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Irving, jOHN. setting Free The Bears. Random House, usa, 1968.

Price: US$45.48 + shipping

Condition: Fair

Description: Hardcover, an ex-library copy with all the usual marks and cancellation marks, signed by author on title-page, ffep is marked and torn, inside both covers are marked, edges uncut and marked, covers rubbed, otherwise Fair, in Fair priceclipped dustjacket, creasing at side, inside has watermarks, small triangular closed tear at top of spine, front panel is illustrated.

Seller: John Stoodley, Weymouth, Dorset, United Kingdom

John Irving. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, 1968.

Price: US$75.00 + shipping

Condition: Good

Description: First Edition. First printing, stated. Splitting at inner hinges but binding is intact. Jacket has minor shelf wear, in mylar. General shelf/reading wear. Pages/boards clean, binding sturdy.

Seller: Books From California, Simi Valley, CA, U.S.A.

John Irving. Setting free the bears. Random House, 1968.

Price: US$81.08 + shipping

Condition: Fair

Description: an ex-Library book in acceptable condition, has usual stamps and stickers on the inside and outside of the book; the original dust jacket is included; stated first edition;

Seller: Kota Books, Watertown, SD, U.S.A.

John Irving. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$150.00 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: New York: Random House, 1968. Second Printing (stated). Octavo. 335 pp. Illustrated dust jacket with $5.95 price present. Red boards with spine stamped in gilt; red topstain. Dust jacket rubbed along edges with dampstaining along top edge. Boards with mild shelfwear. Binding is sound. Glue remnants to front free endpaper, but pages otherwise unmarked. A Very Good, presentable copy of Irving's first book.

Seller: Capitol Hill Books, ABAA, Washington, DC, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free The Bears. Random House 1968 New York, 1968.

Price: US$225.00 + shipping

Condition: Good

Description: first printing this is an ex-library copy, pocket carelessly removed from ffep, "discard" stamp on ffep; small emboss and number on title page; pastedowns damaged where dustjacket was taped down; dustjacket laminated in cover, but otherwise intact; 335 pages; despite its obvious faults, this copy is not in bad shape; a scarce collector's item, it is priced to reflect its shortcomings;

Seller: Book Den East, oak bluffs, MA, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears. Random House. New York, 1968.

Price: US$250.00 + shipping

Condition: Good

Description: Hardcover with DJ. Red cloth spine with gold lettering. Red paper over boards with blindstamped emblem on cover. White background original DJ present and in good condition, with price of $5.95 on the front flap. DJ is still glossy and clean. Its flaws are more visible from the back side, where there is some slight foxing and a bit of wrinkling visible, which you cannot see from the front. A small bit of yellowing to the corners of the DJ flaps. Binding is good and tight. There are 4 tabs of tape on the covers, from an early effort to hold DJ in place. Their rectangular outlines have ghosted onto the endpapers. On the rear free endpaper, there is an oblong faded area where perhaps the adhesive from a long-ago bookplate dried out and dropped off. No date on the title page. Copyright page dated 1968 and stated "First Printing." 335 pages. First printing of Irving's first novel. Please email with questions or to request photos. If you see a photo beside this listing, please be aware that it’s an ABE Stock Photo (whatever that is) and not a photo of this book.

Seller: Riverby Books, Fredericksburg, VA, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free The Bears (First Printing). Random House, New York New York, 1968.

Price: US$295.00 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: Author's first novel. Book has bright & clean red two toned boards. There is slight separation of the page block at the superior spine edge. The page block has generalized age toning with the required reddish top stain to the superior page block and there is a previous owners bookplate attached to the ffep. The corners are sharp but there is slight pushing to the superior and inferior spine edges. This is NOT an ex-lib and there are NO remainder marks. Otherwise, quite a nice stated "First Printing". The mylar protected DJ also has age toning with chipping to the spine edges and generalized, noticeable, chipping to the superior and inferior edges. There is a small piece that has been clipped from the top corner of the inside rear flap. I would be happy to share pictures. It is price-intact ($5.95).

Seller: Herrick Books, Austin, MN, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$345.00 + shipping

Description: Irving's debut novel, whose plot revolves around a pair of motorcycle-riding youths and their plan to free the animals in Vienna's Heitzinger Zoo. Near fine in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket. Binding shows a few tiny extremity bumps. Jacket has a closed 1 1/4" edge tear at bottom of rear panel, with a bit of associated wrinkling. This tear was taped from backside by prior owner. Clean, sound, and attractive copy overall. Hardcover. Octavo. [viii], 335 pages

Seller: Back Creek Books LLC, ABAA/ILAB, Annapolis, MD, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$350.00 + shipping

Description: First edition. 335 pp. Very Good+ in Very Good dust jacket. Clean text and sturdy binding. Gift inscription on ffep. Rubbing and soiling to head and tail cloth; jacket chipped l. Small faint stain to top edge. Some nicks and at head, scrapes along spine panel edges. Old Doubleday bookstore sticker on back panel (can be removed easily). Front panel creased. Price intact ($5.95). The author's rare first book.

Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$350.00 + shipping

Condition: Near Fine

Description: Near Fine in a Very Good jacket, unclipped ($5.95), bumped at the edges, a tear and some creases at the bottom edge. Quarter red cloth with salmon paper on the boards. Square and firmly bound with a red top stain, clean internally. Irving's debut novel, advertised on the jacket as containing two narrators that represent "a contemporary Don Quixote and his Sancho Panza."

Seller: Carpetbagger Books, Woodstock, IL, U.S.A.

John Irving. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, 1968.

Price: US$450.00 + shipping

Condition: Fine

Description: Fine Copy In Like Jacket $5.95 On Flap. Stated First Printing. The Author's First Book Association Copy. The Book Signed By John ClarkUnkovic Irving's Friend at Exeter. Dated San Francisco 1969 Summer. Excellent Fresh Copy.

Seller: Jeff Bergman Books ABAA, ILAB, Flemington, NJ, U.S.A.

IRVING, John.. Setting Free the Bears.. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$500.00 + shipping

Description: 335 pp. 8vo, publisher's cloth-backed boards in dust jacket. First edition. Tiny ink signature; else better than very good in a bright, sharp jacket with a minor wrinkle and a few indentations on the front panel, probably the result of someone writing on paper placed on top of the book. A very attractive copy. Author's first book.

Seller: Jeffrey H. Marks, Rare Books, ABAA, Rochester, NY, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$900.00 + shipping

Description: First edition of the author's first book. 8vo. First book. Original cloth-backed boards, dust jacket. Slight fading to head of spine, minor wear to extremities of jacket, about near fine First edition of the author's first book.

Seller: James Cummins Bookseller, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.

IRVING, JOHN. SETTING FREE THE BEARS. random house, NEW YORK, 1968.

Price: US$995.00 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: 1st printing stated not price clipped author's first book clean bright great copy

Seller: beat book shop, Boulder, CO, U.S.A.

IRVING, John. SETTING FREE THE BEARS. Random House (1968), New York, 1968.

Price: US$1000.00 + shipping

Description: Irving's scarce first book, this the issue in red cloth-backed boards. There was also an issue in full red cloth with the text bulking slightly smaller. No priority has been proven, though the number of cloth-backed copies seems to outnumber greatly the number in full cloth. Near Fine in a Near Fine dustwrapper

Seller: Charles Agvent, est. 1987, ABAA, ILAB, Fleetwood, PA, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears (signed 1st printing). Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$1175.00 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: Random House. New York. 1968 335 pages. First Edition, first printing; stated. Signed by John Irving on a laid-in publisher's bookplate (different title) Original DJ with $5.95 price and 1/69. DJ is bright and attractive and about near fine with flaws limited to small piece of non-discolored tape on flaps; and tiny stain at base of DJ spine. As for book; red quarter bound cloth with pink-red paper boards. Gilt titles on backstrip are bright. Endpapers are clean. Binding and hinges are strong. Faded top stain shows minor soiling. Faint sunning along edges. Scant foxing to page edges. John Irving's first book; first printing; hand-signed on a loosely laid-in publisher's bookplate. A fine first Pocket Books reading copy will be included as well.

Seller: Medium Rare Books, Mountainside, NJ, U.S.A.

IRVING, John. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$1200.00 + shipping

Condition: Fine

Description: 8vo, red cloth backed boards, d.w. N.Y.: Random House, (1968). First Edition. The author's first book. The dust wrapper is price-clipped, & has a very small, barely visible damp-stain at the base of the spine, but otherwise intact.

Seller: Argosy Book Store, ABAA, ILAB, New York, NY, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free The Bears. Random House, N.Y., 1968.

Price: US$1200.12 + shipping

Condition: Fine

Description: First Edition/First Printing. Fine (one corner pushed, light rubbing at base of spine) in like dust jacket (crease on front flap). A highly collectible copy of this acclaimed author's 1st book!

Seller: Bob's Rare Books, Haddonfield, NJ, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$1249.99 + shipping

Condition: Near Fine

Description: Red cloth/boards, gilt to spine and red topstain. Stated first printing. Spine ends/topstain slightly toned. Faint offset to endpages. The unclipped jacket in mylar has a crease to flap corner. Unmarked, square copy. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall

Seller: curtis paul books, inc., Northridge, CA, U.S.A.

Irving, John. SETTING FREE THE BEARS. Random House [1968], New York, 1968.

