AbeBooks’ top 10 bestselling signed books of 2011
AbeBooks’ bestselling signed books of the year were…. some rather decent books.
1. The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht
2.The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
3.The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
4. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
5. Swamplandia! By Karen Russell
6. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
7. A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin
8. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
9. Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
10. One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde
Does a signed book by author, first edition and first printing, hold any value without a certificate of authenticity?
THanks,
Will
A certificate of authenticity counts for little in the world of rare books. When Ernest Hemingway signed a book, he didn’t offer a certificate of authenticity. Firstly, is the bookseller reputable? Are they a member of a bookselling organisation like the ABAA, ABA, IOBA etc? Are they a long established bookselling business? Were they present when the book was signed? (Some sellers offer books they got signed themselves) Do they know where the book originated? Many booksellers keep copies of author signatures so they know a real Hemingway signature when they come across one.
A signed first edition first printing is a great thing and doesn’t need a certificate if the bookseller is able to explain where the book has come from.
Regards
Richard