Every now and again in the collecting world you have the honor of seeing a book printed that you suspect, with time, will become a collectible great.
Two such collectible editions are found in the seminal dystopian futurology of Ray Bradbury's 'Fahrenheit 451'. This tale, as you are no doubt aware, considered what would happen if future society were run by a fascistic, totalitarian state that practices severe censorship and knowledge-control. Emotive and inspirational books are burnt, hence the title of the book - the temperature at which paper burns.
Recently, two editions of Fahrenheit 451 have appeared on auction sites and private collections. One boasts a cover made of an asbestos-composite material by the Ballantine Publishing Group as a rare collector's item from 1953! This edition was a limited run only of 195 copies, and, due to the highly toxic nature of asbestos, is probably one of just a few remaining in existence today! Sold at private auction for at least $500.
The second edition of the same book was a creative project for the designer and art tutor Ellie Perez, who created a rare edition of the book for The Austin Creative Department art school. Her version features a graphite matchboard spine, as well as an inset match, to evoke the horror of the practice of book burning. Although currently not for sale, should this version of the book ever be released, it could become an instant collectible.http://eliperez.com/#portfolio-2
Do you own a First Edition copy of Fahrenheit 451? True first edition copies range in value from around $500 to $1000, from Hart-Davis publishers of London, 1954, hardcover, with dust jacket illustration by Joe Mugnaini.
Bradbury, Ray. Dark Carnival. Arkham House, Sauk City, WI (1947). Authors 1St Book; First Printing; 3113 Copies; Contents Include: The Homecoming; Skeleton; The Jar; The Lake; The Maiden; The Tombstone; The Smiling People; The Emissary; The Traveler; The Small Assassin; The Crowd; The Next In Line; Cistern; The Night Sets; The Man Upstairs; The Dead Man; There Was An Old Woman; The Night; The Wind; Uncle Einar; Lets Play Poison; The Scythe; Jack-In-The-Box; Interim; The Coffin; Etc.
Bradbury, Ray. The Arkham Sampler. Arkham House, Sauk City, WS (1948). Contributions By H. R. Wakefield, H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, Leah Bodine Drake, Robert Bloch, Fritz Leiber, Samuel Loveman, Lord Dunsany, A. E. Van Vogt, Ray Bradbury, Ted Sturgeon, Jules Verne, Everett Bleiler, P. Schuyler Miller, Donald Wandrei, Sam Moskowitz, Lewis Padgett, Carljacobi, David Keller, Vincent Starrett, E. Hoffman Price, Et.Al. 2,000 Copies.
Sturgeon, Theodore. Without Sorcery. Prime Press, Philadelphia, PA (1948). Ray Bradbury, Introduction, L. Robert Tschirky, Illustrator; First Printing; Up To 112 Signed Copies.
Bradbury, Ray. Martian Chronicles. Doubleday, Garden City (1950).
Bradbury, Ray. Illustrated Man. Doubleday and Company (1951).
Bradbury, Ray. No Man Is An Island. National Womens Committee Of Brandeis University, CA (1952). Only Edition; From Page Following Title Page:No Man Is An Island Is An Address Delivered By The Author, Ray Bradbury, At The Annual Meeting, November 7, 1952, Before The Los Angeles Chapter Of The National Womens Committee Of Brandeis University. This Is Printed By Request For The Members Of This Organization. From Final Page (P.10):The National Womens Committee Of Brandeis University, A Nation-Wide Membership Organization, With No Fund Raising, Is The Only Group In The Country Undertaking The Complete Responsibility Of A University Library. Ray Bradburys Address Begins:It Is Good To Confront A Group Of People Who Are Planning To Build A Library Rather Than Burn One.
Bradbury Ray. Ray Bradbury Review. William F. Nolan, San Diego, CA (1952). Nolan, William F., Editor; Only Volume
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Ballantine Books (1953). True First Edition, Prior To All Hardbound Issues (Included The 200 Copy Asbestos Binding).
