Suntup Editions - All Books

[Brian861]

I should do a poll. A non-binding poll where people are free to share what they would do in my situation and I will use the info to help me decide.

Your position of numbering it 23 is very much the way I'm leaning. For a while, numbering it 666 in blood was my top choice. But now I'm kinda warming to leaving it blank. How exquisitely rare that would be!

I'd say leave it blank. You have the letter from Paul and it's a rarity that probably will never occur again.

[Martin]

You did the right thing. You can even see a dog celebrating your choice at the end!

[RonClinton]

But now I'm kinda warming to leaving it blank. How exquisitely rare that would be!

I see you need convincin', friend.

Signed & limited, numbered & slipcased books aren't like stamps and coins, where an aberration, an error, in one (or a limited few) among the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of regular items make it a unique, prized thing. Signed/limited books with individual numbers are *meant* to be uniquely prized, they are inherently by their nature of a limited number and it's that limited run -- and especially their individual number -- that makes them unique. Just like a PC designation, a missing number devalues the book, takes away their unique nature...now it's just a screw-up that isn't as prized as the rest. Would one see the same value in a piece of art that was (somehow) accidentally bound upside down in the book? Or a splash of ink from a printer's error? Or spotting on a page-block edge from the shipper's diarrhetic dog? Or Cheetos smears from a too-interested postman? All these things would make it different from the rest, but they don't make it more rare or prized -- they're just screw-ups that diminish the appeal...just like the lack of a number.

Daggummit, number that book, Jeff!

[Martin]

I see you need convincin', friend.

Signed & limited, numbered & slipcased books aren't like stamps and coins, where an aberration, an error, in one (or a limited few) among the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of regular items make it a unique, prized thing. Signed/limited books with individual numbers are *meant* to be uniquely prized, they are inherently by their nature of a limited number and it's that limited run -- and especially their individual number -- that makes them unique. Just like a PC designation, a missing number devalues the book, takes away their unique nature...now it's just a screw-up that isn't as prized as the rest. Would one see the same value in a piece of art that was (somehow) accidentally bound upside down in the book? Or a splash of ink from a printer's error? Or spotting on a page-block edge from the shipper's diarrhetic dog? Or Cheetos smears from a too-interested postman? All these things would make it different from the rest, but they don't make it more rare or prized -- they're just screw-ups that diminish the appeal...just like the lack of a number.

Daggummit, number that book, Jeff!

But it is currently as shipped from the publisher.

[RonClinton]

But it is currently as shipped from the publisher.

True, but that doesn't negate my point that it's a devaluing screw-up of a product that is already limited by nature and by that unique number and prized because of it, regardless of who shipped it...it's not a one in a million stamp -- one "limited" error in a sea of "trade" stamps -- that the government made a prized mistake on.

[taost33]

True, but that doesn't negate my point that it's a devaluing screw-up of a product that is already limited by nature and by that unique number and prized because of it, regardless of who shipped it...it's not a one in a million stamp -- one "limited" error in a sea of "trade" stamps -- that the government made a prized mistake on.

These are all excellent points but I would leave it unnumbered with a copy of the letter from Paul. Everyone knows it is number 23 but there is an interesting story attached to it. Once you number it, that story "goes away". Resist Jeff!

[slayn666]

"Paul got distracted and forgot to number my book," is not an interesting story. It's the opposite of that. You guys are really romanticizing a pretty common publisher screw-up (even if it's the first time Paul made this particular mistake).

[Dan Hocker]

"Paul got distracted and forgot to number my book," is not an interesting story. It's the opposite of that. You guys are really romanticizing a pretty common publisher screw-up (even if it's the first time Paul made this particular mistake).

This. Definitely don't leave it blank. Paul wouldn't want you to, because anyone could just fill in a number. I can't remember the last time this happened with a new release with us, but it does happen when we do dinged grab bags sometimes, as we often forget to make sure the numbering lines in the damaged books have "PC" written on them. When it comes up we always ask the person who contacted us about it to please write PC in it or a number (we give them). If they're not comfortable doing it themselves we send them a label to mail it back to us and we do it for them.

[jeffingoff]

"Paul got distracted and forgot to number my book," is not an interesting story. It's the opposite of that. You guys are really romanticizing a pretty common publisher screw-up (even if it's the first time Paul made this particular mistake).

Good point--it IS the first documented case of this happening! First and only! As in, one-of-a-kind!

