Best products from r/whatsthisworth

A bunch of other people have already brought a ton of great information to this discussion - thank you paulieslim and jeffh4!

It looks like a complete copy sold relatively recently at a local art dealer, although no price is listed (but given the relative pricing of other Hokusai ehon on their site, I'd guess that this would sell for about a thousand dollars or so (although it would probably sell for less than that to a dealer or at auction) -- also assuming that this is an early edition and not a later reproduction):
http://www.rarebook.com/index.php/component/content/article/81-catalogue-39a?start=1

It's a very bad idea to look at the price-per-page from one deal and extrapolate up to the price-per-book. It's almost never the case that it's worth exactly that much, usually much less, even.

If you want to know exactly how much it's worth you're probably going to have to send pictures to a dealer - I strongly recommend the people at rarebook.com, I visited their shop last week and they're very reputable.

Specifically, in order to identify exactly what version of the book you have they'll need to see inside the cover and look at the material included in the back of the book. Most ehon of that time included advertisements - and based upon the contents of those advertisements they'll be able to date it rather precisely. For example, if an ad in the back says "Be sure to buy the new print series by Hokusai called '36 Views of Mount Fuji'" then they'll be able to date it to 1830 (which is when that series was first published).

If you want to date the book yourself it's going to cost you a pretty penny as you'll need this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Eirakuya-Toshiro-publisher-Nagoya-contribution/dp/9070265184

That book is particularly interesting as it's the bibliography compiled by a book dealer in Japan from the late 1800s. It seems like this guy handled just about every rare book to ever be published in Japan and wrote down precise information about the versions and appearance. This particular book, on Amazon, is a translated version of that book. (I got to flip through this book just the other day when I visited the Boston Book Company, neat stuff.)

Looks like there is a book all about this particular series:
http://www.amazon.com/Hokusai-One-Hundred-Views-Fuji/dp/0807611956

To give you a bit of perspective on what you're seeing here: This is a Japanese Woodblock print book (which is a sub-category of what is referred to a 'Ehon', picture books). The prints are designed by an artist (in this case, the famous Hokusai) and then carved by professional carvers (and then printed by professional printers). This book series was almost certainly created as a result of the popularity of Hokusai's famous 36 Views of Mount Fuji (the one with the great wave).

Hokusai first started to publish the 36 Views print series in 1830. It was incredibly successful - in part due to his portrayal of the subject matter - but also because it was one of the first prints to make extensive use of Prussian Blue (a new ink import from China and Europe).

While this particular ehon doesn't have any color, it certainly does have the fascinating charisma and design that is ever-present in Hokusai's work.

Edo-era ehon were created as low-cost ways for people to get complete collections of their favorite prints. Since the prints were only in black it made it very easy to mass produce. (Most color prints were a mixture of black line and color prints - oftentimes publishers would do print runs of just the black line prints as a way to sell cheaper prints more efficiently.)

Anyway you slice it, and I would contact Boston Book Company to confirm this, you have a very cool piece of classical Edo-era design. If I owned it, I wouldn't sell it, but that's just me ;)

Congratulations on the great find!


I think that the $10k is a fairly reasonable offer.The dealer will likely try to sell the book for $15-20k and is unlikely to get the higher end of that unless the book is an exceedingly rare first edition as explained below. The condition is not as good as the higher price comps. The dealer is going to have to hold onto the book for several years before they are going to find someone that wants to buy it. I would do the homework below, copy all the relevant pages out of BAL, highlight the applicable parts, and try to get $12-14k in cash from the dealer.


I can tell you exactly what the book dealer is doing to determine the price of your book. A little background information on what collectors are looking for will help you understand the market.


The majority of book collectors want the earliest edition and printing possible. To get the best idea for the value you need to figure out the state and issue of the book. These refer to either deliberate or accidental changes to the printing of the first edition. Ignoring condition factors, a book that is a first edition, first issue, and first state is going to be the most valuable version of the book. Here is a better definition of state and issue. Also, the blue cover is approximately 20 times rarer than the green cover, making your book more valuable.


The first edition points you have listed, aren't to determine if the book is a first edition or not, they are to determine the issue and state of the book. There are comps that I found below that list a variety of factors that are used to determine the state and issue of the book. This information comes from a set of books call the Bibliography of American Literature (BAL). Your library might have a set of these books. If not, a university or larger library will have a set. You need to find a set of these books so you don't miss any important factors.


More detailed pricing information will be available in the American Book Prices Current (ABPC). They charge a yearly subscription so gaining access to the information might be difficult.


You're going to encounter lots of book jargon. I'd suggest picking up a copy of ABC for Book Collectors as it will be a helpful reference guide. This book will also help you determine how the book would be graded.


