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- Feb 8, 1999
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- Robert Harris
I believe dust jackets for books go back to the 1830s, and many contained advertising for the publishers other books.
There was a period (18th century?) during which books would be sol by the publisher as raw printed sheets, which the owner could have bound as desired. If memory serves, Fielding’s Tom Jones was sold in that manner in 1749. Initially, 2,000 copies were printed, which sold out immediately and were followed by another 1,500.
If you check for firsts today, every example will be bound differently - each a small six volume set.
The modern dust jacket seems to have hit an artistic zenith with The Great Gatsby, for which the first edition jacket is more highly valued than the book within.
One might presume that this is the basis for thinking toward steelbooks and investment grade slips on home video products.
”I make over $200 an hour selling used Blu-ray slipcovers on eBay!”
There was a period (18th century?) during which books would be sol by the publisher as raw printed sheets, which the owner could have bound as desired. If memory serves, Fielding’s Tom Jones was sold in that manner in 1749. Initially, 2,000 copies were printed, which sold out immediately and were followed by another 1,500.
If you check for firsts today, every example will be bound differently - each a small six volume set.
The modern dust jacket seems to have hit an artistic zenith with The Great Gatsby, for which the first edition jacket is more highly valued than the book within.
One might presume that this is the basis for thinking toward steelbooks and investment grade slips on home video products.
”I make over $200 an hour selling used Blu-ray slipcovers on eBay!”