Bradbury, Ray. The Golden Apples Of The Sun. Doubleday and Co., Garden City (1953). Fourth Published Book Of The Author, Containing 22 Short Stories In All (IncludingInvisible Boy,Sun And Shadow,The Garbage Collector And Others, Plus The Title Story).First Edition On Title Page Verso.
Bradbury, Ray. The Golden Apples Of The Sun. Rupert Hart-Davis, UK (1953). First Uk Edition; Illustrated With Drawings By Joe Mugnaini.
Bradbury Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Rupert Hart Davis (1954). First Uk Edition; The Ballantine Edition Published A Year Earlier (1953) Contains The Title Novel Plus Two Additional Short Stories (The Playground And The Rock Cries Out): This British Edition Features The Title Novel Only.
Bradbury, Ray. October Country. Ballantine Books (1955). 50 Specially Bound Author-Copies
Conklin, Groff. Science Fiction Terror Tales. Gnome Press Inc Publishers (1955). Conklin, Groff (Edited By), Contributors Include Ray Bradbury, Fredric Brown, Robert Sheckley, Richard Matheson, Peter Phillips, Theodore Sturgeon, Magaret St Clair, Isaac Asimov, Paul Ernst, Anthony Boucher, Alan E. Nourse, Philip K. Dick, Robert A. Heinlein, Et Al; 5000 Copies
Bradbury, Ray. Switch On The Night. Pantheon Books (1955). First State Issue With Gray Boards And Pink Endpapers. Copyright Information Is On Title Page. Illustrations By Madeleine Gekiere.
Bradbury, Ray. The October Country. Ballantine (1955). Joe Mugnaini, Illustrator; First Printing; First State Has Ballantine Logo Inverted On Spine
Bradbury, Ray. The October Country. Rupert Hart-Davis (1956). First Uk Edition.
Bradbury, Ray. Dandelion Wine. Doubleday and Co, Garden City (1957). Stated First Edition.
Bradbury, Ray. Dandelion Wine. Rupert Hart-Davis (1957). Uk First Edition
Bradbury, Ray. The Martian Chronicles. Doubleday and Company (1958). First Revised Edition That Includes The Short Stories,The Fire Balloons AndUsher Ii Which Were Omitted In The 1950 Edition; Includes Year Of Publication On Title Page And $2.95 Price On Dustjacket.
Bradbury, Ray. A Medicine For Melancholy. Doubleday and Company (1959). Stories Of Wonder And Delight
Bradbury, Ray. The Day It Rained Forever. Hart-Davis, UK (1959).
Bradbury, Ray. R Is For Rocket. Doubleday and Company Garden City (1962). First Hardcover Printing (Stated On Copyright Page).
Bradbury, Ray. Something Wicked This Way Comes. Simon and Schuster (1962). StatedFirst Printing On The Copyright Page.
Bradbury, Ray. Something Wicked This Way Comes. Rupert Hart-Davis, UK (1963). First Uk Edition
Bradbury, Ray. The Anthem Sprinters. Dial Press (1963). And Other Antics; Hardboard Edition Scarce.
Bradbury, Ray. The Machineries Of Joy. Simon and Schuster (1964). First Printing Stated On Copyright Page.
Bradbury, Ray. S Is For Space. Doubleday and Company Garden City (1966).
Bradbury, Ray. Twice 22. Doubleday and Company (1966). The Golden Apples Of The Sun And A Medicine For Melancholy; First Printing With The Date On The Title Page.
Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451. Simon Schuster (1967). First 1967 Printing; States First Printing. New Introduction; Also Includes:Rock Cried Out AndPlayground
Bradbury, Ray. Any Friend Of Nicholas Nicklebys Is A Friend Of Mine. Self-published., NP (1968). Play Script.
Bradbury, Ray. I Sing The Body Electric. Alfred A. Knopf (1969).
Bradbury, Ray. The Halloween Tree. Alfred A. Knopf (1972). Joseph A. Mugnaini, Illustrator; $3.95 Price On The Front Flap. First Edition Stated On Copyright Page.
