Anyone have any idea why there is such a price variation in used magic books. I check many websites that sell used magic books and I have seen the price (for the same book ) as low as $7.95 and as high as $150.00. Why would anyone buy a book from the higher priced dealers? And do they not have a price guide they can find the going prices in..I have actually seen variations with a bigger spread than that and can not understand why they are not closer in price. Any ideas??
Rennie

One person's trash is another person's treasure. Some people are too lazy to shop around and want what they want when they want it. Some people have too much money and don't know what to do with it. Those are just some of the ideas I came up with off the top of my head.

Spellbinder,
I agree with you, but why the huge variance in selling prices. The sellers have to know they are out of line on prices...
Rennie

Probably those selling it at the low price are the ones who are out of line. My guess is that they are probably not magicians and don't realize the value of what they have. I frequently pick up treasures from estate sales of old books. They are often sold by the pound, with no regard for the contents. Once I've picked up one of these bargains for a quarter or a buck, I wouldn't sell it for thousands of dollars. But when I die, my magic library will be in the hands of those who control my estate. They may end up in a bonfire, the city dump, or being sold by the pound at some yard sale.

I picked up Volume #2 of the Albo series at a bookfair in California for $37.50. I later checked the book and inside was an inscription that read "To Bing Crosby with warm regards and best wishes" and it was signed Robert Albo.
I actually called Dr. Albo as he is from Piedmont California and he confirmed he had given that volume to Bing. The book itself is valuable and the prior owner adds a few more dollars to its value. You never know when you are going to pick up something like that, being at the right place at the right time...Collecting magic books is a great hobby!!
Rennie

What a truly lucky find, Rennie!

Like magic apparatus on auction, final prices can vary widely with the same item, and there are those who believe because an item sold once at a ridiculously inflated price that it will sell in that price, again. Same may be said for books. Then, there is certainly the premium asked and paid on crisp, mint copies.

Rennie, Michael Canick issued a price guide to magic books in English a few years back, when he was still in the used magic book business, and we find it a useful reference. Alas, it is now out of print and getting badly dated as prices fluctuate constantly.
Ron Cartlidge issues an annual "Blue Book of Magic" that tracks prices from the prior year on vintage magic, including books, but also apparatus and posters, based on auction sales, both online and offline. This is also useful. My guess, however, is that most of the high end prices are from those outside the magic community that don't know about these resources, and to whom any magic books are a fairly scarce commodity that they have heard can be sold for a premium price. And sometimes they find buyers equally ignorant. I find http://www.bookfinder.com an excellent resource for comparing pricing of books currently available from mainstream online book dealers.

I believe Richard chose his words carefully here. Note that he did NOT say that bookfinder.com is a good way to determine fair market value pricing amongst experienced magic book dealers, but simply that it is a good gauge if one is curious to know what MAINSTREAM book dealers are doing with pricing of magic books. Taken together with Richard's other insightful comments, the upshot is that bookfinder.com (and other "mainstream" book sites on the web) may be of no help whatsoever if one is seeking to realistically assess the value of one's books. Only folks like Richard, Byron Walker, John Cannon (Aladdin Books) and perhaps a couple of other knowledgeable magic booksellers can provide reliable pricing information.

Clay

There is something else to consider. Sometimes a seller will list a book erroneously. There is a listing on a major auction site for the "Original First Edition of the Dai Vernon Book of Magic published by Supreme."

There are three different versions of that particular book in any case. There are the Harry Stanley/Unique version, the Supreme version, and the L&L version. Or look at books like the Stars of Magic series by Tannen's.

The LePaul book of Card Magic has been reprinted a number of times. The first printing is the most valuable of them.

Or, if you really want to see a funny one, try this link: http://www.amazon.com/How-play-folk-blue......-4402217

That price is at least 100 times the market value. The copy is not in good condition. I know what this book is worth. I wrote it! Do a search on Alibris for it, and you will find it for about $15.00.

Bill,
Is that for real ? If so sell your existing copies (if you have any). You are right up there with Ricky Jay...
Rennie

Something I have ran into with the old books and the price differnce is that one copy may be the 1st edition. While it might not make that much of a differnce to someone who just wants the information contained in those pages it makes a huge differnce for a collector. Also, if the book has notes or who it belonged to can add value to it.

"Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring. David McKay C 1890." Just went for $318 on e-bay. I bought the 1900 version for $75 from a rare book collector.

And you may have overpaid, depending on the condition.

BTW, I finally called the people who had the "$1995.00 banjo book." As I suspected, they had the decimal point in the wrong place! They were rather embarrassed.

Bill,
Can we now assume they moved the decimal point to the left and not to the right?
Rennie

Yes. They did. You can imagine how embarrassed they were!