Here are comps. When reading the description pay attention to their description of the state and issue of the book being sold.

http://www.abaa.org/books/247848094.html
http://www.mabks.com/Huckleberry_Finn.htm - Green cover
http://forum.biblio.com/index.php?topic=9547.0;prev_next=next
http://www.baumanrarebooks.com/rare-books/twain-mark-kemble-edward-w-/adventures-of-huckleberry-finn-blue-/83771.aspx

It's a Chinese seal, often called a 'chop' in Western terminology. Traditionally they have a carving on the bottom and are used with bright red ink as a signature on artwork and business papers.

If you're in the West, they often come in gift sets like this with the seal, red ink, ink stone, brushes, etc. Yours, with the Chinese lion on top, looks like a common modern soapstone one, probably unetched on the bottom. I can't speak with certainty, but it's probably worthless, I'm sorry to say.

I also can't read the text; I study Japanese, not Chinese, but I'm sure someone who can will show up soon.

edit: Let me say, though, I've never run across one that had script on the side like that. It was definitely done by hand, as the kanji seem to be somewhat sloppy and undefined. It also seems a fair bit more weathered than I see in common ones, so it may have some age and history that gives it some value. You may want to post it in r/translator and see what the Chinese speakers have to say about what is written on it.

I would absolutely be all over that. And I'd hurry before someone else gets it. First thing I saw on amazon seraching "jade stone" is 1" and $5 + shipping. That chunk you found is worth somewhere from a nice amount to a lot of money, but worth the effort regardless. I'd just bring a wagon or super sturdy backpack or some other plan. It might even be worth a lot more than breaking it up in that large form, like geodes that go for thousands. Two people here already estimated $45,000 based on your estimate of 100lbs. I would be real excited to get this thing home.

Couple of things. First the price he linked to on amazon does include the reflector, which he says it doesn't. Second, if the he has ballasts, hoods, and bulbs he should test the bulbs to make sure they work. Still there is really know way to know how many hours have been logged on the bulbs, so they could be brand new or hours away from failing. I think this total package has a brand new cost of around $500 so you decide if saving 20-25% is worth the risk. Another thing to consider is that I have seen many blasts rewired for controllers by amateurs that have no idea what they are doing.


I don't see where the listing shows or says he has the glass panels for the hoods. Those are important or you will not be able cool the lights like the hoods were intended for. Next I just want to make sure you know that this is not nearly the entire package needed to get even a small grow op going.

You are in Cali so you may have access to clones, if not I would highly recommend a clone box. They start at $25 and go up to $300. You get what you pay for.

If you have two 1000w going, it would be best to have a light controller, like this:
https://www.amazon.com/HYDROFARM-MLC-4X-4-Light-HID-Controller/dp/B008NP7HNM/ref=sr_1_2?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1483987065&sr=1-2&keywords=light+controller

IF you are going to try to control heat and or smell you are going to need a squirrel blower with an active charcoal filter.

Also if you are starting with small plants that need to be under 24 hour light, a 1000w is going to be massive overkill. I used two 400w HPS to veg (florescent also work) enough for 3 1000W, plus a friend. You probably just need some high intensity florescent really.

Reflective Mylar, fertilizer, soil and or a hydroponic system all have to be considered as well. Prices have came down on equipment, still ends up being some pretty decent up front $$$ to get started. Made a lot of money doing it when I was younger though.

Well, being illustrated by Felix Octavius Carr Darley (June 23, 1822 – March 27, 1888), would mean definitely mid-late 1800's. The book was first published in 1840, however the exact date of the Porters and Coats publication is unknown. The best guess I have come across is about 1872.


When it comes to price, condition is everything. Seeing as this isn't a very rare book, in near perfect to perfect condition the value is ~40-50US.

reference on price

I don't know too much about decoy ducks specifically, but I do know that there is a vibrant collector's market for them, especially handmade "folk art" ducks. Some are very valuable.

You should contact a specialist in this area and get a realistic idea.

[Check out the number of books on Amazon about duck decoys.] (https://www.amazon.com/Collectors-Guide-Decoys-WALLACE-HOMESTEAD-COLLECTORS/dp/0870695800)

Thanks for posting pictures. That's a great cedar chest, in excellent condition. It could use a little beeswax (on the outside only) to moisturize the wood. It'll also make the wood grain pop and might help with some of the small scratches. I've used this beeswax and it works well.

It's missing the lock but I don't think that will be a real reduction in the sell price. A lot of people took the locks out because of a recall Lane issued. Lane offers replacement, child-safe locks, but I don't think replacing it yourself will boost the sell price enough for you to hassle with it.

I haven't found another one like yours so I can only estimate what you should price it. Sadly, I don't think you'll get much more than $100 - $150 for it. People don't value cedar chests like they should.

The Hinks Duplex burner should unscrew from the brass can. The can is part of the lamp and the burner itself is a separate item.

The base looks like it could be old Capodimonte, but hard to tell. It might be marked on its bottom and you may have to remove the brass base in order to see a maker's mark if there is one.

Of course that won't tell you who made or marketed the lamp, only who made the base that was used by whoever assembled and marketed the lamp. Many of the old lamp companies didn't make their parts themselves, but just purchased their parts from other makers of those parts.

