There are few authors as widely known as Agatha Christie, who, for collectors can be so puzzling! Recently a signed first edition, first impression (print) of her first HerculePoirot book sold at auction for nearly $40 000, a record price for book collectors. However, somewhat strangely the rest of her catalog varies so much in value and availability as to make the work of the Christie collector very confusing!
One of the reasons for this may be her continued, wide-spread success across many decades. This continual success has ensured that her work has seen many reprints and many editions, which in turn waters the collecting market down somewhat. Another reason for the strange variance in prices of Agatha Christie works is that her true first originals are very rare, whilst the rest of her book catalog is so large as to mean that there are many volumes to choose from when collecting.
Her earliest works were the Mysterious Affair at Styles and The Secret Adversary, in 1920 and 1923 respectively, by The Bodley Head imprint for Collins. Any of her 'true first editions' would fetch a good price now, even without a dust jacket from around $800 onwards. The pitfall that awaits the Christie collector is that her books were quickly picked up by other publishers and re-printed in their own editions. A First Edition New York, Dodd, Mead and Company edition of The Secret Adversary may only be worth $450 onwards. Her scarcest work would undoubtedly be 'The Mystery on the Links' published by London, Bodley Head in 1923.
Although these are respectable prices, for a writer of her fame and caliber they are not unheard of at all. What makes Christie very worth collecting is if you can find volumes with first edition dust jackets, as well as any sort of author's provenance such as signatures or dedications. Then the volume will accelerate exponentially in value to the multiples if not the tens of thousands of dollars.
Christie, Agatha. The Mysterious Affair at Styles. John Lane Company New York (1920). Author'S First Published Boo
Christie, Agatha. The Mysterious Affair at Styles. John Lane/Ryerson (1920). First Canadian Edition, Using The U.S. First Edition Plates With A Separately Printed And Integral Title Page; First Appearance Of Hercule Poirot; Ryerson Press Probably Printed Fewer Than 300. A Very Rare Item.
Christie, Agatha. The Mysterious Affair At Styles. The Bodley Head (1921). A Rare Book; Author'S Debut Crime Novel, Introducing Hercule Poirot.
Christie, Agatha. The Secret Adversary. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1922).
Christie, Agatha. The Secret Adversary. John Lane, The Bodley Head (1922). Author'S Second Book; Includes Four-Page Publisher'S Catalogue At Rear.
Christie, Agatha. Murder on the Links. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1923).
Christie, Agatha. Murder on the Links.. The Bodley Head (1923). First Printing; Christie'S Third Novel.
Christie, Agatha. Poirot Investigates. John Lane, The Bodley Head (1924).
Christie, Agatha. The Man in the Brown Suit. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1924).
Christie, Agatha. The Man in the Brown Suit. The Bodley Head (1924). First Printing (First Published In 1924 On Copyright Page).
Christie, Agatha. The Secret Adversary. The Bodley Head (1924). Scarce Second Edition.
Christie, Agatha. The Secret of Chimneys. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1925).
Christie, Agatha. The Secret of Chimneys. The Bodley Head (1925). First Printing
Christie, Agatha. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1926).
Christie, Agatha. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Collins (1926).
Christie, Agatha. The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Dodd,Mead and Company New York (1926).
Christie, Agatha. The Big Four. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1927).
Christie, Agatha. The Big Four. Collins, Glasgow (1927).
Christie, Agatha. The Big Four. Collins (1927).
Christie, Agatha. The Secret of Chimneys. John Lane, The Bodley Head (1927). Popular Edition 1927 Stated On Copyright Page
Christie, Agatha. The Mystery of The Blue Train. Collins (1928). Undated.
Christie, Agatha. The Mystery of The Blue Train. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1928). First Printing; Original Price $2.00.
Christie, Agatha. Partners in Crime. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1929).
Christie, Agatha. Partners in Crime. Collins (1929).
Christie, Agatha. The Seven Dials Mystery. Collins (1929). First Printing.
Christie, Agatha. The Seven Dials Mystery. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1929).