Bradbury, Ray. Zen and The Art Of Writing. Capra Press, Santa Barbara, CA (1973). And The Joy Of Writing. Two Essays (Number 13 In The Yes! Capra Chapbook Series); 250 Signed, Numbered Copies.
Bradbury, Ray. Martian Chronicles. Limited Editions Club, Avon, CT (1974). Joseph Mugnaini, Illustrator; 2000 Signed, Numbered Copies; Signed By Both Author And Illustrator; Designed By Ernst Reichl And Printed By The Connecticut Printers In Bloomfield.
Nolan, William F. The Ray Bradbury Companion. Gale Research., Detroit (1975). Bradbury, Ray. (Introduction); A Life And Career History, Photolog, And Comprehensive Checklist Of Writings With Facsimiles From Ray Bradburys Unpublished And Uncollected Work In All Media.
Bradbury, Ray. Long After Midnight. Alfred A. Knopf (1976). First Edition Stated On Copyright Page.
Bradbury, Ray. Man Dead? Then God Is Slain!. Santa Susana Press, Northridge, CA (1977). A Celebration By Ray Bradbury; Single Sheet Folded Into Four Pages. A PoemPrinted And Distributed To Students Of California State University, Northridge. There Was Also A Signed Limited Edition Of 26 With Block Prints By Hans Burkhardt.
Bradbury, Ray. The Aqueduct. Roy A Squires, Glendale (1979). 230 Signed, Numbered Copies
Bradbury, Ray. The Last Circus and The Electrocution. Lord John Press, Northridge, CA (1980). 100 Signed, Numbered Deluxe Copies; Signed By Ray Bradbury, William F. Nolan (Introduction) , And Joseph Mugnaini (Illustrator); Also 300 Numbered Copies, Signed By Bradbury And Nolan.
Bradbury, Ray. The Stories Of Ray Bradbury. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. (1980). 60 Limited Copies That Were Signed By Bradbury And Specially-Bound
Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451. Limited Editions Club (1982). Joseph Mugnaini, Illustrator; 2000 Signed, Numbered Copies; Signatures Are Of Both Ray Bradbury And Joseph Mugnaini
Bradbury, Ray. Something Wicked This Way Comes. Alfred A. Knopf (1983). 70 Special Copies Prepared For Bradbury By Knopf When They Took Over This Title.
Bradbury, Ray. Death Is A Lonely Business. The Franklin Library, Franklin Center, PA (1985). Frontispiece (Specially Commissioned To Gary Kelley For Limited First Edition); Signed. Also 60 Presentation Copies.
Bradbury, Ray. Long After Ecclesiastes, New Biblical Texts. Gold Stein Press, Santa Ana, CA (1985). Joe D'Ambrosio Designed, Printed And Bound Book; 75 Signed, Numbered Copies; Signed By Both Ray Bradbury And Joe D'Ambrosio
Bradbury, Ray. Death Has Lost Its Charm For Me. Lord John Press, Northridge, CA (1987). 26 Signed, Lettered Copies; 150 Signed, Numbered Copies; Also 25 Presentation Copies
Bradbury, Ray. Lord John Ten. Lord John Press, Northridge, CA (1988). 250 Numbered Copies Signed By All 26 Contributors: Robert Bloch, Ray Bradbury, Ramsey Cambell, Raymond Carver, James Crumley, Jack Dann, Dennis Etchison, William Everson, Gerald R. Ford, Bruce Francis, Stan Freberg, Tess Gallagher, Jim Harrison, Roberta Lannes, Patrick W. Magee, Barry N. Malzberg, William F. Nolan, Joyce Carol Oates, Robert B. Parker, Bronwyn G. Pughe, James Purdy, Whitley Strieber, John Updike, Diane Wakoski, Derek Walcott, And Lorri Ziegler.
Bradbury, Ray. The Toynbee Convector. Alfred A. Knopf (1988). 350 Signed, Numbered Copies
Bradbury, Ray. The Martian Chronicles. The Easton Press, Norwalk, CT (1989). Signed Leatherbound Edition; Includes An Introduction By Damon Knight And Illustrations By Joesph Mugnaini.
