Value of older Bird books (1 Viewer)

[Peewit]

hi there

I have 'The Readers Digest' AA 'Book of British Birds' from Collins Publishers price £4.15 net. It is a Hard back

It states that it is a first edition 1969. Next in 1972

I treasure it and it is lovely book in not too bad condition. Love the bird illustration which are all drawn by hand. It is my mothers so it has sentimental value to me.

Any one else have a copy of this book? Like to know if it a valuable book.

Picture 1 - Front Cover with jacket on
Picture 2 - Back cover with Jacket on
Picture 3 - Example of an illustration of a Kestral
Picture 4 - Front cover without the jacket on showing Owl illustration
Picture 5 - Copyright states age of book

Kathy
x

 

[CornishExile]

Kathy,

It's understandably valuable to you, but in the open market it's not worth much I'm afraid. Certainly well under £10, anyway.

For any book to have an appreciable secondhand value, it needs four fundamentals in place (not always all of them, but they help):

1) It should be on a topic that is popular and has a significant following;
2) It should be a first edition;
3) It should be in fine condition;
4) It should be rare - i.e. not that many copies in circulation.

Your book certainly satisfies 1) above, and may well be in reasonable condition, but I'm afraid it's not a first edition, and it's a book that was mass-produced so there are many, many copies doing the rounds.

Beautiful illustrations in there though. You should keep it and treasure it for what it means to you!

atb

ce

 

[Vectis Birder]

I absolutely love that book. We had it in the house when I was a kid and needless to say it was well used. Still got it, too.

 

[Peewit]

Kathy,

It's understandably valuable to you, but in the open market it's not worth much I'm afraid. Certainly well under £10, anyway.

For any book to have an appreciable secondhand value, it needs four fundamentals in place (not always all of them, but they help):

1) It should be on a topic that is popular and has a significant following;
2) It should be a first edition;
3) It should be in fine condition;
4) It should be rare - i.e. not that many copies in circulation.

Your book certainly satisfies 1) above, and may well be in reasonable condition, but I'm afraid it's not a first edition, and it's a book that was mass-produced so there are many, many copies doing the rounds.

Beautiful illustrations in there though. You should keep it and treasure it for what it means to you!

atb

ce

hi ce

Thanks for your answer. You have given me me food for thought. o

As you say it is a beautiful book, and I am sure that it has many editions 3 times over, so having a rare book would be one in a million.

I will look after it, and treasure it for its sentimental worth.

I absolutely love that book. We had it in the house when I was a kid and needless to say it was well used. Still got it, too.

Hi VB

It is great to know that another member here has the same book. I do not know how often it was renewed, as I lost track of that a bit over the years.

It just shows that having an older book gives another dimension to what we already have, and if the information about a bird is a bit outdated all the more to know about.
So my advise her is keep the older outdated book's that we possess, and that we look after them.

It just adds to the interest. :t:

Any one else have other older books that they treasure at all?

Kathy
x

 

[Pete Mella]

I've got the Reader's Digest book (well my dad has, but it's somehow ended up on "extended loan" and lives on my bookcase ). It was one of my favourite books when I was a kid, and I'm sure it's instrumental in my interest in birds now I'm older.

 

[KorHaan]

Kathy,

The picture of the Tawny Owl on the cover (4) immediately took me back to 1969; this book I got for my 13th birthday ( translated into Dutch ), together with my first pair of binoculars ( 16x50's! ). I remember there was a small green field guide that came with the book. These were actually my very first illustrated bird books!
The pictures were amazing. The Goshawk illustration I found superb. I've read it over and over again, taking in details of birds I had yet to discover in the field.
You can say this book - and the bins - were the start of my life as a birder, next year it will be 40 years.
In the Dutch version there were maps in the back, of the 10 Provinces with all major birdwatching regions. That's what I liked particularly, daydreaming of visiting these places and seeing all the birds there.

Sadly I no longer have the book, I believe I sold it together with many others, in my student years. Stupid me, should have kept it of course. Still regret that, but some of its contents are still in my head, I can see the pictures in my minds eye.

Best wishes, and thank you for bringing back fine memories,

Ronald

 

[Peewit]

Kathy,

The picture of the Tawny Owl on the cover (4) immediately took me back to 1969; this book I got for my 13th birthday ( translated into Dutch ), together with my first pair of binoculars ( 16x50's! ). I remember there was a small green field guide that came with the book. These were actually my very first illustrated bird books!
The pictures were amazing. The Goshawk illustration I found superb. I've read it over and over again, taking in details of birds I had yet to discover in the field.
You can say this book - and the bins - were the start of my life as a birder, next year it will be 40 years.
In the Dutch version there were maps in the back, of the 10 Provinces with all major birdwatching regions. That's what I liked particularly, daydreaming of visiting these places and seeing all the birds there.

Sadly I no longer have the book, I believe I sold it together with many others, in my student years. Stupid me, should have kept it of course. Still regret that, but some of its contents are still in my head, I can see the pictures in my minds eye.

