Could this be the best collection in the US?

[Wyatt James]

1888- 2015 third generation collection. The family is just ready to move on ....$150,000 OBO
Serious inquiries contact

[e-mail]

[Wyatt James]

Bound volumes

[Wyatt James]

Bound volumes

[Wyatt James]

Photo

[Melvin L. De Vilbiss]

Wyatt,

Impressive collection!

Some follow-up questions if you please:

Do you have something that indicates the date these volumes were bound?

What is the status of all the issues post 1963 (your last airplane binding), i.e. a different binding, or loose?

Are there any volumes bound with covers earlier than the July 1905 you show in one of your pictures.

Thank you for taking the time to do this, the effort will most definitely assist you in this sale.

Regards,

Mel

[Wyatt James]

t seems each volume has a page that stated where it was bound but I have not seen the date on them as of yet only the reference number. If the National Library Bindery Company is still in business, I could track down the date. I know that the books have been on that shelf since 1970 and would guess they were bound in the 50's . Also this bindery page was perforated and was meant to be removed. As you can see in the picture, one is still intact stating what instructions to follow when binding. I'm sure others are still in there too. I did notice that the Volume 1-2 had a bindery stub in place. After 1963, the individual copies were placed in slip covers and stored on shelves. See photos. Im pretty sure I have more research to follow! This time I think I will get the first 10 or so and bring them home so I may inspect every aspect of them.

[Wyatt James]

Photo

[Wyatt James]

I am sorry for the poor photos, I will clean my lens and concentrate more

[Philip Riviere]

One of the quickest ways to see if an early set is reprints is to look at the monthly covers that are bound into the books. The cover you posted of the July 1905 issue is an original issue , not a reprint. If you could take photos of the covers(The red monthly issue covers) for the first 2 or 3 volumes that would give us here at the "Corner" an  idea whether you really have a $100K collection....

Best,

Phil 

[Wyatt James]

I'll pick them up and see. If they do have the covers, is this all it takes to have a good set?

If the first 4 don't have the covers, and have the correct maps, how does this impact values?

Do the first 4 volumes have advertising?

Who else has this many bound in leather?

Who else has all the years from start to finish?

What is the normal shipping arrangements? I'm not opposed to delivering if the price is right.

[Philip Riviere]

Covers are the main way to see if they are reprints.. Supplement maps (They are stuck in the volume) are not that important in the first few years... There is no advertising in the 1st 4 volumes. Surprisingly leather bindings are very common because libraries bound their collections in leather. Many of us here at the corner have complete sets (with some reprints).I have a matched bound set complete from 1888 to 1978.  People I know go and pick up major collections because shipping 1476 issues (1888-2015) is very, very expensive. In reality your money issues go to about 1915. AND individual  early monthly  issues are many, many times more valuable than bound issues. That being said if you have original bound  1888- 1907 you do have some money there.

I hope this helps you out and that your earliest issues have those red covers..

Phil

[Melvin L. De Vilbiss]

There us a fella in Australia that had two, yes two, complete (individual) sets. He is selling one of them piecemeal at this time.

For example, a Volume I, No. 2 (restored, complete with covers) from one of his collections just sold on eBay for $10,000.00.

This issue, along with Volume I, No. 4 are the rarest issues in the NGM collection.

Please note that bound volumes almost always sell for far less than all the individual issues for the volume combined would sell.

You may find this helpful (it should answer several of your questions):

http://ngscollectors.ning.com/forum/topics/a-guide-to-selling-natio...

[Wyatt James]

Melvin,
Thanks for the link! It was most helpful. Well I am fully engaged in the books now and I can tell you this collection is a mix of original and reprint. Now comes the hard part.... Establishing value. I realize now that this no 100k collection.
I have more photos to upload and will try to make a spread sheet of the originals.