Could you be sitting on a fortune?

Find out if you have a collectible, and hopefully a valuable, first edition book hidden away.


We’ve all watched the Antiques Roadshow and saw some lucky devil gasp with surprise at being told that the collection of books they’ve hoarded away for years is worth thousands of pounds.

So if you’re attic is heaving with hardbacks or your granny has left you a box of novels unopened for more than a century how do you go about identifying a collectible, and hopefully valuable, first edition?

What is a first edition?

Simply put a first edition is the first ever print of a book, although there can be a number of printing batches within an edition. For example: the first edition and first print of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was limited to 300 copies as no one knew how phenomenally popular it would become – these are now very rare and can fetch up to £10,000 a copy. The next printing of the book was still a first edition as there had been no major changes, but as it was a second printing the value drops significantly.

Most book collectors are only interested in the first edition and first printing (first/first) of a title because it is the first state that the book was available in and because it will become more difficult to get hold of a copy as time goes on – especially as many first edition printings are in small quantities.

How do you identify a first edition?

There are a few do-it-yourself methods you can use to determine the edition of a book, these are the basics:

- The most commonly used system is numeric. Flick to the copyright and dedication pages of most books and you will probably find a string of numbers such as ‘1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9’ which indicate the edition number. If the numbers start from 1 you have a first edition, as 1 represents the first, 2 represents the second and so on. A second edition would show ‘2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9’ with no number 1, while popular books may show edition numbers nearing 100.

- Just to make things a little harder, some publishers show the numbers in a different order (such as 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 or maybe 1 3 6 9 8 7 5 4 2) or use letters (such as a b c d e f g h i), as long as 1 (or ‘a’) is there it is the first edition.

- On some occasions ‘First Edition’ may be written out in words while the number line will start at 23456789.

- While some publishers will write ‘First Edition’, ‘First Impression’ or ‘First Printing’ by itself. Please note that some publishers only indicate a first by their own publishing company and not the first for the title.

- Some publishers will state ‘First Published’ followed by the year, if there are no further printings indicated with subsequent dates, then you may well also have a first edition in your collection.

- You may also find the phrase ‘No Additional Printings’ or the letters ‘NAP’ indicating a first edition too.

- There are some exceptions to these rules, book club first editions for example, which have no price showing on the cover, are only the first of the book club’s series and are relatively worthless to collectors.

What makes a first edition valuable?

First editions vary dramatically in price. Hardback books are much more sought after and more valuable than paperback books. Good quality books obviously fetch the most – check whether your book is in mint condition and has the dust sleeve, for example.

An author’s first appearance in print is often more valuable than later works, unless they have shot to fame as a result of a particular title. Also consider how popular the author is, as it affects how many collectors are likely to be after their work. Most importantly how rare is it? After the exceptional success of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, for example, subsequent first editions of JK Rowling’s series have been snapped up by avid fans, but as they were printed in batches of hundreds of thousands they are unlikely to ever be particularly valuable.

Still unsure?

If you are still uncertain whether you have a valuable book in your collection you can verify it by searching online for the particular author’s bibliography which will show when and where their work was first printed. You can also purchase one of the many first edition buying guides on the market. If in doubt get an expert’s opinion at a local bookshop specialising in first editions. Just don’t wait for the Antiques Roadshow to come to town to find out if you are sitting on a fortune.

Links: charity shop chic, books, first edition, antique, collector

Second helpings

Bargain hunt with flair with CharityShopChic's indispensible do’s and don’ts of scouring charity shops...

What do Kylie’s ‘Spinning Around’ gold hot pants and Bridget Jones’ singleton penguin pyjamas have in common? They were both picked up from charity shops for less than £1, that’s what. Thanks in no small part to A-listers including Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and even Victoria Beckham shifting some of their sensational spending sprees to their local Oxfam in recent years, vintage charity shop chic has never been more in vogue.

While they were once shirked for stocking second-hand polyester tat that you wouldn’t look twice at, never mind wear twice, charity shops have become twinkling treasure troves of potential that you just have to dig deep to discover. If your wardrobe could do with a seasonal overhaul, pop into your local charity shop for some retro inspiration and you might be surprised at what gems you unearth, by following our top tips to thrifting.

