Are You Thinking of Disposing of a Collection of Wodehouse
Books and Related Material?
This article attempts to provide a comprehensive review of the various topics which should be considered before a decision is reached on how to proceed with a disposal of a Wodehouse Collection, and we trust that members and their representatives will find it to be of real assistance.
A separate article (here) describes our policy in regard to proposed donations of Wodehouse items to the Society.
As explained later in this article, the Society is not equipped with either the personnel or the facilities needed to provide detailed advice with the disposal of most Wodehouse collections, but in limited circumstances, the Society will be willing to invite a Member (or their representative) who is hoping to dispose of a collection which includes items of exceptional interest, to speak to an appointed Expert member of the Society for advice.
By no means all the suggestions in the article will apply to every disposal, but depending on the nature and expected value of the collection - and the urgency of completing a disposal, the review may be an unexpectedly time-consuming process.
Does the Collection Consist Almost Exclusively of Well-read Later Editions?
Most members of our Society have built up their collection of books by Wodehouse over a period of many years, and are likely to own a mixture of paperback and hard-cover editions. Since Wodehouse died over 45 years ago, in 1975, it is not surprising that many members have few first editions (which is where much of the financial worth lies), unless they have inherited them, or deliberately sought to add such items for extra pleasure.
It is a hard commercial fact that, although to a fan the collection will have been invaluable, a matter of pride and enjoyment, it may be difficult to sell either in its entirety or as individual items. Although everybody’s collection is different, most will be based on many of the same 30 or 40 titles. And it is these titles which are most often offered on the second-hand market at a couple of pounds at most.
Do take the precaution of checking the detailed make-up of the list in case there are some pleasant surprises, but especially if time is of the essence, you may think that giving the books away is a sensible option. And this would allow Wodehouse’s work to be appreciated by a wider, and perhaps new, audience.
Many people have begun reading Wodehouse after finding an odd little book in a charity shop or on a stall somewhere. One suggestion, therefore, is to take a look at Oxfam, which has an extensive secondhand book business. Local shop managers will form their own policy on whether they will collect books from you, or whether you have to take them to Oxfam. Your closest Oxfam shop can be found via their website (here). Alternatively, you might like to consider a local animal charity, since the Wodehouses were great supporters of the BideaWee animal rescue charity near their Long Island home.
Does the Collection Have a Greater Breadth?
You may be aware, or suspect, that the collection contains a number of potentially more valuable books, such as first editions. Ensure that you understand the difference between ‘first edition’, ‘first printing’, and later printings. (Please bear in mind that most of the time, references to ‘first editions’ may really be short-hand references to first printings of first editions. In this article the term should always be assumed to have that meaning.)
Although it may be time-consuming, it is worth compiling a list of the titles you have, the publisher, the edition and/or year published, and the condition of each book. If you have access to A Comprehensive Bibliography and Checklist, compiled by Eileen McIlvaine and others in 1990, you will be able to identify many of the unique attributes of first editions and their jackets.
Apart from true first printings, few paperbacks and few hardbacks without dust jackets, dated from about 1920 onwards, will prove to be worth trying to sell or offer as individual items. Though this may not be welcome news, it could well be the realistic conclusion.
A Warning
You are explicitly advised to extract any books in poor condition from the collection you intend to offer. If the spine of a book is badly torn or missing; if pages are loose; or if the corners of the book are badly scuffed; then its inclusion in the material offered to a dealer will create a bad impression, and is likely to reduce the dealer’s enthusiasm. Only the very rarest items will be considered worth acquiring in that state.
To help you avoid this pitfall, it is helpful to include in any list a few words describing the condition of each item. This should cover significant faults such as a torn dust jacket, faded or bumped boards in the case of hard-back books, missing preliminary (or other) pages, foxing and similar faults. Also, of course, be sure to add details of any personal dedication by Wodehouse, or where the book has been in the possession of a celebrity whose name might enhance its value.
Researching the Possible Value of a Collection’s Contents
Although asking prices for most books are readily available on websites such as Abebooks or Amazon, please remember that an asking price is often optimistic and will not necessarily reflect a realistic selling price. A more accurate assessment of prices on items which have actually sold can be obtained by reviewing prices achieved for completed listings on eBay and by reviewing online results for auctions at major auction houses.
