Long Shot..

[Peach]

I have a 1937 first edition (German) copy of "Gone With The Wind" that I'm trying to sell. I've put it on Craigslist both locally and in Germany with no interest. I've tried selling it to antique dealers and rare bookstores here but no one is interested. Their remarks are simply that no one will buy it because it's in German.

It is in pretty good condition for being as old as it is and having survived World War II. The pages are yellowed, but not badly and there are no rips or missing pages (I have checked). It comes with the original dust jacket, which does have damage along the bottom including a half-torn piece (which is still mostly attached).

Books without the dust jacket sell for as much as $800 online and I'm asking considerably less at $300. I'm open to reasonable offers, too. Shipping would be paid, too, of course.

If anyone knows anyone who would be interested in a 1937 first edition copy of Gone With The Wind in German, please let me know? I could really use the money right now.

Thanks!

[Biomech]

Possibly, let me have a quick think

[SwissJon]

I'll ask in the bookstores round here.. Sounds like something that might sell round here.

Can you post some photos of it? What's "Gone with the Wind" and "1st Edition" in German?

You could always advertise on the Swiss small ads:

http://www.petitesannonces.ch/
http://www.anibis.ch/

And I think the Ex-Pats website might be able to help also:

http://www.englishforum.ch/

[Biomech]

^^ What the Swiss said, any pics? And do you know the publishing house?

[doctorjames]

^^ what they said.

I think you are likely to get much more interest this side of the water, specifically in German speaking countries.

Probably worth sending a few emails out to the spe******t shops in Germany/Austria/Switzerland. Odds are very good that they will happily converse in english

[SwissJon]

If you post some photos and PM me some contact details, I'm happy to have a chat with some of the specia.list shops in my neck of the woods.. I think the English Forum is you best shot though, I'm in French speaking Switzerland. 65% of Switzerland is German speaking.

Alternatively advertise on ebay.de or ebay.ch

[doctorjames]

slightly off topic, but why wont it let me write spe******t in here?

oh just worked it out, because it contains the brand name for a certain pharmaceutical

[dlambert]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

Can you post some photos of it?

Considering it's a photography forum & all, that might make a great subject for a little still-life exercise. I've got to think that a couple of really great photos would help sell the book a little, and you'll get some photography practice in, too. ;-)

[Peach]

Thanks for the great responses, everyone!

The publisher is "Claassen Verlag Hamburg" and I've found out that the publisher, H. Goverts (one of the founders) was the first publisher to receive a license after the war, to resume activities. In 1946, the company was renamed Claassen Verlag GmbH & Goverts.

The copyright on the book reads: "Copyright 1937 by H. Goverts Verlag GmBH, Hamburg"

The coverart is done by "G. Gossmann" and is print signed (not original autograph) "G. Gossmann 37."

The German title are:

"Vom Winde Verweht." It doesn't specifically say "first edition" but the first year that "Gone With The Wind" was printed in Germany was 1937, one year after it came out in the U.S. (1936). I do know that copies of the 1936 English version sell for over $1,000 and more if you have Margaret Mitchell's signature. This one has no signature sadly.

I will get some pictures hopefully today or tomorrow. It would be a great exercise, as someone said, in still life photography and using a DIY lighttent

[Peach]

As promised:


DSC_1648 by JustPeachee, on Flickr


DSC_1663 by JustPeachee, on Flickr


DSC_1656 by JustPeachee, on Flickr


DSC_1657 by JustPeachee, on Flickr

A few more pictures are available in that set.

Again, if anyone's interested, please let me know. I'd like to sell the book - I need the money more than I need to carry it around with me.