Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Value of a Capstick book.... anyone?

OK esteemed Gun Writers; you�ve accumulated a perfectly miserable record in regards to responding to my very few questions thus far, but in the spirit of this wonderful holiday season, here is your opportunity to gain some redemption.
I have a like new near perfect 1983 First Edition of Death in the Dark Continent by one Mr. Peter Hathaway Capstick., St. Martin�s Press. Below First Edition are the numbers: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. I�ve yet to break this code.
On to my question. Is this book of any value beyond the nominal value of any other book? I invite response from anyone that would know, although Mule Deer has significant ground to make up in the redemption department of ignored questions.
May this now drop like a rock in the deep end.
Richard

Thank you Heavywalker. I have seen a similar value on Amazon. What throws me off is Amazon has the same title listed ~$900. I am truly curious what distinguishes the $20 book from the $900 book. I�m not a collector as you may have guessed and am attempting to gain a certain understanding. Very much appreciate your timely response, Richard

First off let me say that I am also limited in my knowledge of collectable books. I can be of some help however...

Often the most valuable books come from the First Addition, First Printing. This is for many reasons including they are the rarest because the first printing often produces the least amount of books in order to test the markets, while subsequent printings are produced to meet the market demand shown from the first printing.

Now you have a First Addition, First Printing. The numbers you mention that are below the words First Addition indicate this. For example if you have number 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 the lowest number indicates what printing your book is. If the numbers below the book 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3 that would indicate a third printing.

As to the value of your particular book I can not speak to that. You may want to take it and get it appraised, by someone who knows. As to the value of the 900 book on amazon I went and looked it up and there is very little if any information given to make a determination as to the actual value of the book or the reason it has that value.

Hope this helps

Probably an autograph on the $900 item.
The book is worth what someone would pay for it. Kinda like "custom guns."

Richard,

All you have to do to get a response from me is directly ask a specific question that isn't some general, arguable question like a couple you've come up with already, such as the "one make of rifle" or "world-wide battery" threads. I simply don't have time to contribute to those.

As far as as the present question, I'm a semi-serious collector of hunting and shooting books--meaning I'll pay a lot for books that interest me, and have some market value. I once paid $300, for instance, for a specific Elmer Keith book.

But Capstick doesn't particularly interest me, so I have no answer to your question, though heavywalker's posts seem to hit the nail on the head.

MD:
I want to tell you thanks for the prompt and thoughtful answers that you have provided me in the past. Take care

Thanks-and you're welcome!

Thanks for that Heavywalker. Prior to your telling me I had no idea what the numbers indicated, and certainly was not informed as to what would add $900 to the price of a book. Possibly since the book hasn't sold the answer may be nothing.

Hi Mule Deer, those cited were not so much questions as replies to another�s questions. I'm not quite so shallow as to need approval of my likes/dislikes. I do however remember the last question I had asked of you as it is something I still don't have my arms around. I had asked in your experiences how closely you felt it necessary to maintain accuracy in case length; i.e. how closely do you group your brass? I try to group my brass to .002 of case length I�m not certain if this is necessary or not. The gun likely is only capable of consistently shooting 5 shot groups of �� -1�, and the shooter something less. Out of habit I try to eliminate as many variables in my loading and shooting as I reasonably can. Somewhere there is a point of diminishing return, but my available resources do not allow me to determine where.

Im very interested to learn what becomes of your book and its value

I think the 10-9-etc. is the number of printings. 10 would mean the 10th printing of the first edition.

Edit: heavywalker is right, 1st Printing of first edition.

Hi Squints, I had my 11 yr old out as he loves to shop junk stores. Here in Las Vegas we have a lot of people moving around so the constant inventory keeps things interesting for him. Anyway, fulfilling a promise to take him I always go to the book section and have a look while he finds some trinket he �has always wanted��. And there was Capstick. I had intended to read him at some point, and it was for a buck. Perfect condition.
I was actually looking for another title on Amazon when I wanted to see how much I had saved in the Thrift Shop. That is when I saw the book for $900+ and wanted to make some sense of it. I guess if the book really had such a value I should take it back to them or sell it for them to make sure they get the money for their worthy cause. I've come into this with high level of doubt as I have never won anything, but if I did I would want to do some good with it.

brdana;
This is just a quick thank you for your post to John.

Like you, I've always - and I do mean every time - been given good advice from John and taking into account he travels here and there, it was in a timely manner too.

Honestly, as a life long reader of all things firearm and hunting related, it still makes me pause in wonderment when I consider that I'm able to communicate so quickly nowadays with my favorite firearms/hunting author.

It is something I wouldn't have dreamed even possible when I was a kid on the Saskatchewan prairies in the late '60's and early '70's.

Anyway, both John and his wife Eileen have been first rate to deal with in my experience, so I thought I should speak up and say that.

Thanks again brdana and all the best to you in 2012.

Regards,
Dwayne

Richard,

You mean this post you made?--

"If you have answer this, please direct me as I have not read the entire 12 pages but do have a question.

"How closely do you group your brass by case trim length, and cartrides by overall length? I try to group my brass and cartridges to within +/-.001. Ultimately I end up with several little groups out of 20 cases. Am I over doing it?"

In the initial thread that was apparently to the member "baba charlie," not to me, so I didn't respond.

As I suggested earlier, if you want me to answer something specific, address the post specifically to me and I'll try to provide an answer.

As for the question above, unless I'm loading for some super-accurate rifle, I set a caliper to the maximum case length, then use it as a snap-gauge to make sure none of the cases are too long. Those that are too long I trim (usually .01" less than maximum), and those that aren't too long don't get trimmed.

My Father reads Capstick. Im 24 and I've been reading books from his library since my teens. I did a six year stint in the marines and I just returned from Afghanistan. In any case Ive read a few of Capsticks books, he is an excellent storyteller.I looked around a little last night and found an edition of "Sands of Silence", its out of print. Its worth 100 bucks. I do not know how much youre book is worth. From a literary standpoint, "Death in the Long Grass" and "Death in the Silent Places", are excellent reads.Robert Ruark, Jack O'Connor, and Craig Boddington are all excellent writers.

Gentleman-if you are looking at a particular book either to buy or to sell that might be a little difficult to find, you can go to bookfinder.com and it will let you know a lot of things about the book. For instance, I had a couple of books I was interested in selling. One of the books by Frank de Haas, A Potpourri of Single Shot Rifles and Actions, surprised me because there was only one copy for sale and it was almost $254. I put it up for sale for $150. Don't know if I will get it or not, but it is out there. But it is an excellent resource for just what you are looking for. Best of luck-Eddie

Back at you Dwayne. I hope 2012 is great for you too.