Elements of a ‘Mixed Collection’ to which Individual Factors might have Relevance
A ‘mixed collection’ in this context may extend beyond popular editions of books BY Wodehouse. The fan or collector may have acquired any (or, exceptionally, all) of the following types of material while building the collection, and different considerations may apply to each:
a first printings published before World War I, with or without dust jackets
b other first printings with dust jackets
c other first printings without dust jackets
d bound volumes of magazines containing Wodehouse contributions
e individual magazines containing Wodehouse contributions
f collections of books ABOUT Wodehouse’s life, or his writing, or both
g playscripts, usually found in individual publications
h sheet music for Wodehouse lyrics, whether as an individual item or contained in a score for a show to which he contributed
i theatre programmes for plays or musicals to which Wodehouse contributed the script, lyrics or both
j autograph or typed letters signed by Wodehouse to third parties (see separate note below).
The Next Step: The Choice of Market-Place
Once a seller has a good idea of the nature and quality of the collection, it becomes easier to suggest the type of market-place which would be most appropriate. We have already suggested a charity shop may be appropriate for a basic collection - and similarly, it might also be appropriate for a proportion of the material in a mixed collection. But if you are looking for a commercial sale of good quality material, you should try to prepare a carefully compiled and detailed listing (such as that found here) of the items in the collection.
The other possibilities include:
a local second-hand bookshops
b on-line bookshops
c a traditional dealer
d a specialist dealer
e a do-it-yourself auction house (such as eBay)
f a traditional auction house
g personal contacts.
Generally, as a seller, the more legwork and time one is prepared to put in to find a buyer oneself, the higher the net cash receivable the seller can expect for his investment of time and effort; conversely, letting someone else make the effort to find the ultimate buyer (eg by selling to a bookshop, dealer, or via an auction), the lower the net receivable the seller can expect, albeit it may well be quicker and easier to let someone else do the donkeywork on his behalf.
If the seller sells to a dealer or a bookshop, the dealer will buy for an amount that enables him to sell it for a price in the future which covers his time and direct overheads, and also enables him to make a reasonable profit on the transaction. If the seller sells via an online listing (eg Abebooks), an online auction (eg eBay), or a physical auction (eg Sotheby’s), the seller has to pay the selling fees charged by the sales platform, meaning that he will only receive a proportion of the sale price achieved. Such selling fees can range from c15% to c25% of the sale price.
If the seller sells books in bundled lots, rather than individually, that reduces the appeal of the lot. A potential buyer may only want, say, two of the ten books in a lot, so will probably only be prepared to offer an amount equal to what he/she would regard as a fair retail price for those two books.
In What Circumstances Might the Society be Willing to Offer Specific Personal Advice in Respect of the Disposal of a Collection?
In certain circumstances, the Society will be willing to invite a member (or their representative) hoping to dispose of a collection which includes items of exceptional interest, to speak to an appointed Expert member of the Society for advice, including, if appropriate, advice about the possibility of making a donation or leaving a bequest to the Society.
For this purpose, it should be assumed that the Society would not feel able to assist in this way unless the collection under consideration was significantly enhanced by items described at (a) to (j) above. If a member or representative felt that the collection was likely to meet these criteria, contact should be made with the Society’s website editor by e-mail to websiteeditor@pgwodehousesociety.org.uk from where it will be forwarded to a Society Expert.
It should include a carefully compiled and detailed listing (such as that found here) of the items in the collection which are thought would elevate it to having significant status within the ‘mixed collection’ ranks. If the Society Expert to whom the request is referred is willing to provide personal advice - by e-mail, telephone or meeting in person - the following must be understood and accepted:
The Society would arrange the introduction described as a service to members (or the representatives of deceased members) but cannot be involved in any way in the negotiation of the price of any item.
Will the Society be Willing to Advertise the Prospective Sale of a Collection?
Should the Expert believe that Society members might welcome notice that a collection which includes some items of note or rarity is about to come onto the market, and if the person making the disposal so desires, and the relevant Editors agree, the Society would consider placing one short notice in one edition of Wooster Sauce and/or one notice on our website for an agreed length of time not exceeding six months. The notice would include the seller’s contact details and thereafter the Society would take no part in any discussion between the seller and potential buyers.
We regret that we would be unable to consider carrying a notice from a non-member even when the material for sale was something quite exceptional.
Conclusion
The disposal of a significant number of books and related other material in a collection will always be a time-consuming affair, however good the individual contents. Even listing the collection accurately can lead to unexpected discoveries about its contents, potentially increasing or reducing its perceived value by a significant amount.
March 2021