I am looking for a 1st edition of The Expert at The Card Table. Is that something I will just stumble across in a used book store? Or is anyone willing to sell one to me?
theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards
The expert at the card table 1st edition
- Thread starter JudahMagic
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No, that is not something that you just stumble upon. 1st editions are not an easy find and they can go for a decent chunk of cash. The smallest number I've seen was $1400, but I can't vouch for the accuracy. I just can't find anything cheaper than a four figure price tag.
I found this for 100$ but I don't know which edition this is
http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?b...nd+subterfuge&mtype=B&hs.x=0&hs.y=0&hs=Submit
http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?b...nd+subterfuge&mtype=B&hs.x=0&hs.y=0&hs=Submit
On used book sites, you'll find a lot that are described as "1902 first edition" or words to that effect. That's because many reprints don't have a specific edition number or date in them, so the description is taken from the general information about the book. You'll need more information (number of pages, cover colour and text, binding, publisher name, etc.) to check whether what you're looking at is actually a true first edition.
It is probobaly not a first edition but a pretty old one
It is called artifice ruse and subterfuge at the card table not expert at the card table
And it is from Frederick j drake and co which stopped printing them
And the price is high so I'm going to assume it has a little value
It is called artifice ruse and subterfuge at the card table not expert at the card table
And it is from Frederick j drake and co which stopped printing them
And the price is high so I'm going to assume it has a little value
On most editions, the front cover says The Expert at the Card Table, but then the title page has Artifice Ruse and Subterfuge at the Card Table.
Drake editions aren't first editions, I'm afraid. And there are a lot of variants, so without even more info it's hard to say what you've got there. True first editions were self-published by the author and printed by James McKinney & Co of Chicago.
Drake editions aren't first editions, I'm afraid. And there are a lot of variants, so without even more info it's hard to say what you've got there. True first editions were self-published by the author and printed by James McKinney & Co of Chicago.
Drake editions were published from 1905 until about 1918 and come in a lot of shapes and sizes (some rarer and more valuable than others). They advertised an edition in 1904 that has the author listed as Samuel Robert Erdnase but whether that was actually printed hasn't yet been verified as no-one's seen a copy. If you find one of those, buy it immediately as you'll certainly make your money back selling to a hardcore collector. Other than that, I'd recommend doing some research before you dip your toe into the water of buying rare books. Good starting points are Richard Hatch's contribution to Geno Munari & Allan Ackerman's Erdnase DVD set, the massive "ERDNASE" thread on the Genii forum and www.everythingerdnase.com. Or ask Jason England. He knows all about the various editions.
The one I found is one of the rarer editions but it has been rebound so it doesn't have the original cover
Sorry I'm late to the party, but I wanted to clarify one small point. TeeDee got the early copy date correct (1905) but missed on the date for the later editions from Drake. Drake published editions of The Expert at the Card Table well into the 1930s. I have one copy in my collection dated 1934 on the title page. Frost got ahold of the plates and began publishing editions as early as 1940.
Jason
Jason
Thanks for the clarification, Jason! Any and all improvement to my Erdnase knowledge is gratefully accepted!