Christie, Agatha. The Under Dog and Blackmans Wood. The Readers Library. N.D. (1929). Christie, Agatha, and E. Phillips Oppenheim. First Printing.
Christie, Agatha as Mary Westmacott. Giant's Bread. Doubleday, Doran and Company Garden City (1930).
Christie, Agatha. Murder at the Vicarage. Collins (1930).
Christie, Agatha. Murder at the Vicarage. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1930). Introduces Miss Jane Marple
Christie, Agatha. The Mysterious Mr. Quin. Collins (1930). First Impression.
Christie, Agatha. The Mysterious Mr. Quin. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1930). Contains Twelve Short Stories; Published In England AsThe Sittaford Mystery.
Christie, Agatha. The Murder at Hazelmoor. Grosset and Dunlap (1931).
Christie, Agatha. The Sittaford Mystery. Collins (1931). First Impression.
Christie, Agatha. Peril at End House. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1932). First Printing
Christie, Agatha. Peril at End House. Collins (1932).
Christie, Agatha. Lord Edgware Dies. Collins (1933). First Impression; Price Of 3/6; Fine Period Artwork By Lambart.
Christie, Agatha. The Hound of Death and other Stories. Odhams Press (1933). First Printing; Art-Deco Dustjacket; Not Published In The U.S.
Christie, Agatha. Mr. Parker Pyne Detective. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1934). Collection Of Twelve Short Stories First Published In England By Collins In 1934 AsParker Pyne Investigates; Priced On Dust Jacket $2.00
Christie, Agatha. Murder in the Calais Coach. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1934). The First American Title For The U.K.Murder On The Orient Express. Later Editions Changed Title Back ToMurder On The Orient Express.
Christie, Agatha. Murder in Three Acts.. Dodd, Mead and CompaToronto (1934). This First Canadian Edition Is Identical To The Us Dodd First Excepting TheCanadian Edition For Sale In Canada Only Statement; Precedes The Uk Collins Publication.
Christie, Agatha. Murder on the Orient Express. Collins (1934). First Printing.
Christie Agatha. Why Didn't They Ask Evans ?. Collins (1934). First Impression
Christie, Agatha. Death in the Air. Dodd, Mead and CompaToronto (1935). First Canadian Edition; This Canadian Issue, U.S. Printed And Using The U.S. Issue Dust Jacket (Price-Clipped By The Publisher For Copies Sent To Canada), Is Scarce; Published In The U.K. In 1935 AsDeath In The Clouds.
Christie, Agatha. Death in the Clouds. Collins (1935). First Impression.
Christie, Agatha. The Boomerang Clue. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1935). Published In The U.K. AsWhy Didn'T They Ask Evans?
Christie, Agatha. Cards on the Table. Collins (1936). First Impression; Priced At 7/6 Net On The Front Flap.
Christie, Agatha. Murder in Mesopotamia. Collins (1936). First Printing; Original Pictorial Dustjacket Designed By Mccartney
Christie, Agatha. Murder in Mesopotamia. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1936).
Christie, Agatha. The A B C Murders. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1936).
Christie, Agatha. The Hound of Death and Other Stories. Collins (1936). Contains Twelve Short Stories; Originally Published In By Odhams In 1933 As Part Of Their C33 Promotion, And The Few Remaining Sheets Bound Up By Collins With A Cancel Title Page
Christie, Agatha. Cards On The Table. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1937).
Christie, Agatha. Death on the Nile. Collins (1937). First Impression; 7S 6D. Net Price.
Christie, Agatha. Dumb Witness. Collins (1937). Original Price 7/6.
Christie, Agatha. Murder in The Mews. Collins (1937).
Christie, Agatha. Murder on the Orient Express. Collins (1937).
Christie, Agatha. Poirot Loses a Client. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1937).
Christie, Agatha. Appointment with Death. Collins (1938).
Christie, Agatha. Appointment With Death. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1938).
Christie, Agatha. Death on the Nile. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1938).
Christie, Agatha. Hercule Poirot's Christmas. Collins (1939).