You may want to measure the inside top area of the burner https://ibb.co/qMSSJWy and the height that would look right sticking out of the top of the lampshade for one of these, which I'm pretty sure it once had.

https://www.amazon.com/Lamplight-Replacement-Oil-Lamp-Chimney/dp/B0015AE2QC

Personally, Grosset & Dunlap were a sneaky, less than honest publishing company. To my knowledge, they never published anything original. If I see their name, I completely dismiss the book. I've seen them sold in bookstores as first or special editions by people who should know better. Or perhaps those booksellers are also less than ethical.

I have a copy "First Editions of Dr. Seuss Books: A Guide to Identification" by Helen Younger & Marc Younger (https://www.amazon.com/First-Editions-Seuss-Books-Identification/dp/1892168081) which is very good, although they've made several corrections to it. I sent Ms. Younger a note of appreciation and thanked her profusely for having done all that work. She replied that had they known how much work it would actually be, they never would have begun the project in the first place. She sounded rather bitter about it.

Since then, the internet has become a more robust and reliable (sometimes) resource for helping identify various editions but my go-to guides are still "A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions Paperback" and "Points of Issue: A Compendium of Points of Issue of Books by 19th-20th Century Authors" both
by Bill McBride.

When he said “you wouldn’t believe me” reminded me of a great book that changed my outlook on life “Nothing in This Book Is True, But It's Exactly How Things Are” by Bob Frissell. Here is an amazon link: it will tell you all the secrets
https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-This-Exactly-Things-Anniversary/dp/1556438311/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2JHG0BDXT4WLO&keywords=nothing+in+this+book+is+true+but+it%27s+exactly+how+things+are&qid=1556244776&s=gateway&sprefix=Nothing+in+this%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-1

It's not worth much. Depending on the condition of the discs, I'd say it's worth anywhere from $5 to $15.

Sources:

VideoGamePriceCharts

Amazon

eBay

Recently completed auctions on eBay

Hope that helps.

This is pretty small right? Like the size of a note card? It's advertisement for that soda company. Jones I think...these came with the Haggard DVD.

Edit: actually, it was this DVD. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00009VTXO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505547929&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=cky+trilogy+dvd&dpPl=1&dpID=51QTE90C51L&ref=plSrch

Nope. Just a cheapo repro. Here's an example on Amazon. I sincerely hope you weren't charged much for it.

I agree with edgestander about you needing to finding a comparable replacement--this one looks pretty close (has the rollerblade wheels and two "stops" on the bottom etc.). What do you think?

this kinda looks like it it actually might be worth good money.

Pretty similar.

Alex and Ani Conch Shell Charm Bangle Russian Gold, A11EB117RG https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IL1Q982/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TUBgAbWVF6W8M

It appears to be a 1934 model. Here is an ad for it in French. And this one looks like it's the same model, but in better (or restored) condition.

You got a really bad deal, and I am starting to question how out of touch the users in this subreddit are. I would have expected at least $100 from a used game store.

Amazon trade-ins (assuming no boxes/manuals/"acceptable" condition):

NES Games:

• Tecmo Superbowl: $13.09 (I bet not many people realized this is the most valuable of the NES games he had)
  
• Castlevania: $11.86
  
• Super Mario bros. 3: $9.81
  
• Final Fantasy: $7.67
  
• Ghost and Goblins: $5.89
  
• Ninja Gaiden: $4.53
  
• Blades of Steel: $2.39
  
• Double Dragon: $1.33
  
• Pro Am: $0.87
  
• Skate or Die: $0.87
  
  Genesis games:
  
  
• Road Rash II: $2.85
  
• Altered Beast: $1.43
  
• Mortal Kombat: $0.87
  
• Jurassic Park: $0.87
  
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2: $0.87
  
  
  Amazon consoles/controllers trade-ins:
  
  
• Sega Genesis I Console: $3.12
  
• 2 x Sega Genesis Game Controllers Model #1650: $2.12
  
• 2 x NES controllers: $1.80
  
  
• Total = $71.31
  
  So if you clicked all those links, accepted Amazons TOS and mailed them a box with all that stuff they would have given you $71.31. Note that they don't accept NES consoles for trade-ins by themselves, although bundles of NES consoles with the 3 Mario games or with Duck Hunt and the zapper they will trade in for around $100. Some of the Genesis games I couldn't identify. Some of the Genesis games are somewhat valuable but Amazon isn't accepting trade-ins. Here are what the minimum asking price is for the following games:
  
  Amazon Genesis games:
  
  
• Castlevania bloodlines: $46.36
  
• Shining Force: $33.00
  
• Rocket Knight Adventures: $15.49
  
• Top Gear 2: $9.64
  
• Shining in the Darkness: $7.99
  
• Sword of Vermillion: $5.87
  
  With those games and the NES console I would have expected a used game store to give around $100 for everything. Of course if you don't mind waiting (and waiting) and shipping and posting you could get a least a few hundred.