In the middle of what seems like an endless stream of the “book is dead” articles it is nice to know that books still sell!
From the London Times online article “Could This Be the Final Chapter in the Life of the Book” to last Sunday’s “The End of the Book?” story at the Orange County Register one would think that the book is on life support. Should I start looking for a copy of the last book ever printed?
Then here comes the John Steinbeck auction. It was the most signed and inscribed books by Steinbeck ever offered at auction.
The auction was held simultaneously LA and San Francisco by Bonhams and Butterfields. About 80 people showed up in San Francisco and around 15 people showed up in Los Angeles.
The $47,800 paid for a copy “The Grapes of Wrath” is the most money ever paid for a Steinbeck novel.
In an interview for an article in the Los Angeles Times Dr Phil Ralls, editor of the Steinbeck Collectors Gazette, said “I think Steinbeck is having a kind of upward swing in popularity”
He must be hot in the market because at the same auction a copy of Ernest Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” sold for $77,000 and no one heard a peep. Google News lists over 175 news stories on the Steinbeck auction. Hmmm.
Also upcoming – the first draft of the manuscript of Steinbeck’s Sweet Thursday at Pacific Book Auction (PBA) The estimate $300,000-$500,000.
Articles and related stuff for the auction and book fair:
San Francisco Chronicle article on ABAA bookseller Jim Dourgarian who purchased five books at the auction including a copy of Steinbeck’s first book”Cup of Gold” for $21,510.
Side note – for most of the article Dourgarian is referred to as a collector not a bookseller. This collector/bookseller boundary is one of the stickiest issues facing the bookselling trade today. See my Bookseller Manifesto for more thoughts on this.
Article on another ABAA bookseller John Windle and his wife and business partner Chris Loker.
The take on the book fair from Maria Hutchison at Reading Copy