Artunderwraps

First Edition Prices, Values and Auction Results

Taps at Reveille seems a fitting title for what was to be F. Scott Fitzgerald's final short story collection published in 1935 by Scribner's (New York). With the glittering Jazz Age behind him, Fitzgerald compiled eighteen tales with many addressing the disillusionment brought on in the 1930s including "Babylon Revisited." The story mirrors much of what its author faced in the aftermath of success and excess when the Stock Market Crash jolts lives unexpectedly. This is the last of his works to be published before Fitzgerald's death. First editions were published with red, white, and black dust jacket. Only 5100 copies of first and second state. Copies of the first issue in very good condition with the jacket can attract as much as $5000. First edition, second state in good condition without the jacket can be obtained for $100-$400.

We collected a sample of 14 auction results of Fitzgerald, F. Scott's Taps at Reveille from 2 different auction houses. The lowest overall price realized in our sample was $96 and the highest overall price realized was $5000. The overall average price was $1060 and the median price realized for the book was $235. There were 6 auctions (43%) with a price realized below the low estimate, 3 auctions (21%) exceeding the high estimates, and 5 auctions (36%) within the range of the low and high estimates. Auctions of interest include: a Swann sale on May 18, 2016 of a 1935 - Scribner's edition for $5000 that described as "an unusually good copy"; a PBA sale on January 26, 2006 of a 1935 - Scribner's edition for $3300 that described as " beautiful, clean copy";