Do…

· Visit charity shops in different towns and villages – some areas of Gloucestershire with wealthier donators are more likely to have top quality items in stock, while charity shops in less financially well-off areas are likely to be cheaper and visited less often.
· Be patient – persist even if your first venture turns up nothing but bobbled Primark cardigans – you can’t expect to find vintage Chanel or a pair of Manolos on day one.
· Be imaginative – picture your finds in roles they were not necessarily designed for. If a fabric is remarkable, but the cut or size isn’t, you can customise your purchase with a bit of help from a sewing machine or friendly seamstress.
· Be daring – by their very nature charity shops are cheap – an impulse buy here won’t dent the overdraft and you can always donate the offending item back if you decide you really can’t stand it.
· Leave no stone unturned and buy something if it screams out at you – if you don’t buy it now, chances are you will never find the same item again.
· Let your instincts lead you – yes, things will grow on you, but if your blink reaction to the acid green spandex shorts was ‘hideous’ let it go.
· Look for quality – no matter how cheap your purchase is, if it falls apart the second you get it home, it isn’t a bargain. Particularly look at seams, hems and zips for signs of wear and tear.
· Look at labels – a Gucci jacket selling for a few quid is likely to make you a profit on an auction site, if you can’t wear the designer item yourself.
· Visit regularly, stock comes in to most charity shops every day. Just because your last visit was disappointing doesn’t mean some generous donator hasn’t just handed in bags full of items ripe for the picking minutes before you visit again.
· Ask for details of delivery days – most shops will receive regular collections on certain days of the week.
· Remember that your money will be going to a good cause when you buy from a charity shop and re-using clothes is good for the environment too – otherwise it may well have ended its life in as landfill.

Don’t…

· Think ‘someone may have died in this’ such negativity will blind you to bargains.
· Be snobby – sticking to Oxfam is all very well, but terrific items are just as likely to be donated to the Salvation Army, Red Cross, Marie Curie or PDSA shop next door – and they will probably be cheaper too.
· Buy moth-eaten, torn or falling apart clothes unless you have both the ability and inclination to fix or customise them.
· Become obsessed with labels – yes, we’d all like to find an authentic Fendi for 50p, but a well-crafted handbag that would look great swinging from your arm shouldn’t be rejected because of sheer designer bias.
· Be lured into buying items you neither like nor will be useful because you’re feeling sorry for the bored old lady behind the till – she doesn’t work on commission you know!

Links: charity shop chic, tips, help,, thrifting, second hand

The miserly customiser

Half-price heavens should be viewed through the eyes of an artist. Customising your finds to your personal taste and style will only make them more unique.

While there might not be anything screaming out to be bought on every visit, the super skinny evening gown or extra large shirt that would never fit might be made of a fantastic fabric that will look great as a headscarf or amazing as cushion covers. Even a little skill with the sewing machine might mean you can take up trousers or hem a skirt that has seen better days.

Consider upcycling old books. Hardbacks might have beautiful or quirky covers, but you’ll have to get rid of the ripped or water damaged pages before you can glue in blank paper – turning today’s trash into tomorrow’s journal or photo album. A bit of bookbinding know how goes a long way, but having a go is more fun than producing something perfect.

A beautiful frame might just need the hideous picture of dogs playing poker removed and burnt before it can home your latest photoshoped prints. Perhaps you’ve found a picture perfect for your living room wall, but it housed in a frame that almost makes your eyes bleed, don’t think I’ll buy that another time, get it now or it will be gone later and you will leave yourself plenty of time to find a matching frame.

A rickety old chair may just need the six layer of glossy paint stripped from it before it will fit in your dining room or maybe it requires a bit of basic re-upholstering with a piece of material and a staple gun. DIY never hurt anyone, but if your craft skills don’t stretch that far you can take it to a local professional, who will upholster your bargain for a fraction of what you’d pay for a ubiquitous Ikea piece.

When all is said and done, you might find that an item may just need a good wash - the phrase 'pre-loved' is all very well, but it doesn't hide the fact that you're never going to feel affectionate towards someone else's stains!

Links: charity shop chic, tips, help, advice, thrifting, second hand

X marks the spot

Charity shops, antique stalls, flea markets, auctions, jumble sales, house clearances and carboot sales are home to the great unknown. They are treasure troves waiting to be discovered and the excitement of hunting for your buried booty is that there is no map, no short cuts and absolutely no guarantees.

While trawling through Mills&Boon paperbacks and polyester Primark castoffs can be dull and downright depressing - especially when a suspicious smell is wafting from the person standing a bit too close to you - the prospect of finding a covertible Chanel clutch bag or elusive first edition from your favourite author is always just around the corner.

When setting off on an expedition, the trick is never to set your heart on anything too specific - there are supermarkets where you can buy exactly what you expect. Be patient, open-minded and don't leave any stone unturned and you are sure to uncover a gem - whether you knew you wanted a roll of psychedilc 70s wallpaper before you set off from your minilmalist home or not!

Links: charity shop chic, tips, help, thrifting, second hand