Just kidding. I think these are all great points and I'm happy to see where others land on this.

What it comes down to are always the same exact two things:
what the collector wants.
what a buyer will pay.

I want the book. It is an absolute gem. I've said it other places, but I think Suntup's Rosemary's Baby is perfection. And for me, having Paul confirm that my copy is supposed to be 23 is enough for now. I'm not in any rush to number it.

As far as the second point--what a buyer will pay--that's kinda moot because I won't ever sell it. BUT if I did, I'd try to sell it one of two ways--as a part of a Number 23 set or individually. And if I sold it individually, the value of the unnumbered book would be entirely up to whatever the buyer would be willing to pay. I could spin it and hope to find someone who agrees that what I'm offering is a very unique state and an anomaly worth owning above other copies. Or not. I could very well discover that buyers wouldn't think it was worth the upcharge, considering it something like a PC state--even though I'd attach the letter as proof of its lineage. Again, it isn't anything I'd take on because I'd be broken-hearted to not have it on my shelf.

[jeffingoff]

This. Definitely don't leave it blank. Paul wouldn't want you to, because anyone could just fill in a number. I can't remember the last time this happened with a new release with us, but it does happen when we do dinged grab bags sometimes, as we often forget to make sure the numbering lines in the damaged books have "PC" written on them. When it comes up we always ask the person who contacted us about it to please write PC in it or a number (we give them). If they're not comfortable doing it themselves we send them a label to mail it back to us and we do it for them.

And this is the most potent point out of all of them. Paul's vote carries all the weight with me and he's already spoken on the matter--he specifically told me to number it in black ink--not red or blue. I plan on putting a 23 in there.

The video was originally conceived as a way of documenting the moment I helped finish a Suntup book. A video that would transform my RB into the Jeffingoff Edition. But then I just went a different direction because I annoyed myself with taking the numbering so seriously. And now the internet has six minutes more of nonsense.

[Brian861]

This. Definitely don't leave it blank. Paul wouldn't want you to, because anyone could just fill in a number. I can't remember the last time this happened with a new release with us, but it does happen when we do dinged grab bags sometimes, as we often forget to make sure the numbering lines in the damaged books have "PC" written on them. When it comes up we always ask the person who contacted us about it to please write PC in it or a number (we give them). If they're not comfortable doing it themselves we send them a label to mail it back to us and we do it for them.

You guys have had me do this on one occasion when it should have designated PC. I had my wife do because my writing, um printing, sucks. Perhaps we did get caught up in the moment. As you stated, Jeff as long as it remains with you, leaving it is fine. Otherwise, it should probably be entered as such.

[Marmaduke Grigsby]

So, writing "Bentley Little sucks!" in the space isn't a viable option? confused-smiley-013.gif.2fdadf84da200a1dc7bd2aa1b4444757.gif

[RonClinton]

"Paul got distracted and forgot to number my book," is not an interesting story. It's the opposite of that. You guys are really romanticizing a pretty common publisher screw-up (even if it's the first time Paul made this particular mistake).

Preach it, brother!

I tend to work on the assumption that no day is guaranteed...if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, and my collection is inevitably scattered to the wind and the letter separated and lost, the last thing I want is a blank number space floating out in the collector community and and potentially screwing things up, or landing in the hands of a dishonest collector who tosses that letter with maniacal glee and puts a coveted number 1 in the blank space.

Do it for Paul, Jeff, or do it for yourself, but in either event do it for the collecting community, a motley crew who trusts you to do the right thing...but we’re not so sure about the next guy. :-/

[Brian861]

Preach it, brother!

I tend to work on the assumption that no day is guaranteed...if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, and my collection is inevitably scattered to the wind and the letter separated and lost, the last thing I want is a blank number space floating out in the collector community and and potentially screwing things up, or landing in the hands of a dishonest collector who tosses that letter with maniacal glee and puts a coveted number 1 in the blank space.

Do it for Paul, Jeff, or do it for yourself, but in either event do it for the collecting community, a motley crew who trusts you to do the right thing...but we’re not so sure about the next guy. :-/

Great point.

[jeffingoff]

So, writing "Bentley Little sucks!" in the space isn't a viable option? [ATTACH=CONFIG]21943[/ATTACH]

I have an embosser that reads "This book is certified non-Bentley Little. Bentley Little Sucks the Root." and I use it on all of my books. I've had it for decades. So writing it on the limitation page would be redundant.