Christie, Agatha. Murder Is Easy. Collins (1939). Original Price Of 7S.6D.Net To The Front Flap.
Christie, Agatha. Ten Little Niggers. Collins, Sydney (1939). Undated.
Christie, Agatha. Ten Little Niggers. Collins (1939). Undated ExceptCopyright 1939 To Reverse Of Title Page; Front Flap Of Original Dust Wrapper Pasted On To Inner Front Board Showiing Price Of 7/6D.
Christie, Agatha. And Then There Were None. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1940).
Christie Agatha. Dix Petits Negres ( Ten Little Niggers ). Librairie des Champs-Elysees - Brussels (1940). French/Belgian Edition
Christie Agatha. One Two Buckle My Shoe. Collins (1940). First Impression; Price Of 7S.6D.Net.
Christie, Agatha. Sad Cypress. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1940).
Christie, Agatha. Sad Cypress. Collins (1940). First Impression; The Original Dust-Wrapper Has A Price Of 8/3 Net On The Front Flap.
Christie, Agatha. Evil Under The Sun. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1941). Dust Jacket Price Reads$2.00.
Christie, Agatha. N or M?. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1941).
Christie, Agatha. N or M?. Collins (1941). First Impression.
Christie, Agatha. Five Little Pigs. Collins (1942). First Impression; Priced 8/- Net To The Inside Flap.
Christie, Agatha. Murder In Retrospect. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1942).
Christie, Agatha. The Body in the Library. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1942).
Christie, Agatha. The Body In The Library. Collins (1942). First Impression
Christie, Agatha. The Moving Finger. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1942). True First Edition; Precedes The British Edition.
Christie, Agatha. Towards Zero. The Blakiston Company, Philadelphia (1944).
Christie, Agatha. Towards Zero. Collins (1944). Priced At 7S.6D Net To The Front Flap.
Christie, Agatha. Death Comes As The End. Collins (1945). First Impression; Priced At 7S.6D Net To The Front Flap.
Christie, Agatha. Sparkling Cyanide. Collins (1945). First Printing; Priced At 8S6D. Net To The Front Flap.
Christie, Agatha. Come Tell Me How You Live. Collins, 1946 (1946).
Christie, Agatha. The Labors of Hercules. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1947).
Christie, Agatha. The Labors of Hercules / No Place to Live / Detour to Oblivion / The Accomplice. Unicorn Press (1947). Christie, Agatha / Ronns, Edward / Davis, Frederick C. / Head, Matthew; Four Novels In One; Published For The Unicorn Mystery Book Club.
Christie, Agatha. The Labours of Hercules. Collins (1947). Contains Twelve Poirot Stories; Dust Jacket Price Reads4S.6D..
Christie, Agatha. Taken at the Flood. Collins (1948). First Impression; Published AsThere Is A Tide In U.S.
Christie, Agatha. A Murder is Announced.. Collins (1950).
Christie, Agatha. Why Didnt They Ask Evans?. Collins (1950).
Christie, Agatha. They Came to Baghdad. Collins (1951). First Printing.
Christie, Agatha. A Pocket Full of Rye. Collins (1953). First Impression.
Christie, Agatha. A Pocket Full of Rye. Dodd, Mead and Company New York (1953).
Christie, Agatha. After The Funeral. Collins (1953).
Christie, Agatha. Ordeal By Innocence. Collins (1958).
Christie, Agatha. Crime Collection in 24 Volumes. Paul Hamlyn (1969). Three Works In Each Volume.
Christie, Agatha. The ABC Murders. Collins Crime Club/ BCA (2006). Rare First Printing Of The Facsimilie Edition; Re-Created By Collins To Resemble The Original Edition.
Christie, Agatha. Three Act Tragedy. Collins Crime Club, BCA (2006). First Printing (Print Number 1 On Copyright Page); Re-Created By Collins To Resemble The Original Edition Complete With Dust Cover And Black Boards Stamped In Gold On Spine, For The Bca. Has 7/6 Price On Dust Covers.