amused by this. Those look in lovely condition, but we've got hundreds of boxes that look just like these!
Well, you would, of course- but I think you'll agree that the condition is spectacular for old books, considering how many titles are here. As we say, the vast majority of these US editions were never distributed in the UK and some were not even licensed for publication via other publishers over here. Having been a bookseller myself for forty years and a reader for even longer, this stock brought back memories of visiting the SFF speciality import shops that were dotted around the UK until the early 1990s- there were never more than 6-8 such shops in the entire UK (and Wales, the country I come from, had none) so it's like stepping back in time for me. If you watch my backlist, you'll see lots of similar videos and loads of reflections on SFF over forty years of bookselling.
@@outlawbookselleroriginalYes. We have similar reactions when British editions wander in with covers that are new to us! It's nice to get a fresh perspective on titles I might disregard because of over-familiarity.
Tonight's viewing sorted!
I need another runthrough myself and do watch Jules' video too.
I have an ex library copy of that Guns of Avalon, never realised it was so scarce
Yes, it's uncommon per se- but obviously condition is key re its value for resale.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Its well read for sure
I have that copy of Brackett's Big Jump, but it's quite tatty in comparison to that rather nice one. I am working on getting a pass out for the 24th, may see you there...
Be good if you could make it. There will, of course, be bargains, as Maurice of Zardoz usually brings a ton.
Alan Dean Foster has a couple of recent non fiction releases that are worth a look. Predators I Have Known, which covers some of the dangerous animals he's encountered over his years of traveling the world, and, The Director Should Have Shot You, which covers his career as a novelizer of film and television scripts.
Incidentally, he's also a champion weightlifter at senior level competitions.
Well, that camera I refer to in the video would have been good training for anyone aspiring to shift lead.
I would love to go, bit far for me though (Australia), maybe some year...
The fair? Yeah, get what you're saying. I'd love to get down under too, but don't know if I ever will...
Those import shops you mentioned, would they sell any American book, or was it just books that did not have a UK publisher? I was under the impression that UK publishers generally have exclusive rights to sell books in the UK and don’t want competition.
Yes, American imports were their prime range alongside UK titles. If a book was not published in the UK and no UK publisher has bought the rights, then it was and is legal to import it. However, if a UK publisher held the rights (even if they didn't have it in print) then strictly speaking import shops were breaking the law (and of course this law held for US editions of titles available in the UK from UK publishers, though you saw fewer of these as it was more cost effective to stock the UK editions). Because the quantities being imported were small, however, the import shops usually avoided prosecution. These shops still exist -in theory- in the shape of the two chains called Forbidden Planet (two separate companies that split in half- Forbidden Planet UK (ironically the .com one) and Forbidden Planet International (ironically the .co.uk one- it's called FP International as they have a shop in New York). The former company still stocks imported SF & Fantasy, but books are now a tiny part of what they do, young genre fans now being more interested in toys, action figures etc- I recall FP when it was all books, magazines and comics and little else. I've not visited Transreal in Edinburgh yet - but will be doing so in October and filming there- but strictly speaking, the SF import shop died out in Britain in the 1990s with maybe one exception (New Worlds, the basement of Murder One in Charing Cross Rpad, London, which closed around 15 years ago).
In the 70s and 80s, there were several -Unicorn in Brighton, Dark They Were & Golden Eyed in London (which became FP), Fantasy Centre and Fantasy Inn, both London, Andromeda in Birmingham and Forever People in Bristol. If you page back through my 'Videos' list to Oct/Nov, you'll see a video about Codex Books in Cirencester, but he has no imports, just UK SF. That culture is just gone, now.
Those should keep you out of mischief for a while. Best wishes.
It will only get me into more, I fear! Thanks!
how does one define vintage - is there a difference between old and vintage or are they the same...
I'm always wondering about this. My mate Jules Burt would say that with books, it's anything without an isbn number and/or barcode. I'd go with that, as he's talking about a late 60s cutoff- I don't consider anything 1970s onward vintage, though you could argue for the 1970s, but definitely not 1980s! People also use it as a synonym for 'second hand', 'used' or that charming epither 'pre-loved'.
@outlawbookselleroriginal That's the perfect explanation. Thank you.