Signed First Editions

The Significance of Signatures

There is no steadfast rule as to how much of a percentage increase an author's signature makes to a first edition's value. There are numerous other factors at play, such as the relative scarcity of that author's signature both generally and in the context of the specific book. The condition of the book and where relevant the dust-jacket will also have an impact, for example (and let us not descend into discussing the murky issue of "marriages" between jackets and book here...). That said, there are plenty of interesting examples of achieved prices at auction that do at least underline the shift in value.

One such case that springs to mind is The Quiet American by Graham Greene, published in 1955. Forum sold a very nice, jacketed example of this, in itself not a vastly uncommon first edition, for £250 in 2021 (not a bad price actually). However, in that same year we also sold a not-quite-so-good jacketed first edition, inscribed from the author to the landlord of a pub he frequented, for £3,750. Had this been simply signed by the author it would have probably fetched about a third of this. If the first edition in question is actually very scarce and sought after in its own right, for example a jacketed UK first edition of Greene's Brighton Rock, and has been inscribed by the author the price would be many tens of thousands of pounds.

It is worth mentioning that signed first editions are also collectable when signed by someone other than the author. If the illustrator of the book in question had signed or inscribed it, or even better added some sort of doodle, this could be highly collectable. Famous examples of this include E.H. Shepard, illustrator of the Christopher Robin books by A.A. Milne, and Josh Kirby, who did the splendid jackets for Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels.

Books that have been made into films or, increasingly these days, streaming series, can be highly attractive to collectors when signed by cast members. The Harry Potter films, for example, are an obvious candidate here. But the stars (big & small) of the James Bond films over the years have also graced the occasional Ian Fleming first edition with their signature. These don't always appeal to the 'purist', but do have their collectors.

Flat-signed vs Inscribed vs Signed Limited Editions

As indicated above, in most cases a signed first edition with an interesting inscription from the author would appeal considerably more than a simply signed example. However, the market for solely signed copies of first editions has grown over recent years. Bookshops are sometimes provided with a number of pre-signed first editions of a new title, which are therefore relatively available. The consistency of books simply signed would also appeal to the aesthetics of some collectors, perhaps.

The relative value of inscribed presentation copies will fluctuate massively depending on the nature of the inscription, not to mention to whom it is inscribed. If you are collecting an author you are interested in (always a safer bet), then your appreciation of the author and his or her oeuvre will probably give you some insight into how significant the inscription is, allied perhaps with a bit of research.

Signed first editions do also sometimes come as limited editions. These are often published simultaneously with the trade edition counterparts, sometimes in a more 'deluxe' format, normally signed by the author on the page indicating the number of copies comprising the limited edition. There is definitely a market for these, though again some purists turn their noses up at them. There was a vogue for these amongst publishers in the 1980s & 1990s, and they can look rather splendid when lined up on a shelf, often in plastic jackets or slip-cases as issued. Earlier authors also benefitted from the deluxe treatment however; Somerset Maugham for example had several attractive limited editions of specific works issued.

The Pillar of Provenance

Inevitably one of the biggest problems that plagues the signed first editions collectables market is that of authenticity. J.K. Rowling famously went to considerable lengths to control the signing of her books due to the flood of fakes that swamped the market prior to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Inscribed first editions are often easier to authenticate than simply signed first editions. In part this is due to having more hand-writing to analyse and compare. It is always worth finding out what provenance is available, where possible. Dealing with reputable auction houses and trade association affiliated booksellers is often one way of minimalising your potential exposure to risk. If in doubt, ask an expert! Forum's Max Hasler is always on hand to offer advice and assistance.

Signed Firsts at Forum Auctions

1. E.M. Forster, A Room With a View, first edition, 1908. Initialled presentation inscription from the author. Sold for £30,000.
   A very good association copy of Forster's third novel, inscribed to a friend and tangential member of the Bloomsbury Group. We could trace only 3 other signed or inscribed copies of this work at auction.
   
   
2. James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, first English edition, English sheets, 1918. Signed presentation inscription from the author. Sold for £21,250.
   Joyce's first novel with a near-contemporary presentation inscription. Inscribed copies of this or any edition are rare, especially so with a contemporary inscription.
   
   
3. Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front, first English edition, 1929. Signed presentation inscription from the author to endpaper. Sold for £22,500.
   A superb example of the best-known novel to come out of the First World War, inscribed copies are rare, especially so in such remarkable condition as this.
   
   
4. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tender is the Night, first edition, first printing, 1934. Signed by the author on front free endpaper. Sold for £16,380.
   One of only 19 copies signed by Fitzgerald in his home at the behest of the book buyer for the Baltimore department store Hochschild, Kohn & Co.
   
   
5. Daphne Du Maurier, Rebecca, first edition, 1938. Signed presentation inscription from the author to her governess. Sold for £15,000.
   A superb association copy inscribed from the author to her favourite governess in the month prior to publication.
   
   
6. Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot's Christmas, first edition, 1939. Signed by the author. Sold for £12,000.
   Rare signed, we can trace only one other copy at auction. This copy with "were" on p. 162 corrected to "was", allegedly in Christie's hand.
   
   
7. William Golding, Lord of the Flies, first edition, 1954. Signed presentation inscription from the author. Sold for £15,000.
   Golding's celebrated classic presented to one of his closest friends and later inscribed to his daughter.
   
   
8. Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany's, first edition, 1958. Signed by the author on endpaper. Sold for £5,000.
   Capote's most famous work. The central character Holly Golightly, and particularly her portrayal by Audrey Hepburn, has become an American cultural icon.
   
   
9. Ian Fleming, Goldfinger, first edition, 1959. Signed presentation inscription from the author. Sold for £17,500.
   An excellent example with a charming inscription to Lionel Berry, 2nd Viscount Kemsley; a great association example of this key James Bond title. Seemingly one of the scarcest titles to find inscribed.
   
   
10. John Le Carré, Call for the Dead, first edition, 1961. Signed presentation inscription from the author. Sold for £15,000.
    Inscribed first edition of the author's first novel, introducing George Smiley, his most enduring creation and arguably the greatest and most complex character in all of spy fiction.
    
    
11. Jack Kerouac, Satori in Paris, first edition, first printing, 1966. Signed presentation inscription from the author. Sold for £13,750.
    Kerouac's penultimate novel inscribed to his brother-in-law, we can trace no other inscribed copy of this work.
    
    
12. Terry Pratchett, The Colour of Magic, first edition, 1983. Signed by the author. Sold for £8,125.
    A superb signed example of the first of the Discworld books. Copies of this title are scarce, especially so signed.