King, Stephen. Lord John Signatures. Lord John Press, Northridge, CA (1991). 400 Numbered Copies Illustrated With Photographs Of All But King Signed By Stephen King, John Barth, James Blaylock, Robert Bloch, T. Coraghessan Boyle, Ray Bradbury, James Lee Burke, Ramsey Campbell, Harry Crews, James Crumley, Louise Erdrich and Michael Dorris, Dennis Etchison, Gerald R. Ford, Richard Ford, Bruce Francis, Ellen Gilchrist, Jim Harrison, Tony Hillerman, William Kennedy, Ursula K. Leguin, John Lheureux, Elmore Leonard, Thomas Mcguane, Norman Mailer, Richard C. Matheson, Brian Moore, Joseph A. Mugnaini, Joyce Carol Oates, Edna Obrien, Robert B. Parker, Tim Powers, Reynolds Price, James Purdy, Dan Simmons, Peter Straub, Ross Thomas, Anne Tyler, John Updike, Eudora Welty, And Donald E. Westlake, With Printed Signatures Of William Everson And Richard Yates. Also Includes A Section Of Facsimile Autographs Of Thomas Pynchon, Gandhi, Charlie Chaplin, Einstein, Herman Melville, Ted Williams, And Others.
Bradbury, Ray. Green Shadows, White Whale. Ultramarine Publishing Co., Inc. (1992). 38 Signed, Numbered Copies; 50 Total Copies
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Simon And Schuster (1993). The 40Th Anniversary Edition; 500 Signed, Numbered Copies
Bradbury, Ray. Quicker Than The Eye. The Franklin Library, Franklin Center, PA (1996).
Bradbury, Ray. The Illustrated Man. Gauntlet Press, Colorado Springs, CO (1996). 52 Signed, Deluxe Lettered Copies; 600 Signed By Ray Bradbury, William Nolan, And Ed Gorman; Contains Extra Content Not Found In Other Editions.
Bradbury, Ray. The October Country. Gauntlet Press, Springfield, PA (1997). 40Th Anniversary Edition; 500 Signed, Numbered Copies, Signatures Are Ray Bradbury, Dennis Etchinson And Robert Mccammon; 52 Signed, Lettered Copies With Content Not Included In The Numbered Edition.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Easton Press, CT (1998). Limited Edition Signed Bt Bradbury.
Brackett, Leigh. No Good From A Corpse. Dennis Mcmilllan Publications, Tuscon, Az: (1999). Ray Bradbury, Forward; Michael Connelly, Afterword; 200 Signed, Numbered Copies; Signed By Ray Bradbury And Michael Connelly; Collects The Masterpieces Of Leigh Brackett Into A Single Volume: No Good From A Corpse Murder Is Bigamy Red-Headed Poison Murder In The Family Design For Dying I Feel Bad Killing You No Star Is Lost So Pale, So Cold, So Fair The Misfortune Teller.
Ray Bradbury. Something Wicked This Way Comes. Gauntlet Publications, Springfield, PA (1999). 500 Numbered Copies Signed By Bradbury, Joe Lansdale And Peter Crowther.
Bradbury, Ray. Dark Carnival. Gauntlet Publications, Springfield, PA (2001). Includes 4 Additional Stories Not In The 1947 Edition; 52 Signed, Lettered Copies (Ray Bradbury and Clive Barker); 700 Signed, Numbered Copies.
Bradbury, Ray. From The Dust Returned. Easton Press, Norwalk, CT (2001). 1400 Numbered Copies Signed By Bradbury; Frontispiece By Frank Kelly Freas.
Bradbury, Ray. One More For The Road. Wm. Morrow (2002).
Bradbury, Ray. It Came From Outer Space. Gauntlet Press, Colorado Springs (2003). 52 Signed, Lettered Copies; 750 Signed, Numbered Copies.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Graham, CA (2004). 52 Signed, Lettered Copies With Original Print Signed By Ralph Steadman In Custom Slipcase; Limited Edition Of 150 Numbered Copies Signed By Ray Bradbury And Ralph Steadman.
