Post Your Latest Purchase

[Marmaduke Grigsby]

My recommendation is always to remove books from their shrink wrap. Shrink wrap is not an appropriate long term storage solution. Moisture from changing temperatures / humidity can be trapped inside and cause mildew / mold. Obviously that hasn't happened with this one, but there's no way for you to know if your house is as stable humidity wise as it's previous owners.

Thanks, Dan. I have heard that as well, in fact I think it was discussed in the Suntup thread on this forum. Part of me is reluctant to remove original shrink wrap that has been on the book for 22 years, but I also don't want the book to suffer inadvertent damage. My book shelves are in my home office on the ground floor but I suppose the humidity might vary from season to season, even though the windows on our house are never open.

I will give it some serious thought.

[Dan Hocker]

Thanks, Dan. I have heard that as well, in fact I think it was discussed in the Suntup thread on this forum. Part of me is reluctant to remove original shrink wrap that has been on the book for 22 years, but I also don't want the book to suffer inadvertent damage. My book shelves are in my home office on the ground floor but I suppose the humidity might vary from season to season, even though the windows on our house are never open.

I will give it some serious thought.

What I can tell you is that maybe 5-8 years ago (I don't remember where we got them from) we had about 4 or 5 cases of the gift edition of Insomnia. Which was published back in the early 90's. These books where still in their shrink wrap after all those years, and they had spotted mold all over them. Ever since then I tell everyone to remove these things from the shrink wrap. We don't even store out books that come in shrink wrap in their shrink wrap anymore. Once we ship them out any extras we keep get the shrink wrap removed before they're put into storage.

[RonClinton]

What I can tell you is that maybe 5-8 years ago (I don't remember where we got them from) we had about 4 or 5 cases of the gift edition of Insomnia. Which was published back in the early 90's. These books where still in their shrink wrap after all those years, and they had spotted mold all over them. Ever since then I tell everyone to remove these things from the shrink wrap. We don't even store out books that come in shrink wrap in their shrink wrap anymore. Once we ship them out any extras we keep get the shrink wrap removed before they're put into storage.

I’ve had a couple of similar issues a long while back, so did some light research and Dan is absolutely correct: All long term storage in shrinkwrap does is exacerbate whatever moisture was trapped within, creating mold and mildew. Paper needs to breathe to stay healthy.

[Marmaduke Grigsby]

You all convinced me. I tore that shrink wrap off like it was 1998 and partied like it was 1999.

In all seriousness, I did so very carefully while holding the book in a clean bath towel so my fingers wouldn't touch it. It is a perfect thing of beauty!

BEST OF CEMETERY DANCE OPEN.jpg

[RonClinton]

Wise move, my friend — and congrats on the new acquisition...it’s a fantastic volume.

That reminds me… I still need to pick up volume two!

[Brian861]

Jeff has definitely taken very good care of the stuff he sales.

[Splync]

What I can tell you is that maybe 5-8 years ago (I don't remember where we got them from) we had about 4 or 5 cases of the gift edition of Insomnia. Which was published back in the early 90's. These books where still in their shrink wrap after all those years, and they had spotted mold all over them. Ever since then I tell everyone to remove these things from the shrink wrap. We don't even store out books that come in shrink wrap in their shrink wrap anymore. Once we ship them out any extras we keep get the shrink wrap removed before they're put into storage.

I believe the same applies to the plastic bags that some publishers (such as Sub Press) ship their books in, right?

At least that is what I had been hearing over on TDT. It made me paranoid and go through all of my books a few weeks back, removing any such bags and shrinkwrap.

Thankfully there was no mold or damage to any of my titles, even the older ones. It also pushed me to start archiving my books on a spreadsheet!

[goathunter]

I believe the same applies to the plastic bags that some publishers (such as Sub Press) ship their books in, right?

At least that is what I had been hearing over on TDT. It made me paranoid and go through all of my books a few weeks back, removing any such bags and shrinkwrap.

Thankfully there was no mold or damage to any of my titles, even the older ones. It also pushed me to start archiving my books on a spreadsheet!

I've been putting my books in comic bags for almost 40 years. I've never had an issue. The comic bags are not airtight like shrinkwrap might be. But I also don't expose my books to a lot of humidity or heat.

I keep them in plastic bags to keep the dust off of them. I shudder to think what 40 years of dust would do to the books.

[mhatchett]

Picked up a nice Australian Paperback copy of The October Country. Threw a theater card into an old frame I had. Have a Great Sunday.

[RonClinton]

Cool stuff...that framed print looks great (love the art!), and I’ve never seen that paperback edition before.

[mhatchett]

Thanks Ron, The Paperback is an Australian edition from 1963. How did it end up in Richmond VA is anyone's Guess LOL!

[slayn666]

I got a shrink-wrapped book, too!





I'll probably open it.

[mhatchett]

I’ve just read R.B. Russell’s Past Lives of Old Books, an Essay contained in his recent book also entitled, The Past Lives of Books and other Essays published by Tartarus Press. In it, Russell discusses his fondness for a particular set of Arthur Machen books that were gifted to him many years ago. These books aren’t pristine collectables, rather they are old, world weary discarded library books, published sometime in the 1920s. His Essay brought to mind a number of ex-library books that I have in my collection. My First Chapter book, Dan Morgan, Riflemen, A less than perfect copy of Richard Matheson’s Bid Time Return, from the Peninsula Community Library, Ray Bradbury’s October Country, 1^st edition, from an unknown US Air Force library, unclipped dust Jacket showing a $3.50, Amazing condition! Lots of Reference titles that I could never afford in a perfect state. One of my favorites, Alvin J. Schmidt’s Fraternal Organizations, basically a history of American Lodge work. I’ve always been glad I have room for the interesting imperfect in my collection. These Tartarus titles that focus on books and collecting are fantastic. They’re very affordable and insightful.

[RonClinton]

I have that one marked down for my next Camelot order...really looking forward to it. If anything, it sounds perhaps even better than some of the bookish titles that Mark Valentine has released through Tartarus, and that’s saying something.

[slayn666]

A question for anyone that has the lettered edition of Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth: is the traycase supposed to have two flaps, one on each side? The front one opens up like you'd expect, to the book. The back one just opens up on the bottom side of the traycase. It's very weird.