Price: US$1250.00 + shipping

Description: Octavo, cloth backed boards. The author's first book. Mild fade along top edges, a nearly fine copy in a nearly fine dust jacket with light shelf wear to head of spine panel with a small nick at the right corner fold. (15142)

Seller: John W. Knott, Jr, Bookseller, ABAA/ILAB, Laurel, MD, U.S.A.

Irving, John. SETTING FREE THE BEARS. Random House (1968), New York, 1968.

Price: US$1250.00 + shipping

Description: First edition of his first book. Decorative bookplate SIGNED BY IRVING laid in. Fine in near fine to fine dust jacket with touch of minor wear and few light creases to corner of front flap. Housed in custom, molded clamshell case lettered in gilt on spine and with partial image from dust jacket embossed on front.

Seller: Quill & Brush, member ABAA, Middletown, MD, U.S.A.

Irving, John. SETTING FREE THE BEARS. Random House, 1968.

Price: US$1575.55 + shipping

Description: SETTING FREE THE BEARS, Random House, 1968, first edition, just about fine in like full color pictorial dust-wrapper. The authors first book. SIGNED by the author on a bookplate laid in.

Seller: THE FINE BOOKS COMPANY / A.B.A.A / 1979, ROCHESTER, MI, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$1650.00 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: First edition, stated first printing. Signed by John Irving on the title page and inscribed to a former owner. Very Good or better, with light sunning along top and bottom edges, bumped corner, light edge wear, and a faint pink remainder mark to the bottom edge of the page block; front hinge slightly pulled. In a Very Good unclipped dust jacket, with some chipping and edge wear. The author's first book, signed.

Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$1749.99 + shipping

Condition: Near Fine

Description: Near fine copy of the author's first book. Red cloth backed boards, gilt to spine, red topstain. Inscribed by Irving to title page. Spine ends/corners slightly softened, touch of shelfwear to board edges. Unmarked, tight and square. The unclipped jacket in mylar has some creasing to flaps and edges and tiny closed tear to back panel. This lovely book is housed in a fine custom clamshell case. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; Signed by Author

Seller: curtis paul books, inc., Northridge, CA, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free The Bears. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$1895.00 + shipping

Description: SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR ON a special, decorative bookplate. AN EXTREMELY CLEAN, ATTRACTIVE COPY WITH A BRIGHT, BEAUTIFUL DUSTJACKET IN NEW, GLOSSY BRODART. NO PREVIOUS OWNER MARKINGS. BEAUTIFUL, COLLECTIBLE COPY. Stated first printing. Irving's scarce, first novel. Great, collectible copy!

Seller: Books Plus, LLC, Lexington, SC, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, 1968, 1968.

Price: US$2950.00 + shipping

Description: First edition, first printing Full signature by John Irving. The popular author's first book with his full back cover photograph. Front cover illustrated by Robert Dale. Very close to fine in like illustrated dust jacket. Quite a beautiful edition. Unique in that unlike many copies, this edition is signed by John Irving on the opening flyleaf, taking up the full size of the flyleaf. NOT signed on a bookplate, but freely signed to the front flyleaf in the early years of the author's career. Gift quality.

Seller: Longhouse, Publishers & Booksellers, Brattleboro, VT, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$3000.00 + shipping

Condition: Fine

Description: First Edition, First Printing SIGNED by John Irving on a laid in signature. This FIRST ISSUE dustjacket is vibrant in color with NO fading to the spine. This ORIGINAL dustjacket has all the First Issue points present with minor wear to the edges. The book is in great shape. The binding is tight with NO cocking or leaning and the boards are crisp. The pages are clean with NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. A beautiful copy in collector's condition.

Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears.. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$3500.00 + shipping

Description: First edition of the author's first book. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, lengthily inscribed [5 line inscription] by John Irving on the half- title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Carl Weiss. Illustration by Robert Dale. Housed in a custom halfÂmorocco clamshell box. With the publication of Setting Free the Bears, the Saturday Review prophetically called Irving "astonishing A writer of uncommon imaginative power. Whatever he writes, it will be worth reading." "Setting Free the Bears is the most nourishing, satisfying comedy I have read in years. I admire the hell out of it" (Kurt Vonnegut Jr.).

Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.

Irving, John. Setting Free the Bears.. Random House, New York, 1968.

Price: US$3500.00 + shipping

Description: First edition of the author's first book. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the half-title page, "For Tony, with my appreciation John Irving." Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Carl Weiss. Illustration by Robert Dale. Uncommon signed and inscribed. With the publication of Setting Free the Bears, the Saturday Review prophetically called Irving "astonishing A writer of uncommon imaginative power. Whatever he writes, it will be worth reading." "Setting Free the Bears is the most nourishing, satisfying comedy I have read in years. I admire the hell out of it" (Kurt Vonnegut Jr.).

Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.