Bradbury, Ray. Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life.. Billboard Books (2004).
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Graham Press, CA (2005). 50Th Anniversay Edition; Ralph Steadman, Illustrator; 451 Signed, Numbered Copies; Signed By Both Ray Bradbury And Ralph Steadman
Bradbury, Ray. R Is For Rocket, S Is For Space and Forever And The Earth. PS Publishing, Hornsea, North Yorkshire, UK (2005). 3 Vol Boxed Set; 100 Copies;R Is For Rocket Is Signed By Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen And Michael Marshall Smith,S Is For Space Is Signed By Ray Bradbury, Arthur Clarke And Tim Powers,Forever And The Earth (Changed FromL Is For Leftovers) Contains All The Stories That Ray Bradbury Originally Planned ForS Is For Space But Which Were Dropped By The Publisher.Forever And The Earth Contains The Following Stories As Originally Conceived By Ray Bradbury, Feburary 1, 1966: Referent, The Black Ferris, Statues, The Seashell, The Drummer Boy Of Shiloh, The Veldt, I, Rocket, Forever And Earth, Tomorrow And Tomorrow, Golden Kite, Silver Wind, The Day It Rained Forever.
Bradbury, Ray. The Halloween Tree. Gauntlet Press, Colorado Springs, CO (2005). 52 Signed, Lettered Copies; 750 Signed, Numbered Copies
Bradbury, Ray. Match To Flame. Gauntlet Publication, Colorado Springs, CO (2006). The Fictional Paths To Fahrenheit 451; 52 Signed, Lettered Copies; 750 Signed, Numbered Copies; Edited By Donn Albright. Preface By Bradbury. Foreword By Richard Matheson. Introduction By William Touponce. Textual Essay By Jonathan Eller.
Ray Bradbury. Dandelion Wine. P.S. Publishing, UK (2007). 50Th Anniversery Edition; Introduction By Stephen King; 100 Numbered Copies Signed By Stephen King And Ray Bradbury.
Ray Bradbury. Futuria Fantasia. Graham (2007). 52 Signed, Lettered Copies; 300 Signed, Numbered Copies; Lettered Copies Signed By Both Forrest J. Ackerman And Ray Bradbury
Bradbury, Ray. I Sing The Body Electric. Subterranean Press, Burton, MI (2007). Signed/Limited Edition Of 250 Copies; 26 Lettered Copies. Contents: The Kilimanjaro Device, The Terrible Conflagration Up At The Place, Tomorrows Child, The Women, The Inspired Chicken Motel, Downwind From Gettysburg, Yes, Well Gather At The River, The Cold Wind And The Warm, Night Call, Collect, The Haunting Of The New, I Sing The Body Electric!, The Tombling Day, Any Friend Of Nicholas Nicklebys Is A Friend Of Mine, Heavy-Set, The Man In The Rorschach Shirt, Henry The Ninth, The Lost City Of Mars, The Blue Bottle, One Timeless Spring, The Parrot Who Met Papa, The Burning Man, A Piece Of Wood, The Messiah, G.B.S. -- Mark V, The Utterly Perfect Murder, Punishment Without Crime, Getting Through Sunday Somehow, Drink Entire: Against The Madness Of Crowds, Christus Apollo.
Bradbury, Ray. Somewhere A Band Is Playing. Gauntlet Press, Colorado Springs, CO (2007). 500 Signed, Numbered Copies And 52 Signed, Lettered Copies; Signed By Ray Bradbury And William F. Nolan.
Bradbury, Ray. Listen To The Echoes. Chicago Stop Smiling Books 2010 (2010). Listen To The Echoes; Signed Limited Edition, 250 Copies Signed By Ray Bradbury. Additionally Signed By The Author Sam Weller, Black Francis Of The Pixies - Who Contributed The Book'S Foreword, And By Photographer Zen Sekizawa; Specially Bound For The Celebration Of Ray Bradbury'S 90Th Birthday Celebration At Mystery and Imagination Bookshop In Pasadena On August 15, 2010.