Best wishes, and thank you for bringing back fine memories,

Ronald

Hi Ronald

Glad to be of help as I was with all the memories that you have. I am sorry to hear that you do not have your copy any more.

I have a link here to show peoples thoughts about the 1969 book now, compared with the newer modern copies.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/prod...79100-5958262?_encoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

I have sent you a picture of the Goshawk. It is only a small illustation and does not have a full page of its own. This was the best shot I could get of this picture.

The second picture shows the maps of the local areas in the UK.
Wonder if the new up to date Reader Digest copies do the same thing with their format!

Kathy
x

 

[Pete Mella]

Just had a look on eBay, unfortunately 1st editions of this book are only going for around the £6 mark.

 

[sideshow bob]

For any book to have an appreciable secondhand value, it needs four fundamentals in place (not always all of them, but they help):

1) It should be on a topic that is popular and has a significant following;
2) It should be a first edition;
3) It should be in fine condition;
4) It should be rare - i.e. not that many copies in circulation.


atb

ce

So why are some of the older Helm ID guides, i.e Shorebirds, worth an absolute packet on the second-hand market? Surely there were loads printed originally?

I too have that Readers Digest book (somewhere at my parents, in storage!). I agree with the general sentiments on this thread - some gorgeous illustrations.

 

[Pete Mella]

Maybe a pocket guide to shorebirds was one shoved in people's pockets when they scrabbled round the coast, meaning there aren't too many left intact.

 

[sideshow bob]

Maybe a pocket guide to shorebirds was one shoved in people's pockets when they scrabbled round the coast, meaning there aren't too many left intact.

Sorry Pete, I should have been a bit clearer. I was referring to the hardback reference classic of 1985? 86?

One would have needed a hefty pocket in which to fit Shorebirds. I wouldn't have taken such a valuable book with me anyway, I'd have dropped it in the sea.....

 

[Pete Mella]

Sorry Pete, I should have been a bit clearer. I was referring to the hardback reference classic of 1985? 86?

One would have needed a hefty pocket in which to fit Shorebirds. I wouldn't have taken such a valuable book with me anyway, I'd have dropped it in the sea.....

My mistake

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

So why are some of the older Helm ID guides, i.e Shorebirds, worth an absolute packet on the second-hand market? Surely there were loads printed originally?

I too have that Readers Digest book (somewhere at my parents, in storage!). I agree with the general sentiments on this thread - some gorgeous illustrations.

Because they are now out of print. And I guess not so many were printed given they are quite specialised.

There was a second edition of shorebirds, which I beleive is now also out of prints.

Being a saddo I have both editions.

 

[brianfm]

I too have a copy of the AA Book of British Birds. Bought sometime in the 70s and it served me well as an introduction to birds. Some very useful information in there and although I have many purchased many, many more books since, I'd never give that one away. If I'm honest I'd seldom give any book away. ;-) I seem to remember seeing this book on sale in recent years still. I suspect it is on the shelves of many serious birders, not so serious birders and non birders alike. The drawings are very good to look at, if a little dodgy as an ID guide.

 

[Peewit]

I too have a copy of the AA Book of British Birds. Bought sometime in the 70s and it served me well as an introduction to birds. Some very useful information in there and although I have many purchased many, many more books since, I'd never give that one away. If I'm honest I'd seldom give any book away. ;-) I seem to remember seeing this book on sale in recent years still. I suspect it is on the shelves of many serious birders, not so serious birders and non birders alike. The drawings are very good to look at, if a little dodgy as an ID guide.

Hi Brian

Gosh it sounds although many people have a copy of this book, and many have seen it as their first time bird book and a start to their enjoyment of bird watching in all its glory. :-O

Some peoples artistic interpretation of bird drawings are not always as precise as a good quality picture.

When the Readers Digest first came out the photos in the book must have been the nearest thing to a really good photo in that era - especially 1969! I thought the drawings where the bird photos of this era.

Nothing in the photo realms of what we have going for us now though.

Kathy
x

 

[Peewit]

Hi there

Talking about illustrations in bird books. Does any one possess this book in 'The Oxford book' series

The Oxford book of Birds - Peerage Books - Bruce Campbell/Donald Watson (this was a present to me)
1980 Revised then reprinted in1984/1985
This book is full of artistic merit, and I love what this book has to offer. A bit more modern than The older Readers Digest illustrations.

What do people think of these illustrations in this book.

Picture 1 - Front cover (cover on)
Picture 2 - Back cover (cover on)
Picture 3 - Woodpeckers
Picture 4 - Buntings

Kathy
x

 

[sideshow bob]

Because they are now out of print. And I guess not so many were printed given they are quite specialised.

There was a second edition of shorebirds, which I beleive is now also out of prints.

Being a saddo I have both editions.

I don't think that's sad! But then I'm sure I'm gradually being afflicted by bibliophilia as the years pass by.

 

[cnybirder]

So why are some of the older Helm ID guides, i.e Shorebirds, worth an absolute packet on the second-hand market? Surely there were loads printed originally?

All a book needs to be valuable is to have more demand than supply.
Any guide that was printed in small numbers and had good information will be worth good money.